Re: The idea bank is bankrupt

[Brad Kasperek <zebrairis@gmail.com>]

Well said Bob!

You made excellent observations and logical points that reduce all the
"dithering" at the Board level down to the actual situation.  (A little
later I will take exception to the concept that we need "Gnu" ideas.)

Intellegent people in leadership are usually ineffective unless they can
relate to the average member.  The average member we need to attract now is
educated people born and raised by "common folks," and not the previous type
of member who was from the old middle or professional social class during
the mid-1900s.

The problems facing the AIS, and many other volunteer groups, are probably
related to the changing relationship between "the old middle class and
professional social elitiests" of the prior century and the "common folks".
The AIS, and most other flower societies, were originally
founded by the people from the old middle and professional class and their
members were also primarily from this social strata.  The "common folks" had
neither the time nor money to waste on these frivolities.  However, during
the early and mid 1900s the common folks looked to this social strata for
guidance and leadership and generally overlooked the fact that they had the
same propensity to foibles as they did.

The whole "American social cast system" started to change with the major
increase in the standard of living of the "common folks" after WW II.  The
hoipiloi actually had the finanical means to help their children obtain a
"better life" via a college education.  This marked the beginning of the end
for the automatic respect the "common folks" gave to the previous middle and
professional classes.  Most of the college educated do not live in awe of
others based on education or social status, but require actual performance
by those they give their respect.

The primary problem flower societies face today is that most folks over 60,
who control the societies, don't have either a clue to the social structure
nor sensitivities among "common folks" and thus have serious difficulty in
coming up with any ideas to attract them.  I believe this is why the TBIS
was so successful in attacting irisarians of "common folk" heritage in the
beginning.  They presented themselves as the anti-establishment TB iris
information providers without burdening their member with ANY organizational
information. (An effective con if nothing else)  Common folks today resent
both being talked down to and being made the scapegoats or chess piece in
organizational machinations.

Bob, lamenting the lack of new ideas is a symptom of the overall problem and
not necessarily the solution.  The first limiting change factor is that
there are few AIS members left that have the time, energy or single-minded
purposeness to revitalize the AIS under its current leadership.  The second
limiting factor is that the ruling social set within the AIS has only
reached out to bring in members of the some social level or at least the
same mindset. Thus there are few insiders with the stamia or inclination to
sustain a "revitalizing campaign."

All the fancy stategic planning, creative use of the internet, cutsy
advertising or changing the size of the bulletin will still be ineffective
in saving the current redition of the AIS UNLESS the AIS Board from the
president on down focuses on the task of setting up NEW affiliates and
rebuilding from the grass-roots. This can only be done by face-to-face work
within the regions.  Region 21 has shown us once again how this is done by
developing two new affilaites in two years and they are working on a third.
It is either this or the demise of the current AIS and its so valued
"traditions."

Personally I expect the latter and can only hope that a new and better AIS
arises from the ashes.

This will be my last post to AISdiscuss since this is really only an outlet
for fustration, backbiting and and arrogant organizational gadflies like
myself and Dennis Hager.

Have a good life!
Brad Kasperek



On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 1:27 PM, Robert Pries <robertpries@embarqmail.com>wrote:

> Someone mentioned that they donb t want to see AIS as a follower but a
> leader. The discussion was concerning the fact that the daylily society has
> gone to an 8B= by 11 format for their Bulletin. To be a leader you have to
> do
> something that no one else is doing. At this time we are doing nothing to
> address our membership loss. Not only are we not a leader and not a
> follower
> but the idea bank seems to be bankrupt. I guess that makes us a nothing
> which
> may be why we are loosing members.
>
>
>
> B
>
> You are all intelligent people, get those ideas out there.
>
>
>
> B
>
> I realize that affiliates can create new members but I am not blaming them.
> I
> think they are doing everything they can. Where I see inaction is at the
> board
> level. Each level has things that are unique to their structure. Stop
> blaming
> affiliates and do something at the top.
>
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>



-- 
ZEBRA GARDENS
Brad & Kathie Kasperek
E-mail Brad: zebrairis@gmail.com (general)
E-mail Kathie: zillakat@gmail.com (orders)

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