[SBE] activating inactives

[chscherer at everestkc.net]

No one will argue that there are more demands on everyone's time.

The SBE is working on webinars, and I know that trade publications are already offering them. Good idea, Dave. Lots of us agree with you.

There are lots of ways to get information, but the in-person meeting has a unique value of its own. I can't make it to every chapter meeting, but when I do, I find the social and professional networking to be as important as the program topic.

I certainly hope that chapters are trying different options for day/night/weekend meetings if attendance is sliping. Of course what works in one city does not work in another.

I would like to hear some success stories from chapters. Was your chapter having trouble and turned around? Have you been a chapter champion and helped make things happen? Let's here what you have done.

Chriss

----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Dybas <dd92251 at aol.com>
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:38 am
Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives


> Guys,

> 

> With radio station consolidation, the typical radio engineer has 

> severaltransmitters and studios and maybe even a Wife and kids) to 

> maintain. The

> days of kicking back and reading trade publications, visiting other

> engineers and attending SBE meetings are, for the most part, gone. 

> 

> Without doubt the SBE is a valuable resource and is appreciated by 

> many. I

> wonder if there would be value to developing "webinars", that is 

> web based

> seminars for the members. Or holding Local Chapter meetings on 

> Weekends? 

> 

> Dave Dybas CBT

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf 

> Of Garrison

> Cavell

> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:01 AM

> To: 'sbe member discussion mail list'

> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

> 

> 

> Chriss

> 

> I don't know whether the following is a permitted post on this 

> site since it

> isn't purely technical, but I thought I'd lob in a comment to what 

> seemed to

> be an emerging thread.

> 

> I've been through this sort of issue (chapters fading or becoming 

> inactive)with similar entities, like IEEE local chapters, local 

> NSPE chapters, and

> other organizations, so you could conclude, thankfully, that this 

> is not a

> unique "SBE issue". Rather, it is a universal problem that has 

> impactedalmost every volunteer entity and professional 

> organization. So I guess

> there's a bit of good news in this - SBE is not in and of itself the

> problem. 

> 

> The bad news is - it has become increasingly hard to keep people 

> interestedand involved - and particularly if it requires people to 

> leave their homes

> and workplaces to "come out" to any event. From my perch, it would 

> appearthat this problem really started occurring over 5-8 years 

> ago, but I am not

> entirely sure why. 

> 

> My best guess is that an increasing lack of personal time, growing 

> familypressures, work demands, and little support from employers 

> add up to almost

> no spare time for members. Attrition in our ranks hasn't helped 

> any either.

> There are fewer of us (one engineer - a half dozen stations or 

> more) so a

> group of any size, even in a larger metro area, would have to draw 

> from a

> larger territory - compounding the problem.

> 

> Curiously, good technical programs often (but not always) bring 

> people out,

> but as you know, it is difficult to hit a "home run" every time. 

> And chapter

> member interest can be diverse, so keeping it relevant for 

> everyone (so

> folks will keep coming out and supporting the chapter) is a big 

> challenge.

> The successful local entities (or any sort) always seem to have a 

> core group

> of folks who are enthusiastic and seem tireless. More than likely, 

> they have

> been the "glue" for the entity for years. The problem here is that 

> a few

> retirements, relocations, or deaths can pave the way for a group's 

> demise.Getting newer members involved and interested in helping to 

> "row the boat"

> can be very tough (and especially if the "core" does not "let go" 

> and give

> the newbie's a chance, but I digress).

> 

> So I can offer no solutions, other than to encourage people who are

> interested in reactivating a chapter (and care about what a local SBE

> chapter can do for their part of the world) to: 1) try to contact the

> members in the region to determine what might be interesting for 

> chapteractivities, services and programs, 2) determine what times 

> of day, days of

> the week, would work best for the most attendance, 3) determine 

> what meeting

> frequency would be best - whether monthly, quarterly, etc., and 4) 

> find like

> minded folks to form a core group that will beat the bushes for 

> programs,free meeting locations, ideas for shared resources (like 

> a local "idea bank"

> or common parts pool), 4) try to learn what would be interesting to

> everyone, be it technical or networking, and 5) you really need to 

> bug folks

> - keep in touch- drag them in. 

> 

> Easier said than done.

> 

> Sorry - this was well more than two centavos worth. 

> 

> - from a long time SBE member.

> 

> -- gary

> 

> Garrison C. Cavell 

> Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc. 

> 7839 Ashton Avenue Manassas, Virginia 20109-2883    

> 703.392.9090 General Office - 703.392.9559 Facsimile 202.332.0110

> Washington, D.C. Line www.CavellMertz.com  www.FCCInfo.com

>    

> 

> 

> 

> -----Original Message-----

> From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of

> chscherer at everestkc.net

> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:51 AM

> To: sbe member discussion mail list

> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

> 

> Help is always appreciated, but there has not been a lack of trying.

> 

> 

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