[SEDXC] Meetings and Small Attendance

[Clark Macaulay]

I am so impressed with the commitment of the leadership to do their very best for SEDXC and like the discussion here. I have three thoughts. 
   
  1) Unless we poll the entire membership, the discussion centers on the faithful few.  What percentage of the club members are subscribed to this reflector?  Are these messages a little like "preaching to the choir"? Perhaps this has already been done and I've missed it.  
   
  It seems to me that Bob's query has two purposes.  Of course he'd like to see the attendance go up.  He's also like to make sure the meetings are meeting the needs of the members: that's what good leaders in a voluntary organization do (as contrasted with business where meetings are NOT optional!).  Before changes are made to meeting format, let's make sure we have a feel for the 'lay of the land'.   
   
  2)  Don's suggestions are excellent.  Business meetings have a tendency to drag on; you don't know what kind of interaction you're going to get and cutting if off can be viewed as heavy handed.  At the same time, waiting until 9PM for a technical discussion is too late for me, too.  There is always going tension in the use of time for these two agenda items.
   
  If Don's suggestion was tried, it may force a look at how the "business" part of the monthly meeting is planned and conducted.  This part of the monthly meeting is important; maybe it just needs a little reengineering.
   
  3)  I wonder how many members have other commitments from time to time such as work, family, sickness, that explains, in part, why they don’t' come.   I've missed the last two meetings due to other commitments and will miss the November meeting as I'll be out of town Thanksgiving week.  Even though I don't have the years of experience in getting to know you guys, I have missed seeing you and look forward to getting back in the swing of things after the holidays. 
   
  73 de Clark ke4rq