[AISdiscuss] membership

[VSpoon@aol.com]

Jeanne, In my previous e-mail to you I addressed some issues concerning the 
hybridizer's view. But, after thinking out of the box, so to speak, I realize 
that the problem lies deeper, so I am addressing the whole message board 
because I think we all need to think about some things. In some of your previous 
discussions some of you wrote about how to get more membership in AIS. If you 
want to put more apples into the box, but some of the apples already in the box 
have bruises, they will eventually destroy the whole box. A few years ago at a 
board meeting a remark was made that caused one of our hybridizers and some 
members to leave AIS. The remark was probably unintended, but should not have 
been made. What we need to do as AIS leaders is to stop managing and become 
leaders. A leader has empathy for the other person. A leader finds out what is 
bothering the other person first, shares their views and then tries to bring both 
sides together without demeaning the other.

During my first year as RVP I tried to make everything run like clockwork and 
I would make some people miserable in the process. During my second year I 
tried even harder until I realized that I was starting to sound like one of our 
members who had almost driven me out of the Society. Now, in my third year I 
want to be a leader. Every time I open my mouth I try to empathize with the 
group or individual before I say anything. I also try to rethink my mission each 
day. What is my mission as RVP? To be a good leader, to enjoy irises and make 
it possible for others to enjoy them, to learn as much as possible about 
irises so that I can share that knowledge. There are more things I can add but I 
hope that this will make all of you think about your own mission. I am asking 
all the RVPs on this list to write a few sentences or a paragraph about what 
your mission is as RVP and bring it to St. Louis. If you are not attending, 
please e-mail it to me and I hope to include it in our RVP Counselors Meeting 
report for 2005. Thank you all. 

Ginny Spoon
RVP Region 4

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