Message for chapters

Dean May deanmay@pianorebuilders.com
Thu, 5 Jan 2006 12:58:53 -0500


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Jeanni wrote:
It might take a while of attending meetings before people will respond
to your needs.  The members may not jump up and come to your rescue just
because you showed up. Give them a chance to see how serious you are
about learning, to get to know you and appreciate you as a person.  I've
seen it happen time after time..... after this "getting to know you"
period, someone may just step forward and take you under his/her wing.
PTG is a great resource, but like anything else, it's up to you to make
most of the effort to learn.  
 
 
Jeanni had some excellent things to say but I wanted to comment on this.
It is always difficult to "break in" to any kind of group, particularly
one that is exclusive and closed. Add to the mix someone inexperienced
in the craft who is suffering perceived intimidation from the other
expert attenders and it is especially difficult. I had been in the
business almost 20 years before I joined my "local" chapter (80 miles
local) so I was not inexperienced in the craft but I still felt
intimidated and like an outsider. Not that the others in the chapter are
snobbish, far from it. It is just the nature of things. 
 
It would behoove all of us involved in local chapters to take steps to
minimize this breaking in period. It has to be intentional; it won't
happen automatically. Name badges are a very good first step. They are
cheap and they work. It is hard to develop any kind of friendly
relationship when every time you see someone you are embarrassed because
you can't remember their name. A photo directory would also be good. 
 
And then old timers have to go out of their comfort zone to make
newcomers feel friendly and welcome. This involves conversation, guys.
That's the thing we see women doing with each other when we see their
lips moving. ;-)  There were 2 or 3 regulars in my chapter that did this
for me, and it works. 
 
 
Dean
Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
Terre Haute IN  47802
 
 

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