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The end of August AMCA sent out surveys to each district executive, each chorus executive and our members, in a continuing effort to improve upon the present level of service and to bring the organization into the 21st Century. Our CommunityI am not inclined to give much credence to fortune telling nor the monthly predictions for my sign, Pisces, appearing in various publications; however, the following appeared this week in a periodical that crossed my doorstep:"Understand what is happening, take a walk, or distance yourself from a problem that's not yours to solve."Well, having been so thoroughly immersed in designing, publishing and mailing the surveys this summer, I could not help but relate this to my work for AMCA - "... distance yourself", well as some may know that's not my style, and "...not yours to solve", I guess that's right! I got to thinking too, about "community" - what it means and how it relates to our musical association. All of the definitions I have read imply a degree of interaction and common interest serving as a bond. AMCA certainly has the latter, but does it meet the first condition - "a degree of interaction"? If there is interaction it is at such a minuscule level that it is barely noticeable. In a nutshell, that is a major problem we must overcome if we are to grow and prosper! Every member of a community needs the opportunity to contribute - a healthy community is measured by the degree of participation of its members. What this means is that if you want to enjoy a truly healthy community an awful lot of time and energy has to be spent working to involve members in order to achieve this. Well, that's what the survey is all about, is it not? Interaction Within Our CommunityRecently I telephoned a local cable company to verify their address and ask if they had an email address to which I could send some information. I got the all too familiar recorded announcement listing five options for numbers on my push-button telephone. Naturally, the fifth was the closest I could get to the information I required and a real person. Then, another recorded announcement - "All of our representatives are busy, your call is valuable to us and someone will answer within 3 to 5 minutes, please stay on the line". Ten minutes later, after listening to music that I would normally not stay tuned to, I still had not spoken to anyone, so I put the receiver on my desk and carried on with my work. When I picked it up again after 2 or 3 minutes I heard no more offensive music - just a dial tone, they had hung up! Maybe I should have "taken the walk" my horoscope seer had suggested.My cable company not withstanding, we are however, living in an age of instant electronic communication and most of our leaders and many members have access to the internet and email. Why then are we so reluctant to use these tools as methods of communication to augment our costly and often inconvenient in-person meetings? Committees of connected members could be "meeting" as frequently as needed in order to get things accomplished without travel/accommodation expenses. Why do we continue to be locked into twice yearly meetings with so little of substance happening in between? So much can and should be done outside formal meetings. We should be taking full advantage of this potential. The surveys which you will receive shortly serve as an example of how electronic communication can be used to accomplish a project when members are willing to work together in this way. Geography is no longer a factor, nor an excuse, for not involving yourself in AMCA matters! Examine the surveys and consider where you can become involved as a member of your AMCA community via electronic communication and/or by your attendance at meetings. Communication and YouWe talked about "communication" - the word suggests an involvement of two parties. You, as concerned members, need to communicate with the AMCA leadership and our leaders have a responsibility to communicate with you. As your Executive Secretary, I initiated the monthly "Interactive" column for this purpose and to date have had over fifteen hundred visitors - proof, in my view, that it serves a need. However, the responses have been very few. Remember communications must involve two parties! Your Scholarship Chair publishes the competition results annually in both the Chorister and on the web site with direct communications to the member choruses as well.I would strongly suggest that each of our leaders need to communicate their views, plans and opinions with our members in regular communications, not necessarily a column, not necessarily monthly, not necessarily only on the web site - but a communication that is committed to, on an ongoing basis and appears either on the web site, the Chorister newsletter or both. You deserve to know what your leaders stand for and they have a responsibility to communicate (there's that word again) this to you! And this applies to executive members and committee chairs alike. Well, Clayton (Clayton Old was the founder of AMCA) it has been a good run, but we are either closing AMCA's last chapter or we are beginning a new page. Members and leaders, that answer is in your hands. With the August survey mailings we've reached a milestone - never has so extensive a survey been undertaken in our Association's history. Never have we been so uncertain of our future. Your responses or lack thereof will indicate the value you place on the AMCA and determine future. If you believe in your Association and what it stands for, do not underestimate the importance of this initiative! Let your voice be heard, volunteer your services, "participate" and together let's move forward with determination to make the Associated Male Choruses of America a thriving and healthy community! by clicking on Make a Comment. View Feedback | Make A Comment Email Notification of updates! This column is planned as a regular feature and will be written monthly by the Executive Secretary. Links to other columns are available here also.
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