More is Better

If you are a dancer I am sure that you, like us, want to belong to a vibrant and active dance community. I have been reading internet discussion groups to get ideas on this subject.

It is obvious from the postings from successful dance groups from around the world that frequent dances build up momentum and give improved results. We saw the same thing with the Merry Muse when it went weekly a long time ago, a big injection of vitality and regularity - people remembered it was on.

Here's a typical example from a discussion group: "The more dances there are, the bigger a dance community can or will grow. Places that have (or aspire to having) weekly dances seem to do much better at building their community and the skill levels of their dancers than places with less frequent dances. For one thing, it's a lot easier to become friends with your fellow dancers when you see them four times as often--and that's a big part of why I dance". There are lots of similar observations, but I've found no success stories arising from less frequent dances.

It's hard to get people started, but once they do there's no stopping them. They say things like "Best fun we ever had, why didn't someone tell us about this before", and they want to dance every night. They need frequent opportunities to dance or they'll lose that momentum and enthusiasm will flag.

Financially, consider that after an unpredictable time, but fixed for each person and out of our control, they will move on. They will grow old, suffer illness, have kids, move interstate, whatever. If you are getting $x per dance for a fixed number of years then the more dances you can provide in those years the more income from each hard-won customer before they move on and have to be replaced.

Promotion efforts are to a large extent fixed. It takes effort to put up posters and form relationships with various publicity contacts. To a large extent your publicity can be fixed if your events are regular, weekly dances being a fine example - you just need permanent publicity, you don't need to list dates etc. Having cranked up the promotional & organisational machine you may as well have enough dances to make all the effort worthwhile.

Bands want to play and callers want to practice calling. Frequent dances provide a lot more opportunities, especially for up and coming and scratch players. Twice the number of dances means twice the experience of the dancers, greater proficiency and less walkthroughs than for an occasional dance crowd.

If you are running dances at a profit then more dances means more profits. If you are running at a loss, then more dances gives you more chance to get the customers back and build up numbers. They are less likely to forget you and they are more likely to bring their friends if the previous great dance is still fresh in their minds and they perceive the activity as a mainstream popular activity. 

And finally, many members seem to care about the discounts. More dances will mean more benefit from membership, and more members,

Success breeds success.

MFS Action Group of Candidates

I have received the message below from Geoff Kell. Please send any replies
directly to Geoff at geoff(at)weejaspercaves(dot)com

Geoff and the other candidates have my full support.

Regards
Lance

~~~~~~~~~~

A VISION FOR MFS 2014

Over the last few years there has been a decline in attendance at events organised by different groups in the society.

People move, retire, follow other interests and there has not been a great influx of new participants. Similarly there has been ongoing difficulty in filling positions on the committee and the carrying out of necessary functions.

We, the undersigned, believe that the MFS requires urgent action to resolve some long term issues that have affected its performance and threaten the viability of the organisation.

Accordingly, we have formed an MFS Action Group of candidates who believe we can work harmoniously together: we seek your endorsement for election to the MFS committee so that we can address the following issues which we believe require immediate attention.

·         INFORMATION TO MEMBERS:  Improve openness and transparency by communication between the committee and MFS membership.  Publishing minutes and group reports on the web site and consulting with groups that are affected by committee decisions.

·         PROMOTION: Actively pursue new membership through better publicity and media profile.

Engage with compatible organisations and institutions, including schools and public forums.

Improve the website to make it more user friendly as an information resource.

·         INSURANCE:  Take necessary steps to ensure that insurance coverage is sufficient to safeguard significant assets and extends to all volunteers at events.

Ensure subgroups have necessary documentation of this for their activities.

Address the write off of assets and clarify their location and current value.

·         WORKING TOGETHER: Seek to resolve quickly any outstanding conflicts affecting activities of the society.

·         DELEGATION:  Clarify issues of delegation of authority for groups within the society to carry out their activities, including insurance aspects.

·         UPDATE RULES: Update the rules of association appropriately to include references to the use of online technology.

Our purpose in nominating for committee positions is to stand up for these objectives and do our utmost to ensure they are at the forefront of all society dealings. All activities inevitably involve some work to organise and execute but this should be and can be done in a spirit of mutual respect and enjoyment.

If you agree with this we ask that you attend the AGM on the 11th of September to support and vote for those who envision an enjoyable and reasonable future for the society.

Consultative  working  group:

Linda Aunela   Geoff Kell    James Lissaman     Antonella Salpietro

Simon Nesa David     Roni Giacobetti    Bob Hodgson   Peter Gamble

~~~~~END OF MESSAGE FROM GEOFF KELL~~~~~

The MFS Needs You on 11 September

The MFS AGM is approaching and with it your chance to really make a difference.

This is a wonderful opportunity for you to step forward and help see the society through another year. It's not onerous, and I reckon most things can be taken care of electronically these days. But, it needs you to make it thrive, not just survive.

I am a fairly tolerant sort of bloke but I am afraid that the current MFS executive is beyond the pale, and we are going to have to kick this mob out. And that is not the royal "we" - this means you.

MFS executive have been unable to provide me with an insurance certificate to replace the one that expired over a month ago, they have messed up my use of MFS Announce, they have been unable to provide copies of their minutes (if there are any), they have tried to interfere in other people's business while neglecting their own responsibilities, and the society is in obvious decline. 

The Bush Dancers display group is affected and the current executive have shown a reckless indifference to the damage - no insurance certificate means our final performance is at risk. And there is no way that we will be organising grand reunion performances under the morass that the MFS has become.

But enough negativity, we need positivity and that means a new team at the top. We need an MFS Committee that can delegate and empower lots of members to do lots of folkie things. We need whole-of-society promotion and legal governance. We need helpful support not interference in our jobs, and openness and transparency at all levels.

It's not hard to provide good decisions at the top, in fact it's easier than making bad decisions. The main thing is to recruit and retain volunteers.

Anyone who is sound and sensible could do it, and it should not take much time. The insurance for example requires simply asking someone to organise annual renewal and distribute a copy of the insurance certificate and conditions to those who need it, and asking them to report that all is well. It wasn't a drama, it needn't be a drama, and it won't be a drama after this AGM, if you do your bit.

So, why not stand, and come along to the AGM, and ask others to stand as well. You never know who might surprise you with a "yes" until you ask.

Cheers

Lance

The Insurance Certificate Drama

The insurance expired a month ago and we still don't have a copy of the certificate. Not sure what this means for our second last performance, but our final performance is after the MFS AGM. So, if you know folk who would be capable of organising annual renewal of our insurance, distribution of a copy of the insurance certificate to those who need it, and a few other straightforward matters, why not ask them if you can nominate them for the AGM?

You never know who might surprise you with a "yes" until you ask.

How to nominate is at:
http://mfs.org.au/wiki/index.php?title=Notice_of_MFS_Annual_General_Meeting#Nomination_of_Candidates

The current executive are not very good at communicating notices of meetings, but the "Nomination of Candidates" section in the above page is still correct.

Regards
Lance

Heads Up - the AGM is Coming

I am a fairly tolerant sort of bloke but I am afraid that the current MFS executive is beyond the pale, and we are going to have to kick this mob out.

MFS executive have been unable to provide me with an insurance certificate, they have messed up my use of MFS Announce, they have been unable to provide copies of their minutes (if there are any), and they have tried to interfere in other people's business while neglecting their own responsibilities.

The society is in decline and we need a new team at the top. We need an MFS Committee that can delegate and empower lots of members to do lots of folkie things. We need whole-of-society promotion and legal governance. We need helpful support not interference in our jobs, and openness and transparency at all levels.

It's not hard to provide good decisions at the top, in fact it's easier than making bad decisions. The main thing is to recruit and retain volunteers.

Anyone who is sound and sensible could do it, and it should not take much time.

So, why not stand? It could be you and your colleagues that can turn the society around. There's a lot of members out there ready to respond to friendly leadership.

Cheers

Lance 

Autonomy

From an email in response to my last blog item: "You seem to want considerable autonomy from the MFS committee but you want them to provide the BDDG with insurance". As always, for every person that takes the trouble to write, there are probably a dozen who think similarly but don't write, so I appreciate the email and the chance to respond. Your comments are also welcome, just click the "comments" link below.

I don't keep on going on about autonomy because I want to be separate from the MFS.  I am mounting a totally open, legitimate and important debate about the matter because good management with proper delegation of responsibility will lead to expansion and growth, and bad management ("micro-management") will stifle that expansion and growth, even put it into reverse. 

We live in a democracy and we have freedom of expression of such opinions. And I have seen no evidence that the insurance policy requires bad management. However the MFS Committee can choose to subject the members to time wasting management practices, and the only remedy for members is to vote in a different committee next time. Or, unfortunately more likely, vote with their feet.

No-one has time to waste waiting for "authorisation" of their legitimately made decisions. If I am negotiating to perform at Government House, I am going to close the deal, not tell them that my "head office" have to sign off before I am allowed to do that. It's not a policy decision, it is routine business and needs to be simply covered by our group's delegation to run that business, with proper reporting after the event. Same as the Government House side are empowered to book whatever acts they can secure, on the spot, if their organisation is well managed.

But delegation is not neglect. MFS Committee needs to exercise responsible oversight of the affairs of the society as a whole. MFS has statutory requirements that all financial transactions of the society are included in society reporting and able to be audited, and assets belonging to the society are listed in the annual financial statements.  MFS Committee remains responsible for all outcomes and needs to take "supervisory" action where needed - staffing, mentoring, counselling, training, or requesting information.

MFS Organisers are accountable for their decisions and should be keeping MFS Committee fully informed of results and issues, etc. We need a budget process that authorises event organisers well before they have to start selecting and negotiating with venues and bands and the myriad other things they have to organise, and we need regular reporting by event organisers to MFS Committee.

Once having delegated an activity, the appropriate way for MFS Committee to ensure that it is carried out satisfactorily is by reporting and review, not by direct action. That's particularly so in an organisation of co-operating but autonomous volunteers like our own.

Cheers

Lance

Insurance of Activities Run by MFS Event Organisers

I am a primary contact for The Bush Dancers display group, an activity of the MFS. We value our autonomy and cultural ownership of our own activity. We promote bush dancing based on collected Australian music and dance, and reckon we do a pretty good job of it. Have a look at http://canberradance.org/tbdeventpics.htm for a bit of an idea of what we do.

I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories, but I am very concerned that MFS Committee have failed to disclose what our insurance coverage is, and have kept their meetings, agendas and minutes a closely guarded secret. What are they hiding? I have just written reminding MFS Committee of my emails dated 9 April, 9 May, and 13 October requesting the public liability insurance conditions. I have not yet received the requested documents. It is now two months since the AGM and there has been no consultation with members on matters to be discussed by the committee, nor any notification of agendas etc.

I am worried about the decline in MFS member numbers and in member commitment to the MFS, and, based on various statements, I am concerned that our insurance may not be suitable for a decentralised conglomerate like the MFS. 

We don't want the MFS to end up like a knitting circle or something similar, small enough for the  MFS Committee to micro-manage everything. The MFS is a free association of autonomous activities and that means MFS Committee have to delegate responsibility to well-defined organising teams, and hold them accountable for results. If you can't delegate you can't manage.

The good news is that proper division of responsibilities and business-like relations are easier for all concerned. No second-guessing, no impasses, everyone taking care of their own business to achieve the results they want. The MFS Committee needs to take a strategic leadership role, consider reports, make important decisions that affect the whole society, and attend to their own details like insurance and consolidated accounts.

Obviously an organisation of delegated managers is insurable. No-one would expect the Board of Woolworths to tell the meat manager when to put out more chops, or tell the baker how many rolls to bake. They tried centralised planning like that in Russia and it was never going to work. There are many layers of delegation of responsibility in any successful organisation. Decisions are made and implemented at the right level to achieve the right results.

The question is, how can MFS event organisers achieve insurance of their activities under their own existing good management, if the policy taken out by MFS Committee is unsuitable? And how can we find out whether it is or not?

I would love to hear your comments, either by email or right here.

Cheers

Lance

Now Is The Time

I have received an email saying "When you did hold office you did not represent the whole society. Your focus is dance and that is what you concentrated on not the MFS as a whole". 

For every person that takes the trouble to write, there are probably a dozen who think similarly but don't write, so I appreciate the email and the chance to respond. Your comments are also welcome, just click the "comments" link below. 

The writer has a long memory, that was years ago, and different recollections to me, or has been misinformed.

The fact is that I think the last thing the MFS committee should be doing is running dances, and for the two years I was on that committee I stood aside from all other organising teams and did not involve myself in their decisions. The MFS Committee achieved great improvements in dance, by delegating and empowering others, but MFS Committee focus was the MFS as a whole. Results through people.

- We behaved ethically and openly. We consulted with stakeholders before making decisions that would affect them, and invited those particularly interested in an item along to our meetings. We advised members of our decisions along with reasons, and made our meeting agendas and minutes freely available to members.

- The public web site was totally re-developed and a collaborative Web Content Management system implemented.  That means each organising team can instantly update their own publicity, because they are best placed to do that.

- The members' web site was created

- Simple reporting and accountability standards enabled us to responsibly share leadership through pre-approved budgets, delegation and empowerment. All organising teams were encouraged to promote and run their own activities.

- Improved financial management reporting on all activities of the society, including assets, was one area that was going to take more than two years, but tremendous strides were made.

- We established a PayPal account making possible secure on-line payments.

- MFS Committee meetings were business-like two hour meetings with equal air-time for all, in a professional board-room setting with proper voting and majority decisions

- We filled all positions, with no-one wearing two hats.

- We made a start on publishing "Roles & Responsibilities" for each volunteer position.

I rest my case.

We are not running a knitting circle where the committee could micro-manage everything. The MFS is a free association of autonomous activities and that means MFS Committee have to delegate responsibility to well-defined organising teams, and hold them accountable for results. If you can't delegate you can't manage.

The good news is that proper division of responsibilities and business-like relations are easier for all concerned. No second-guessing, no impasses, everyone taking care of their own business to achieve the results they want. The MFS Committee needs to take a strategic leadership role, consider reports, make important decisions that affect the whole society, and attend to their own details like insurance and consolidated accounts.

If you warm to these ideas, why not step forward? Don't wait till the society folds due to lack of interest, do it now!

Cheers
Lance

MFS AGM Thursday, 26 September 2013

I understand from an email that the Monaro Folk Society Annual General Meeting is on Thursday, 26 September 2013, 7pm, at St Margaret's in Hackett.

There is no mention of the AGM in the MFS main page "latest news", and it is not in the MFS Google Calendar, and the date has been moved back this year to a date when we and many others will be away at the well-publicised Bush Dancers Bendigo Bivouac, but I am sure that all on the committee are there for altruistic reasons and would warmly welcome all members to attend the AGM.

For all MFS members, the most important business of the AGM is to elect your new committee.

The MFS Committee is the top policy and strategy committee of the society. If you have a commitment to ethics, truth and honesty and wish to build the society through shared experiences and positive outcomes then this is the place for you.

We need a committee that is flexible and fair in all dealings and interactions, and that will actively pursue a dramatic increase in public awareness of and participation in the Monaro Folk Society.

The MFS Committee needs to be run in a thoroughly open, transparent and democratic way, with an impartial chair, speakers for and against, and voting. It is responsible for a large decentralised enterprise and needs to follow standard and simple legal decision making practices.

A strong field of candidates is a healthy sign and sincerely welcomed by all.

New blood means fresh ideas and renewed vigour for the Monaro Folk Society, so what is stopping you from nominating at the AGM? You don't need previous experience, just an interest in helping the society and an ability to learn as you go. As well as being satisfying and fun, committee members and office-bearers can learn a tremendous amount about running a successful organisation and about all aspects of folk music, dance and culture.

Whether or not you feel moved to lend a hand on the committee, another small but rewarding contribution that you can make is simply to attend the AGM on Thursday, 26 September 2013, 7pm, at St Margaret's in Hackett. See for yourself how the MFS is travelling, and appoint your new committee.

Regards

Lance

Farewell Monaro Folk Society?

We have received a worrying email, saying it was on behalf of the MFS Committee but not sent by the secretary. Of course we do not have access to MFS Committee's minutes to verify this so we must take it on face value.

The email hints that the MFS Committee might be attempting to eject The Bush Dancers display group activities from the Monaro Folk Society.

It is not quite clear, but it might be trying to say that the MFS Committee has decided that the Bush Dancers Lakesea Weekend was not run by the Bush Dancers display group, and is therefore not an activity of the Monaro Folk Society, when blind Freddie could see that it was.

The weekend was first mooted at a Bush Dancers display group performance, the idea was developed over discussions with Bush Dancers display group members over a period of time. Barbara and I, acting as Primary Contacts for The Bush Dancers display group, visited many parks all along the coast looking for a spot with a dance floor, and we communicated our findings to The Bush Dancers display group members. We then made the information available to the broader bush dancing community.

The Bush Dancers display group's music co-ordinator organised the musicians to join in for the weekend, totally at their own expense and making their own bookings. They are wonderful folk and a real asset to The Bush Dancers display group and to the Monaro Folk Society.

The trip was reported as a Bush Dancers display group activity in The Bush Dancers display group Annual and Quarterly Reports (MFS members can see these in the index at http://mfs.org.au/members/).

These get-togethers involve the group in no income or expenditure, the group role being to suggest to folk that they book into certain parks at certain times and we will all be there at the same time and have fun. The weekend then evolves according to who is there and what they want to do, mainly bush dancing to live music and walking. Naturally no insurance certificate is asked for when a group of people make their own bookings in the same park, and use free facilities like a dance floor and camp kitchen in that park. Whether this kind of activity is covered or not under the society's insurance appears academic and not worth worrying about. If they are not it is probably because there is no risk to the society worth insuring.

In the unlikely event that these activities do need insurance then they should be insured. One of the objects of the society is to promote interest in activities like bush dancing, and the activities of The Bush Dancers display group certainly do that.

To suggest that these activities are not run by the Bush Dancers display group as an activity of the group and therefore of the Monaro Folk Society is arrant nonsense, and although I hesitate to appear paranoiac, suggest problems consciously or unconsciously contrived for reasons that are not in the interests of the society.

Regards
Lance

Grievance Policy Test Drive, Our Verdict: Epic Fail!

We have received a response to our formal grievance (A Moderation Mess). I can't verify this by having a look in the minutes (The Saga of the Minutes), but we will take it that the response reflects MFS Committee handling of the grievance under the grievance policy.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck. Based on our test drive, the society's grievance policy is a sham. Maybe it was designed to be used against members, and not by members against decisions of MFS Committee, who can say.

The MFS Committee's response to my grievance against them, was to say that they have reviewed their own decision and decided it was correct. Well, they would, wouldn't they?

They restated their unsubstantiated story of complaints about my postings to MFS announce (and presumably no complaints about others who are allowed to use MFS Announce without problems).

This committee appears totally unaware of the rules of natural justice referred to in the Associations Incorporation Act. Everyone is entitled to a fair and independent hearing, and to confront their accusers. What are these contrived complaints and who is said to have made them? Where is the independent panel to decide on my complaint of MFS Committee abuse of power for vindictive purposes? Is the panel really the MFS Committee itself? If so, the grievance process is a sham.

Their second reason for deciding their own decision was correct was that they don't like me expressing my opinion on my blog. This is even more indefensible, messing up my use of MFS Announce as revenge for me writing this blog. It appears to me to be an abuse of power.

Again, they quote complaints about this blog that they allege they have received, with no substantiation. I have heard no complaints from others outside the MFS Committee about either my use of MFS Announce or my blog. I have had some comments published on my blog disagreeing with this or that that I wrote but none recently in spite of high readership numbers. I encourage polite comments and contrary views on my blog, in the interests of open discussion.

The MFS Committee call sending out event announcements with reminders closer to the time "overloading". Again a baseless complaint obviously contrived to convince themselves they are right, and a statistical count of announcements shows that we are very low on overall message count, and about in the middle for number of reminders per event. Folks with busy lives like a reminder a few days before the event.

They also state as a reason "The announce list is for information of events, not for baseless accusations". Who could disagree, but talk about setting up a straw man and then knocking it down, this reason is the most baseless I have ever seen.

I requested access to the list of who is moderated and who is not, under Rule 40 (The records, books and other documents of the society shall be open to inspection). I received a general answer that did not provide the list.

The MFS Committee have moved the date of the AGM to a week later this year, to a date that is when we will be away at the Bush Dancers Bendigo Bivouac. So, I leave it to those who are in town to think about the problems that lie behind this mess, and to realise that the best solution is a brand new committee of ten. What are you going to do?

Regards

Lance

The Saga of the Minutes

"But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months."

"Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn't exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything."

"But the plans were on display ..."

"On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them."

"That's the display department."

"With a flashlight."

"Ah, well the lights had probably gone."

"So had the stairs."

"But look, you found the notice didn't you?"

"Yes," said Arthur, "yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying 'Beware of the Leopard'."

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

I have heard that MFS Committee have decided that their minutes will not be made available to members apart from in a book in someone's house. It must be nice living in 1991. I must write them a letter some time, if I can find my quill pen and parchment. At a time when everyone else is using email and the web, I don't have time to drive to someone's house every month to see the minutes of our committee's meetings.

So, I can't verify this by having a look in the minutes, but I have seen a couple of references so I guess our committee has done it again. The minutes are not the committee's secret diary, they are part of their accountability to members.

Abysmal, but there is no volunteer ombudsman, so your only recourse is to elect a better committee next time. Maybe you should stand?  

Moderation Mess Ctd(2)

The Lakesea bush dancers' weekend at the coast was a lovely weekend of bush walking and bush dancing, and other activities of folk's own choice like cycling and practising for the upcoming Scottish ball. Everyone had a great time and it is on again next year, all being well, on the Winter Solstice weekend of 21 June 2014. There are some pics and videos at http://dance.pcug.org.au/new.htm

We arrived home to find no improvement in the ongoing saga of the MFS Announce moderation mess. There in our inbox was the message that we had sent out the Sunday just over a week before, about the weekend that we just returned from (better late than never, well not really in this case) and another of our messages about Wongawilli that had been languishing who knows where. Intriguingly, the latter message was sent to MFS Announce as if it was not from us, but from the control person. I don't know how she managed to forward a message that was sent to MFS Announce from her own email account, and I don't know why she thinks I would want my messages to appear as if coming from her? I have written asking for an explanation.

There was also a pleasant enough email from the control person explaining some of the reasons behind previous delays. But she is in denial about the real reason, and that is the unfair and indefensible change to my status on MFS Announce. The reasons given so far are alleged but unsubstantiated complaints and a dislike of me expressing my opinion in this blog. Contrived reasons. My point is that, like all other regular contributors that are MFS members, we should not be relying on the health and availability of the control person or anyone else for the service to work. The ongoing campaign of harassment and abuse of power arising (I think) from a dislike of me expressing my opinion on this blog means that I am not interested in pleasantries - I want action and I want it now!

Moderation Mess Ctd

“Withholding information is the essence of tyranny. Control of the flow of information is the tool of the dictatorship.”

― Bruce Coville

Well we emailed again early this morning, to all the MFS Committee again. We know they have deliberately and unfairly moderated us for their own reasons and caused us abysmal service but this is ridiculous.

We asked "Has anyone rung [the control person] to see if she is ok? Is anyone even reading their emails? What's going on?". No acknowledgement and no response.

So, we emailed again just before 11am, pointing out that it was literally the eleventh hour for the announcement, and asking the question "Does anyone take their responsibility to represent members seriously? What is happening?"

A couple of hours later the message finally went out. Not the item written for MFS Announce but a copy of a similar item from another list. No apology for the delay, but at least someone responded. Our responder advised us that she had phoned [the control person] and the latter's computer was out, but everyone knows about the weekend so it didn't matter. We think we are the best ones to make judgements about our publicity and its timing, and that this could have been an urgent message about a change of venue or cancellation and we would be sending it to the same black hole.

It is the change from our unmoderated status that always worked fine with no incident, to a moderated status that seems to be badly managed with a poor level of service, that is the problem.

Apparently [the control person] is the only person that can control our postings. Our responder suggested that we should have rung [the control person].

I am sure noone would want an angry member phoning them every time they don't do their self-appointed and insulting job, and pointing out the offence caused by her actions. That would be every time and would lead to a heated exchange that wouldn't solve anything. They would just become more entrenched in their reprehensible position. "They just don't get it" I'm afraid.

And how ridiculous if a service that used to work faultlessly involved us (and only us) telephoning for a "by-your-leave" each time we send information to members?

Well it is good that one person took the trouble to find out what the problem was this time, and we appreciate that. I am sure that if they hadn't, then this would have been just be another message in the MFS Announce black hole. But what about the other office bearers and committee members? Do they have any input or engagement in representing members' interests? What is going on?

The Moderation Mess

Moderation Mess

Well it is now late Wednesday and our item sent to MFS Announce last Sunday hasn't seen the light of day. Three items for non-MFS events have gone out since then, including one that is on the same night as an MFS dance, and two other announcements. It seems that hard working MFS members like us come last.

We have asked MFS Committee what has happened to our MFS Announce item, no acknowledgement and no response. We sent it to all on the committee so we know it isn't languishing in any particular inbox waiting to be forwarded.

We have sent off our grievance to MFS Committee, no acknowledgement and no response (apart from one MFS Committee member advising that he is no longer on the committee). I guess that makes it a committee of six out of ten - is that legal?

You may be curious about the missing item, so here it is:

Good afternoon folks

Feel like a weekend at the coast bush dancing to live music, walking on the beach and in the National Park.

Why not book now and join in the fun?

Cabins are just $125 per night, ( each cabin can take up to 4 folks) and you can bring your caravan or just camp.

There will be bush dancing to live on both Friday and Saturday nights with walking on beach and in the National Park.

There will be great food, great friendship and great fun for all.

Why not read all about this great weekend at

http://mfs.org.au/wiki/index.php/Bush_Dancers_Weekend_Away

and ring Lakesea Caravan Park to make your booking.

Looking forward to seeing you there

Barbara and Lance Court

02 6161 2426

14th July 2013

Cheers

Lance

A Moderation Mess

MFS Announce is a mailing list that allows event announcements to be sent to Monaro Folk Society  members and those with similar interests. It used to be a reliable service with predictable results. Now it is impossible to know if and when our announcements will be sent out. Barbara and I have had announcements deleted because someone wrongly thought they were duplicates and deleted them without consultation or notification. All announcements are delayed unreasonably compared to the previous service. Dance publicity has been sent out too late, and on other occasions we have had to send belated emails to our lists because we have found out about the failure of MFS-Announce management.

Checking on a service that used to be reliable and needing no checking is onerous, made worse because we do not get our announcements back to our originating address, and we get no notification about whether or not they have been forwarded.

Even as I write, my blood pressure is rising as I see other folks' posts going out to MFS Announce while our post about Lakesea this weekend languishes who-knows-where. Maybe the "moderator" is sick or busy, but I contend that it is wrong for our posts to depend on someone else's availability.

So, what has caused this problem? It appears that MFS Committee or their delegates have changed our status on MFS Announce without any notification or reason being supplied. Someone has changed us from an unmoderated that always worked fine with no incident, to a moderated status that seems to be badly managed with a poor level of service.

And what to do about it? As each message has been delayed, I have thought long and hard about the options. I could walk away, as so many other good folk have done, but I would be walking away from something that I own as a member. I could revive my own substantial but now a little out of date "Canberra Dance News" email list. I could ring someone and ask them to do their self-appointed and pointless "job", but you can tell from my tone that this is a bad idea that will lead to an angry exchange every time.

So, I have decided to lodge a formal grievance, arising from my perception that my treatment by the MFS Committee has not been fair and respectful.

My grievance is that MFS Committee or their delegates have changed my status on MFS Announce without any notification or reason being supplied, and in circumstances that suggest misuse of power. This action appears to me to be aimed at harassing me and causing me offence, rather than to be based on any defensible reason. This change has had a deleterious affect on my legitimate publicity timing capabilities, and therefore is against the interests of members. It is also an insult to moderate me when others with no more integrity than me appear, based on the evidence available to me, to be unmoderated.

Please come back in a week or so, and I will post an update on this unfolding drama, and test-drive of the MFS grievance procedures, if I can.

L

“Welcome to Canberra 2013”

Were you at the “Welcome to Canberra 2013” bush dance at the Yarralumla Woolshed last night? What did you think?

I thought it was a fantastic night, with excellent dance music from the Bush Capital Band and a great crowd of dancers. The crowd numbers were up because of support from National Folk Festival volunteers and lots of newcomers and groups, and even groups of newcomers.

I have often said that the newest dancer is the most important person in the hall. They have the most to learn, and they are our future. And that was certainly apparent last night with the buzz of excitement that comes with lots of new folk. Newcomers bring fresh energy, new ideas, greater diversity, more dancers, more volunteers and more possibilities for promotion of bush dancing. Newcomers also shake us up and keep us on our toes. Newcomers represent growth.

Our caller Beryl not only provided an excellent program and calling but also imparted a little “corporate knowledge”, because it is the centenary of Canberra and a time to reflect on history, and because of the interest provided for old and new dancers alike by these little snippets.

Beryl reflected on the times when crowds were more like 300 dancers and they had to close the doors to latecomers when the house was full. Actually I have heard of recent (non-Monaro Folk Society) bush dances at the Yarralumla Woolshed attracting many more than that from around Australia, but of course they have to take it in turns to dance.

Judging by last night many in the crowd enjoy socialising and just chatting as well as dancing. With a big party crowd, sharing the dance floor is a good solution to over-crowding.

The dance floor was pleasantly filled last night, but nothing like the over-crowding that would follow from a crowd of 300. Beryl recalled seeing the power lines to the Woolshed jiggling to and fro as the Woolshed swayed to the dancing beat. I have often heard stories of the Woolshed moving on its stumps, and vaguely recollect the feeling, something unheard of in our risk averse times.

It was such a delightful night with such pleasant associations, that our caller was actually moved to tears by a particularly beautiful waltz number from the band, and the swirling patterns on the floor as viewed from the stage.

What a night to remember. It's great to see the new End of Month Dance Organising Team not just taking over the baton now that Barbara and I have retired, but extending the bush dancing calendar with new events like the “Welcome to Canberra 2013” bush dance.

When I asked folk last night how they found out about the event, the answer was often “word of mouth”. How many times do you hear someone say "Oh I saw a great movie, you have to go see it"? And how many times do you hear someone say "Oh I went to a great dance, you have to come try it"? If you enjoy a dance, or if you enjoy dancing, playing or helping, why not tell your friends? Just as you would if you enjoy a movie. We don't need to "convert" anybody, all we have to do is invite them to give it a try and they'll say things like "this is great, why didn't anyone tell us about it sooner?" and they'll come back for more.

Cheers

Lance

What Happened to the Balls?

Following on from my previous post, we have been asked why the existing permanent dance organising teams are not running the Centenary of Canberra Shearers Ball and Federation Ball.

The team that would have run the events spent a great deal of time trying to form a business-like working arrangement based on clear division of responsibilities and accountability, but in the end were forced to say "no". In fact they voted 10 to 2 to say "no", reluctantly but resoundingly.

I have heard it said that they voted no because I told them to. What nonsense. It was a carefully considered e-mail vote and my role was as an impartial convenor hearing all sides of the argument and counting votes.

I was a bit hampered in my normal role as chair of making sure decisions were fully informed, because I had signed a confidentiality agreement that had to be signed in hard copy (pen and paper no electronic facsimile allowed) and we were an email based team. But I think the team made a sufficiently well informed decision, without my disclosing confidential information.

Some of their reasons for saying no were

- Difficulty in obtaining information. When it was obtained, it indicated that the required event was not as expected, with content stipulations that were not in keeping with our ideas for the event.

- Lack of confidence in the MFS Committee and other's ability to delegate and manage. The probability of an impasse occurring following an attempt to change our decisions about the event.

- Rushed decisions make for untold problems.

- Impossible and contradictory demands being made.

- Suggestion that the convenor should proceed without consulting the team, because of time pressure and confidentiality, was unacceptable in an open transparent and democratic team, and would not be informed by the team wisdom.

- All the evidence was against this being a well-managed environment in which to work.

There were of course equally many arguments in favour of continuing, but the point is to explain the decision not revisit it.

If the organisers outside the team had said "You are the experts and we trust you to deliver wonderful events, go to it and keep us informed" then the outcome would have been quite different. But they didn't.

Regards
Lance

Succession After Two Years in the Planning

MFS EOMDOT, Aranda, 12 January 2013

Barbara and I (Lance) have retired from the Monaro Folk Society End of Month Dance Organising Team and Bush Dance Group Committee.

We have been asked questions about the Centenary of Canberra Shearers Ball and Federation Ball events but in fact we were not in any way associated with the running of these events, and they are not being run by either of the above two event organising teams. I can see no information about who is running these events on either the MFS public or members' web sites, and I do not have access to copies of MFS Comittee minutes either on-line or by email.

  

On a more cheerful note, Roni Giacobetti has been elected to replace me (Lance) as Convenor of the MFS End of Month Dance Organising Team. Barbara and I wish Roni well, and trust that members will support Roni as they have supported us. Thank you to everyone for that support and help, and especially to all those others who have stepped forward to take on particular roles. You know who you are ( as well as being listed at http://mfs.org.au/wiki/index.php/End_of_Month_Dance_Organising_Team and for MFS Members http://www.mfs.org.au/members/index.php/End_of_Month_Dance_Organising_Team) and we appreciate your volunteering spirit.

We leave knowing that Monaro Folk Society bush dancing is in capable hands.

Cheers

Lance

Another MFS AGM

I found the AGM a little worrying.

The Bush Dancers display group

It started with the treasurer reporting that he hears nothing from The Bush Dancers display group, putting the group in the same category as groups that do not in fact have the same financial relationship with the society.

The display group does not charge a performance fee (we are doing it to promote bush dancing and Australian traditional music; if we were doing it for the money we wouldn't be doing it!) but welcomes donations to the society. All receipts are and have been paid into the society bank account and outgoings are paid by the MFS Treasurer.

The donations to the society that we have attracted are sitting in the society bank account. The display group submits an annual budget, and quarterly and annual reports. Sometimes the financial transactions are nil and sometimes they are not - that is the nature of our business. We are there to promote bush dancing, not to make money. Whether we have a nil return or not in any one year does not change the permanent relationship that exists between the society and the display group. It is the same as that with the Bush Dance Group and the End of Month Dance Organising Team.

In spite of this, the treasurer appeared unwilling to correct his report, and I am not sure he understood that his categorisation of the display group was wrong. The meeting accepted the report subject to audit. We can only hope that the Treasurer realises his misapprehension and the display group can continue as it always has, as part of the society.

A Long Off-Agenda Item

The latter part of the meeting was particularly troubling. I was reminded of the saying that there are people who would rather have 100% of nothing than a share of something great. The defamatory comments against a member that was not at the meeting, in front of twenty witnesses, were astounding. It was particularly surprising given the litigation in our midst and the likely tit-for-tat legal consequences. As with a messy divorce, the winners will be the lawyers and everyone else will lose. I find it impossible to imagine anyone of substance not currently on the committee being attracted to such an environment.

In the real world, much of what is publically expressed could be considered as defamation by those being criticised. But generally, it does not go to court and when it does it seldom succeeds (unless one side is much more wealthy and therefore likely to succeed), and folk get on with their own lives.

My understanding from the AGM is that the litigant is acting under legal advice, the other party is following legal advice including having no contact with the litigant, and all that needs to be done now is to await the outcome of the legal processes.

When a new member at his first AGM suggested that the discussion was inappropriate for an AGM he was ignored, the meeting was not asked to vote on closure, and the one-sided defamatory comments continued. What must he think of this society?

Society Management

I have heard of fears about people losing their houses and the society folding, but in fact these are exaggerated fears and there is no reason that we should not continue business as usual. Each of our businesses are progressing under competent management, but the MFS Committee appears to me to need to work on the decentralised management skills that will achieve success in a multi-business volunteer organisation like ours.

An Open and Transparent Society

It is also appears to me that MFS Committee have not been properly accountable to members.

Rule 40 makes it clear that members have the right to inspect any records of the society, and the intent of the rules and laws is clearly that MFS Committee is accountable and open to scrutiny by those they represent. Confidentiality applies to disclosure outside MFS, not within the membership. Those members who were not at the AGM have no information about matters that have apparently taken a lot of committee time and were the longest item by far at the AGM, but not even mentioned in the President's Report. Those who were at the AGM only have a one-sided expression of opinions to go on. The minutes of MFS Committee meetings are not a secret diary, they are part of MFS Committee accountability to members, and should be freely available for any member to peruse. It took us about six months to obtain partial copies of minutes.

Succession Planning

The final abuse of the night, was a "question" that appeared to us to be meant as some kind of slur on our reputation, about us advising the Canberra Times of our retirement plans and succession planning before telling the committee. We announced in 2011 that we were working towards retirement. Since then we have worked very hard to ensure that our various roles will be taken care of. The appointment of Roni Giacobetti as Assistant Convenor, EOMDOT, was reported to MFS Committee, along with a number of other appointments, in our March 2012 Quarterly Report sent 19 April 2012, with a request that MFS Committee confirm the appointments by acceptance of the report. Obviously the assistant convenor is the convenor-in-training in these circumstances, and that was certainly what the End of Month Dance Organising Team decided. I myself had discussions over several months with the previous president about Roni taking over, in the context of the need to update PayPal permissions to allow this.

All reports since then, including the Annual Report, have shown this assistant convenor role. All EOMDOT minutes and reports are openly available to members on the members' site, and the roles and responsibilities have always been shown in the members' "contact details" page.

In Perspective

So, it is a shame that this AGM should have left such a bad taste in our mouths, not a happy memory.

However there are overwhelmingly many wonderful folk in the wider MFS, and this year has otherwise seen so many successes, that those happy memories will win out.

Regards

Lance