[Bards] discouraging individuals

Fri Jun 22 16:14:46 PDT 2007

Bravo Your Grace!
As a 25 yr old and younger (just turned 21 last Sunday - wootness for legal
drinking!) I have something to report.
I have seen in the last couple of months several of you big hats - you know
the pointy hatted people.......hee hee those that have been crown and are
still active and are looking around and wondering why they haven't met many
new people in awhile - say to those of us that are new - how do we get more
of you here? I am asked my opinion and I voice it gladly and I enjoy
bouncing ideas off people my age and older on a regular basis. This is what
needs to be done. We are discussing - and that is the first step.
You are a hundred percent correct that as a group the sca does need to work
on communication. I think that we naturally are more introverted thinkers -
or we are busy- or absent minded.... whatever.  A smile - and a direction to
someone who would be able to help the person find their niche. Arranging a
specific time to sit down and talk again. INTRODUCING NEW YOUNG PEOPLE TO
EVERYONE! these are the things that got me as active as i am - and that keep
me active. Help getting to events - big events or small. I wouldn't have
thought to work on my Warrior Bard book if Miguel and Conal hadn't invited
me to go to Gulf War with them - and without their support (and others) in
my little pet project i probably wouldn't have ever gotten to the point of
asking for songs. (excuse the plug and send me songs! hee hee)
We need to shake up the demos- BARDS! get out there and do a demo - fighters
or no! The Sca is largely about fighting - its like the main bit of the
show. But the people who serve, the people who do the music and lighting and
choreography are important as well and we need more of them! You would think
it would be easier to go to a college  - sit in the common areas and sing
songs - tell stories. It is after all.........what you do best. (and not
half the insurance issue you'd think)
We need to make sure that people showing up at events learn who we are. I
mean - "Weird people in neat looking clothes and acting goofy" doesn't bring
people back. Its Lord so and so or Lady giggles lots or Pointy Hat of
somewhere in Dallas. Introduce yourself - and introduce people you meet to
others. Its the people who make the sca - who live the dream - that make the
dream for others.
Just my two cents before running off to work!
Yours,
Adelina of the Steppes

On 6/22/07, willowjonbardc at juno.com <willowjonbardc at juno.com> wrote:
>
> Dear People
> I have been doing a lot of conversations with individual that were
> leaving the SCA. I have been trying to find out why they did not find
> us fun. I have found a trend and I am going to share this information
> with you. You personally may not be guiltily of this mistake. I know
> I have been. It is important for us to think about this problem and
> maybe set up some guild lines  to avoid it in the future.
>
> Many of the younger people -those 25 and younger- look at
> organization differently than us older people. They have spend their
> whole lives in bureaucratic systems. Mostly well ran systems. Their
> experiences have shown them that if the officers or someone in power
> gives them a passive "no" then it is of no used to continue with the
> plans. They do not like to have interpersonal conflict and avoid
> conflict as much as they can. I talked to many of them and gave them
> scenario and asked them what the would do. This is what they told me.
>
> You go to an officer, noble (this including non landed, Baron/ess or
> autocrate and suggest an idea and the person tells you without and
> positive statement, "Put it in writing." Most of the people I talked
> to said they would take this as a no. It is a put off. The individual
> thinks the idea is bad and plans to axe it.  The individual does not
> plan to present it in a way to give it a fair shake. Now if the
> person makes some kind of personal statement that implies that it is
> a worthwhile idea and may stand a chance then it is not a "No". If
> the person think someone in the officialdom would be behind it they
> are willing to write it down. Also they are happier if they have the
> chance to present their idea to decision makers.
>
> If Someone goes to the perceived people in charge and the individual
> says, "I will get back to you." and doesn't within the week most
> people take this as a "No.
>
> If someone goes to the people in charge with an idea and the person
> start talking about how they don't have enough people to do X,Y or Z
> the individual usually thinks this is "NO".
>
> If the people looks away, or doesn't listen or replies with non
> enthusiastic voice people often think that these are cues to tell you
> that the idea is unacceptable without actually saying no, but it is
> a "No".
>
> One of the Common reason that people drift out of the SCA is that
> they feel "shut out", "not listened to" and "are not able to do
> things that interest them".
>
> I know many of our groups in the Central are begging people to do
> things. We must be failing in our communication. People are not
> understand us and we are not understanding them.
>
> I have experienced this problem of changes in the meaning of words
> and actions about four times in my life in the SCA. I joined in AS.
> 3. The only solution is to change how we are communicating. We must
> change it does no good to try to change the newer people. They are
> coming from the baseline culture.
>
> In my everyday life I have been a paid organizer and recruiter. I
> have been paid to make action groups. The first stage is to look at
> your communications.
>
> Think about it and if someone comes to you with an idea be sure to
> start out positive. Be careful not to be to positive.
>
> "That is an interesting idea. Let me look into it and see if it is
> doable."  Please Remember if the person can cover the cost and has
> the people and resources they should be allowed to do something as
> long it isn't illegal, immoral or just really hokey or against the
> values or purposes of the SCA. If it is too hokey or against the
> values or purposes of the SCA please take the time to mutate the idea
> so it is acceptable.
>
> Duchess Willow de Wisp -one of the ancient founders of Ansteorra.
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