WR - The Cause

[Roberta Starkey]

> 
>      I'm curious.  What is causing so many people not to report in the
> first place?  Poor training? the importance of reporting not stressed? 
> laziness?  not caring?
>      Are they fullfilling the office other than not reporting? 
>      Do they have a deputy that can help them? 
>      Are we taking deputies to train them to replace us?	
>     What can we do to help officers that have problems reporting?
> 
> Brita

Now we all know the importance of reporting - you don't do it, your local
branch gets the axe.  

I think that the cause is a combination of things.  
1)  Lack of feedback - good or bad - when the reports go up.  A feeling of
what possible use is this report to anyone?  Of what use is the
information?  Is the information being used?  And if it is being used, what
use does anyone possibly have for the kind of information collected?  Is
that collected information of any use to the local, region, or even
kingdom, and if it is of use, why haven't I heard of it being used.

2)  poor training - bad files from the previous officer holder.  You don't
have any examples to follow, nor any addresses to send stuff to, and little
or no guidance from the other officers.  Sometimes the longer a person has
been around the SCA, the more they assume that the new office holder knows
a lot more than s/he actually does.  Sometimes this is good, sometimes this
is bad.  Most of the time, it's bad, but communication is a two way street.
 If someone who has just taken office is too shy to ask what they should
do, or too know it all, they are going to miss something.  

3)  Mundane life.  Goshdarnit, it just sometimes gets in the way of playing
the game.  This is a volunteer job when you do the officer stuff, and there
are times when family, job, health, etc take precedence over the SCA, and
the report can just wait.



You know, now since I'm thinking of it, expecially since there is email
around, would it be too much of a burden on the regional officers to email
back the local officers a "Got your report, thanks" acknowlegement?  They
could even cc to the group seneschale (or the Group's e-list or email
address if the seneschale doesn't have their own email at home).  I know
for the western region it wouldn't be that hard for any regional officer to
reply to 6 shires each reporting period.  Lets see.  Reply to author
button, or new message, type 3 or 4 lettersin the "To" line, choose
reciepents button, type "got it", press send button.

I think the very best thing that helps officers report is reporting by
email.  Even if the officer does not have a computer at home, going down
once a month to the public library, using one of the free emails like
hotmail or juno or the like through the library to send it - hey, piece o
cake. 

Have rambled long enough.

Ryah 


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