WBCCI Leaders, How and Why?

[rideair]

In an effort to better understand the positives and problems within the WBCCI at the International, Region, Unit and the Intra Club level it might be a good idea to first understand “how” these leaders are picked and “why” the qualifications of some make them a good leader or “face” of the club and others not.

Some leaders are “asked” for various reasons to serve in a leadership role. Other times, people will ask to be place in certain roles because they for various reasons want to be in that role.

Not that one is right and the other is wrong, etc…but at this point in the history of the WBCCI more so than ever the club needs to look closely in the voting/granting of leadership roles and who is and is not placed in the spots.

One reason why the WBCCI is experiencing what it is is because some people can be very polarizing personalities within the club questions arise about their methods/appointments and if it’s in the best interest of the WBCCI. Though some in the WBCCI leadership may think appointing or voting these people in office is in the clubs best interest and that they have the ability to draw members into the club, host rallies, create caravans, etc.., other WBCCI members and past members may think they have little experience doing so and may think they will drive away membership and may not be the best person to fill the role. With numbers declining more now than ever, each role must be filled with positive personalities that have a track record of bringing people together and that have a record of creating an atmosphere that people want to be at and look forward to going too. For those who don’t know how this is done, they only need to look either inside the club for the Unit’s that are known to have a “special touch” or outside of the club to the non-WBCCI events that are well attended for this insight.

Even with that, the people that are “tapped” or throw their hat in the ring must also look at themselves openly and honestly and ask “Am I the right person at this time for this role?” Everyone understands the thinking “But, I want to help”. But we all know sometimes the best way someone can help, is by “not helping”.

Maybe it’s time for everyone in a leadership role at the Unit, Region, International and even Intra Club level to ask “Am I helping or hurting the club?”

I’m not saying if as a leader you’re not helping it’s time to cancel your membership and go home or that you’re not wanted. But maybe it’s time to sit back and let someone else drive or just wait for the right person to come along. Too many times the thinking “someone is better than no one” did more harm than good. And it maybe that you are a good leader, but the style of leadership you offer is not right for the era of the WBCCI and its Intra Clubs.

So in the end one must ask themselve is being in a leadership role during this time in the clubs history with all that has transpired over the years in the best interest of the club?

So as a leader try to answer those questions because your answer could make or break the WBCCI at the International, Region, Unit and Intra Club level.

And as members, past members and even other leaders of the WBCCI should not be afraid to say to that person in another leadership role “I like you, but I don’t think right now is your time”

[az-streamer]

think "Term Limits"

lifetime member yes - lifetime power position no

1-2-3 terms in a specific office/position and then your out and go to the back of the line.

if no-one else will volunteer for a certain office/position, well....maybe we don't need it?

[gaylejoe]

Very few people want to step up to the plate. If more people would we would have more of a selection of officers and a better opportunity to select the right one for the job at hand.

[Gene]

Leadership development is often ignored in nonprofits and then everybody wonders why they can't find people to fill offices. One of the jobs of a nominating committee could be leadership development, but trying to find people to run for office takes all their energy, so development doesn't get done.

A board will want to fill slots with people who think the same. It is the natural thing to do. So organizations don't change, they shrink, and they wonder why.

So, Paul, good topic, and a hard one to solve.

Gene

[bryanl]

Leadership development is often ignored in nonprofits and then everybody wonders why they can't find people to fill offices.

And it is made harder when folks who are ignorant choose to express that ignorance in the form of attacks on the integrity and motivations of those who do volunteer; or those who have an axe to grind; or those who just disagree with something by throwing mud.

trying to find leaders to step up to such ad hominem - or worse - calls for a very dedicated individual.

And no, the WBCCI board does not choose its own membership. The board members are elected leaders from each of the defined regions. They are usually people who have worked their way through many volunteer, elected leadership positions at the unit and region levels often over many years of service.

As for training, the custom is for the leaders to rotate through the important committee functions at each level before taking top role. There have been some attempts lately to bypass this custom and to bypass the region and to bypass the representation - and then make all sorts of nasty claims.

It may be a hard problem to solve but that is because the sources are often in denial about their role in creating the problem. It is not just the WBCCI, either, with this problem. We all suffer when integrity, civility, honesty, and self awareness go by the board.

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by bryanl

And no, the WBCCI board does not choose its own membership. The board members are elected leaders from each of the defined regions. They are usually people who have worked their way through many volunteer, elected leadership positions at the unit and region levels often over many years of service.

In reality the board , or at least the nominating committee does choose it's own membership/successors since there are no competitive elections with multiple candidates. It is rare to have more than one candidate for any office and those few who try are handicapped by being refused equal access to the Blue Beret etc.
Can any one one come up with an example of some one who was "elected" 3rd VP for example, on any level be it unit, region or international , that did not move up to their particular top spot if they wanted to?
Once put in the "chain" by the nominating committee success is assured

[robandzoe]

Originally Posted by RickDavis

Can any one one come up with an example of some one who was "elected" 3rd VP for example, on any level be it unit, region or international , that did not move up to their particular top spot if they wanted to?
Once put in the "chain" by the nominating committee success is assured

Yes Rick, as a matter of fact, I can. I was 2nd VP to move up to first VP in the VAC when I was bypassed by someone not even on the board...... when I definately wanted to move up... something about not having the leadership skills or having never attended the Interational and not knowing how to put on a parade.... I'll tell you one thing.... we would have paraded through Madison if I had had the reins!!! Right down the closed off to public cars State Street it would have been!!

DSC_0031.jpg (image)

Rob

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by robandzoe

Yes Rick, as a matter of fact, I can. I was 2nd VP to move up to first VP in the VAC when I was bypassed by someone not even on the board...... when I definately wanted to move up... something about not having the leadership skills or having never attended the Interational and not knowing how to put on a parade.... I'll tell you one thing.... we would have paraded through Madison if I had had the reins!!! Right down the closed off to public cars State Street it would have been!!

DSC_0031.jpg (image)

Rob

Rob,
I had heard the story. What I don't understand is who would have the power to decide you couldn't be on the ballot the following year as normal.
It pretty well illustrates what is wrong with having a nominating committee that only recognizes one candidate for each position.
I don't doubt that you could have handled the job, whether you had previously been to an international or not. If that was a problem the nominating people should have taken it into consideration before the first approach.
Under the circumstances I would have bailed out also.

It is not an election when the candidates are selected by committee

[robandzoe]

Rick,

Needless to say, the previous year I was unable to attend the International due to being recalled to Active Duty with the Marine Corps...

Yes, the whole process is broken.. a perfect example of the "Good ole Boy Network" plus favoritism... "election" is being used here tongue in cheek I hope!

Originally Posted by RickDavis

Rob,
I had heard the story. What I don't understand is who would have the power to decide you couldn't be on the ballot the following year as normal.
It pretty well illustrates what is wrong with having a nominating committee that only recognizes one candidate for each position.
I don't doubt that you could have handled the job, whether you had previously been to an international or not. If that was a problem the nominating people should have taken it into consideration before the first approach.
Under the circumstances I would have bailed out also.

It is not an election when the candidates are selected by committee

[bryanl]

re: "In reality the board , or at least the nominating committee does choose it's own membership/successors since there are no competitive elections with multiple candidates."

This is what you call circular logic.

An election is a process of narrowing down the list of candidates to just one and complaining about where this happens is completely missing the goal of the process and ignorant of how it works.

A nominating committee is a convenience, not a cabal. Nominations from the floor are always in order.

The thing is, when you are dealing with groups of people selecting leadership, you have to have people willing and able to run. Those people have to develop their 'advocates' and then they have to convince the broader membership that they are the one to support in the election.

What we see here, and as also well illustrated in Wisconsin recently, is sour grapes. In my mind it is the sort of sore loser response that is a cancer in our society.

There is also an example of a much better approach in national politics that was illustrated in the last election. That was a grass roots effort that found leaders to support, developed voter support for these candidates, and managed to win many elections. Where they lost, they didn't whine or complain about the process. Instead they went back to their principles and to work on developing support for their ideas.

Even the talk about "being able to handle the job" has its analogies in national elections.

The "power" is in the hands of the members. Just because it isn't expressed the way you want it is no reason to allege conspiracy or criticize the methods or complain about your own dis-empowerment.

There are ways to change things. Some have proven fruitful and other disastrous. What really scares me is that so many seem to favor the disastrous and just don't learn from history.

[Pahaska]

There is only one term that describes the current WBCCI International nomination process for me. Incest! They just keep the power in the good old boys family.

Thanks to a motion by Region 9 President (and no thanks to a certain misguided past international president in the case of our unit), for the first time candidates not blessed by the incestuous nomination committee will be published on the website and Blue Beret. One small step in the right direction.

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by bryanl

re: "In reality the board , or at least the nominating committee does choose it's own membership/successors since there are no competitive elections with multiple candidates."

This is what you call circular logic.

An election is a process of narrowing down the list of candidates to just one and complaining about where this happens is completely missing the goal of the process and ignorant of how it works.

A nominating committee is a convenience, not a cabal. Nominations from the floor are always in order.
.

Nothing circular about it. The nominating committee selects one candidate that THEY feel is qualified. Any one running from the floor is denied equal opportunity simply because they do not get FREE (or any) Blue Beret space or a listing from the nominating committee

The candidates are thus elected by the nominating committee because typically there is only one candidate. While the members can choose not to vote for a candidate it is meaningless with out competition. It would only take 1 vote to elect an IP under our present system if every one else abstained.. Essentially there is no way to vote AGAINST the candidate

One thing you can absolutely count on. Barring death, or illness todays third international VP will be IP in 4 years and one of the 12 region presidents today will be IP in 5 years

I think this was well addressed in the new proposed constitution, but as it stands now the system favors the anointed ones

[wheel interested]

And don't forget the second time we had a candidate, Leo G., not only was he not able to have his statement running in the BB even at his own expense and arranged with headquarters but denied last minute by the IP in reversal of his conditions to allow it; the election instructions to unit presidents were inaccurate and failed to include that members could also vote for Leo. Upon protest it was admitted the information was in error and would be corrected. However even with plenty of time and more protests from Leo the matter was decided by the IP that it would be taken care and announced just before the vote at International and that was sufficient recompense. However as we all know, unit members have already voted and held their meetings and sent their delegates with their voting instructions in advance of the meetings at International. That was not an inadvertent series of misdeeds in that election process! It was election tampering. Nor was it any coincidence or fair treatment that Leo G. was expelled and not allowed to make a defense to offer his evidence and documentation that would have exonerated him and kept him a member in good stead and expose wrongful and prejudicial action of leadership. His expulsion preceded his entering the election for the third time and instead generated a backlash from supporters demanding a hearing outside of the WBCCI. And we all know how that effort was scuttled and to what benefit it was to whom. And now apparently there is an entire faction of unhappy elements that are not quality and should be put down lest they seize control of the club as they want, says J.Franklin. Even Denco's amendment is considered to represent a hostile element.

[wheel interested]

John is right. If any get too close to succeeding then the rules get changed in mid play. Leadership asked for volunteers but what they really wanted was clones. Once members started expressing themselves and their ideas for the future, no longer were they considered volunteers or potential leaders but then they became adversaries and a threat. It's very unfortunate. And it is leadership's call not membership's. Pay more attention to just who is doing the name calling contrary to what you may be being told. Which reality, "Just step up and volunteer?" or in the words of J.Franklin "We should rule and put them down." And they said Leo G. must go because he was the one, the unforgivable, that broke this fine club's code of ethics. Be careful what you think now, you may be in danger of becoming what they call a naysayer.

[wheel interested]

I've noticed too that it is getting harder to find someone who wants to step up, but there is always next time.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by bryanl

And it is made harder when folks who are ignorant choose to express that ignorance in the form of attacks on the integrity and motivations of those who do volunteer; or those who have an axe to grind; or those who just disagree with something by throwing mud.

And it gets even more difficult when people are not willing to except their failures and set a course to correcting the issues. It become impossible when any criticism is viewed as "axe grinding" and "mud slinging".
The bottom line is a once grand club is running on fumes. To not realize this is actually the "ignorance" you speak of.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Originally Posted by bryanl

The "power" is in the hands of the members.

What club are you talking about? Just curious, because that does not exist in the club you are referring to. The only power members have is to not pay their dues. The current membership numbers show they are exercising their power by close to 18% every single year and have been doing so since 1976.

[bryanl]

Hey, you guys sound like you've read the labor union manuals uncovered in a recent lawsuit.

And it gets even more difficult when people are not willing to except their failures and set a course to correcting the issues.

and it even harder when that 'acceptance' is being forced on one by a bitter and angry mob that comes across as rather distanced from reality - much as illustrated here.

There isn't much of a 'debate' or discussion when a point is offered that is just refuted. Look for example on the 'circular logic' and 'power' points raised. The response was not to try to understand their underpinnings but rather just a plain 'no it's not'. i.e. a complete refusal to accept an idea or even sound it out.

Then there's the example of projection.

Things don't change in any 'good' way when that change is driven by the wrong emotions.

On the other hand, I do see change being driven by folks who aren't so angry and bitter and full of the conspiracy ethos. What troubles me is that some of that effort is an attempt to appease those vocal and irrational complainers and that sort of appeasement usually doesn't work out well.

Take all the energy of the hate being shown here and direct that at positive education of the 'masses' about the need for change and the path you think is best. If your ideas really do have merit, they will have influence. If they have sufficient influence, you will stimulate the change you desire.

But then again, if you don't get your way, throwing a tantrum like a 2yo probably isn't in your best interests in the long run.

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

. It become impossible when any criticism is viewed as "axe grinding" and "mud slinging".
.

Or possibly as a cause to file multiple grievances and remove someone from the club

[wheel interested]

hate?

Bryan just because someone doesn't post that your post was insightful if not inciteful or engage according to your expectations it doesn't mean it hasn't been weighed in one's mind offline.

It would be the wise thing to pick up, dust off and begin with renewed vigor down a different path. I have. I am waiting for the remote region officers to move up to the executive committee positions. It has been mentioned patience needs to be employed with regard to change. It's gonna be a while. Have a seat. I think most of us are marking time in this thread.

Would you consider personally organizing a slate of candidates perhaps even including yourself to run from the floor?