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SOFTENING THE IRON GRIP OF CLUB ELDERS

Softening the Iron Grip of Club Elders and Founders

(Without any casualties)

By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate

As a club member, is your club/group held in the clutches of time by its club elders? Do you wish that you had more input or that the club/group would change to keep up with the crises our sports face? Or that more younger folks would join up?

As a club elder, are you worried that letting go of things will cause the club to spiral downward or that if you let go of the power, no one will step up and continue your good work? Are the young bloods not coming into your club of "oldies but goodies?"

Either situation can be remedied.

Distribution of Workload: Many groups have problems related to a lack of distribution of the workload and responsibilities. Some do a lot (and are getting tired), and those who want to do more aren't being given things to do. Both situations lead to burn-out and membership decline.

For club elders, it is important to realize that you cannot achieve every club goal without help. Maybe if you are the leader of a very small group, it is possible, but when we begin talking about dozens or hundreds of people, trying to do it all on your own is more harmful to the group than good. You, as well as the group, will suffer.

This is not to say that all club elders and founders have an iron grip that needs softening. On the contrary, they are the historical resource and solid foundation of many clubs. But if you find yourself in this situation, we'd like to offer some ideas to help.

There are some solutions to the iron grip from both sides: those caught in the grip and those causing the squeeze.

Let's first talk about it from the perspective of being the elders or founders causing the squeeze.

Elders and Founders: Look for ways to allow others to handle responsibilities. Try to become a manager of your organization's human assets. Rather than giving your volunteers step-by-step instructions about how to do something, teach them the objectives of their role, make yourself available to them, and then stand back and watch how much they can impress you with their abilities.

Learn to express objectives and expectations that others can achieve for you or the common good. Be free with praise and encouragement.

Ask yourself why you hold on so tightly and what you need to do to let go a bit. Learn to pass on the great wealth of information and experiences you have by letting others achieve your group's shared goals. Learn to take pride in what the group achieves as a whole.

For example, let's assume that someone in your group wants to handle Membership, and you've been doing it for some time. You could demonstrate how you've done it, but what about after that? After that, it would be wise to explain to that person the overreaching concepts that you use when doing it yourself. From there, you could discuss how it all fits into the club's big picture and then talk about where you would like to see its membership recruiting/retention go. Then, give them leeway to make improvements and adjustments.

You should take pride in the fact that your student improved things and the club benefited as a whole.

Here is how these ideas might be broken down (input garnered from Dan Stra, past President of the JonFund club).

The way you do it now- "I like our memberships to end at the same time each year to avoid always having to worry about renewals. No one joins for less than a year. I have tried to maintain a 75% retention rate."

The concepts that you use – "I have always tried to use good customer service concepts when dealing with Membership. If they have a question, I will get back to them with an answer within a day. I pay particular attention to social network groups and pages concerning our club."

It fits into the big picture: "Membership is crucial to the club. Retaining members is a top priority."

Where you would like to see it go – "I also think we need more in the way of club raffles, events, and incentives. I also think that we should do more member outreach."

The leeway and expectations you provide – "Until you are comfortable with the way things go, I would like to keep things in the status quo. I am hopeful that this will be less than a month. After that, I want you to begin looking for ways to do this better than I ever did. If you have new ideas, let's discuss them to see how they fit in the big picture of the club."

This is a very basic example, but once you put it into practice, you will find yourself having more confidence in what your "students" do. As soon as you trust their instincts, you'll be less worried about control and more optimistic about who will replace you one day.

Probably the most important thing you can do is to learn to set objectives more clearly and articulate your expectations. Doing this ensures folks know their job but are not being micro-managed. If it makes you smile, write an expectation to achieve it. If it makes you frown, write an expectation to avoid it.

If you want your work to endure, then it should be your goal, as a club elder, to "develop" your replacements. There are people out there who can fill your shoes, and you should work hard to explain exactly what is involved in wearing those shoes in the first place.

Club Members Caught in the Grip: What if you are caught in the iron grip? What can you do? Start by looking for ways to break through it. Show your interest in wanting to help without trying to take over. Start with little projects and work your way up. Keep in mind that we're trying to achieve the overall benefit to the club.

When given a job, make sure you fully understand its expectations. Ask the job-giver questions until you *see* the job the way they see it. Keep asking questions until you know what's expected, including time frames, reports, etc. Then, if you find something that needs fixing or adjusting, include the job-giver in the process.

Very importantly, if you take on a job, be sure to get it done on time, the way it was presented to you, and within the expectations. Give credit to those who helped you get started. Show that you are part of the team trying to achieve something for the greater good of the club.

Finally, if you can't break through the barrier or if things aren't changing for the better, you have to step up and speak out! Address the issues openly with the group and express your expectations of the group and how they're not being achieved.

If the group cannot be swayed to see a different future, then you may have a tough choice to make about staying. But at least you will have given it your best shot! Let's not lose trails and access because of club personalities, egos, and issues.

WHAT WILL SAVE THE FUTURE OF MOTORSPORTS?

Saving the Future of Motorized Recreation

What Your Membership to Organizations Accomplishes

By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate

Author Del Albright is joined by Don Amador, career Recreation Advocate

Saving trails and the whole sport of motorized recreation depends on many factors, but without those factors, our trails and our sports will be in jeopardy. Primary in the list is local club involvement in issues and organizational growth. Without local membership support and involvement, a larger umbrella group (state, regional, or national) will push water uphill and waste precious resources.

From what we’ve seen, working with boards at all levels, before an organization or group can invest time, money, and staff in an issue, it must assess the value of the level of service to its members.

Noted land use advocate Don Amador crafted this diagram of how many organizations develop a strategy for level of service:

The outcome (middle of the diagram) estimates the level of service a group can invest in an issue. This outcome includes member support, priority/timing of the issue, and the potential value to the group. A larger organization cannot take these factors lightly to survive long term.

A great example is the Rubicon Trail. Twenty+ years ago, local clubs and users banded together to save the trail from closure. Immediately, state, regional, and national groups recognized this local involvement and jumped in to help fight for the trail. The value returned to the larger groups included membership growth and broader recognition. Everyone won! It worked. The level of service from larger organizations matched the local interest!

We have heard members complain that their state/regional/national representatives do not do enough for them or their trail. At the same time, that member and the local club have done nothing to help the overall cause/issue. It’s like the blame game – pointing fingers instead of putting boots on the ground. The level of service from bigger groups hinges on locals being involved and invested. It works both ways to create a sustainable future for motorized recreation.

In our estimation, the future of motorized recreation depends on a few simple things and some proven formulas.

1. More unity in organized recreation leadership, including better communications and fewer turf battles.

2. Finding the money to get more full-time people doing land use and leading volunteers.

3. More training for volunteers who don’t know how to cope with government regulations, safety and EPA requirements, and paperwork.

4. A centralized source of information and coordination nationwide that people can trust to bring us all together so the messages are not disjointed but orchestrated for future wins.

5. Legal strength – with attorneys who know land use and are available to all.

6. Finding the key to getting people to join organized groups and not just be virtual.

7. Getting past egos and personalities in OHV recreation.

Focusing positive energy on the factors mentioned here will save the future of motorized recreation while finding reciprocity between local interests and larger group investment. Simply said, we must always work together, in cooperation, and with a positive focus towards a sustainable future.

(Graphic in support of two important groups, the California 4Wheel Drive Association, and the American Sand Association, that I am highly involved with and a member of).

More on land use here in my book from Amazon.

7 SECRETS TO CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Managing and Surviving Conflict in Recreation Clubs and Groups

By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate

We can fight it, try to ignore it, or learn to deal with it effectively, but conflict is inevitable in outdoor recreation. Club members disagree; users butt heads on trails; large organized groups don’t like what another group is doing, or turf battles have been going on for years. It is just human nature that we will not always agree with each other, and sometimes, this results in conflicting actions and ideas. I’d like to offer some ideas for dealing with conflict in recreation and making your life easier while saving our favorite forms of recreation.

Conflict is unavoidable

At some point in your busy life, you will run into conflict with another person. It’s life. Whenever we share opinions or ideas, conflict is bound to surface. People just plain disagree on many things, especially when it comes to something we are passionate about. If your opinion is different than mine, then we might just be in conflict.

Conflict is a part of recreation.

Just like it is life and relationships, sometimes we just cannot avoid conflict. I am going to suggest ways to embrace it and make it useful. It might surface its ugly head at a trail intersection. Or maybe during a meeting about the color of a T-shirt. Or who knows? It is like a snake in the grass; you never know when it might strike.

Conflict is not always bad.

It just is. How you react to it gives it a flavor of good or bad.

As you read these tips, remember that much of what I suggest here involves you having the power to choose how you react to things and not allowing someone to dictate your happiness or peace of mind.

“Choose” and “allow” are two of the most powerful words in the dictionary. For example, you might hear me say, “I choose not to get caught up in your garbage. And I am not going to allow you to ruin my day.” Unfortunately, the policeman I tried this on didn’t think it was funny! (just kidding). But you have the choice as to how you react to something in your life. Do not let someone else tell you how you feel or how you should react. You choose. You allow right there, and that starts reducing the opportunities for conflict.

Conflict can be viewed as powerful.

It means people are sharing ideas and opinions that don’t agree. It means new doors are being opened, and new opportunities are being presented. It also might mean a few sleepless nights for you if you don’t take some steps to harness the power of conflict.

Now, I’m not suggesting that all conflict is “good.” Conflict can twist up our guts, cut into our sleep, and make our faces turn pretty darn red from frustration. But that is not what any of us want. Let me share with you some tips for dealing with conflict and turning it into something useful.

Make things happen in your club.

The 7 Master Secrets

→One, accept the fact that when people share opinions, there’s bound to be differences (conflict). Heck, there’s no way we could all think alike, or we’d still be carrying clubs and living in caves. Recognize that conflict is natural and use it as a learning experience. I compare conflict to fear — we will always have some of both to deal with; it’s all in how we allow ourselves to react.

→Two, try to stay objective and clearly express your expectations (or ideas). Clear communication is essential to avoiding unnecessary conflict. There’s no use getting your knickers in an uproar over something you really didn’t mean. So make sure what your listener is hearing is what you meant to say.

→ Third, never lose sight of your objective and try to maintain the “high ground,” as they say in the military (and politics). During political conflict (meetings, hearings, conventions, etc.), take notes like an attorney. Get your key points jotted down for your “come back,” and stick with them. Make your points over and over again, if needed, until the listener clearly hears your ideas (or rebuttals).

Further, don’t get caught up in emotions. When you feel like you’re about to explode, back off, take a breath, and tackle the conflict head-on, but with as much objectivity as you can muster. Break out your notes (like the attorney busily jotting things down during a court proceeding), and review your key points.

→Fourth, look for the root of the problem (conflict). If it’s purely a political agenda with no real foundation other than making a show, well, then you may have to accept the fact that all the logic in the world won’t sway that. In this case, the conflict is phony and attention-gathering. Call it for what it is.

→Five, assuming the conflict is real, try to agree to some ground rules during the conflict resolution process. For example, suppose two people who know each other are arguing. In that case, it might be good to agree that both will avoid each other’s well-known “hot buttons” that merely escalate the emotional intensity of the argument. Agree to that upfront. Agree to a fair fight, if you will.

Dealing with conflict is no picnic, but it must be done and can be easier than you think if you follow these secrets.

→Six, trust your instincts and the instincts of people you respect. If your instincts tell you to hang in the fight (conflict), then hang! If that little voice in your head says, “If I give up now, then I will lose much more in the long run,” then don’t give up.

→Seven, in recreation, there is that reality, just like in politics, when nothing makes sense, and there is no real answer because there is no real question. That’s when we need to stay very focused and tuned into your message (bullet points, 5×7 cards, notes, etc.). Don’t spend time wondering why someone would dress up like a coyote and wander down the dusty streets of some Texas cow town in front of the Longhorn Saloon on Saturday night, trying to make some sort of political statement! If your conflict involves this type of showmanship, then realize your logic will probably not change anything. Just move on.

In the leadership training I offer, I emphasize the importance of taking notes and writing down your message on 5×7 cards or whatever works for you. Public speaking and dealing with conflict benefit from having our key points right in front of us. If you find yourself at a loss for words, you can simply refer back to your key points (notes, expectations, and ideas). It works!

Summary

Conflict is not always bad, and sometimes it is unavoidable. Learn to trust your instincts and do not run from them. Conflict can help us grow or improve a club. Be clear as to your objectives, and keep your key points handy. When engaged in showmanship conflict, you may get to the point of succumbing to tactics you don’t ordinarily like, then realize that you have changed the game and the ground rules. You may also have given up some of your high ground. I’m reminded of what my Mom used to tell me, “Just because Johnny does it doesn’t mean you get to do it.” Oh, by the way, in those days, Johnny was sticking his head in a bag of airplane glue, and I’m sure glad I listened to my mother. 🙂

Solve conflict!

Conflict can keep us on the fence; if we do not solve it, we will be suspended from the action. If you can recognize conflict for what it’s worth and learn to harness its power, you will find many new doors open to you. Opportunities will surface that you may not have seen before. And hopefully, by employing the tips presented here, you’ll not lose any more sleep.

HELPFUL LINKS:

DEL'S BOOKS (CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)

WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)

PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)

More land use and volunteerism help here:

MEETINGS:
RUN A BETTER MEETING
NEPA:
LEARN MORE ABOUT NEPA
LETTERS:
WRITE A LETTER
SPEECHES:
GIVE A SPEECH
FACILITATE:
LEARN TO FACILITATE MEETINGS
CLUBS:
WHY JOIN A CLUB
CONVOYS:
ORGANIZE A CONVOY
JOIN:
JOIN THE RIGHT GROUPS
TRAINING:
GET VOLUNTEER TRAINING
LEAD:
LEAD VOLUNTEERS
JOBS:
CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU

EGOS AND PERSONALITIES IN CLUBS

"They" Are Killing Our Access!

How Egos and Personalities Could Be Our Downfall

By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate

Is your club ticked off at a neighboring club? Are you drifting away from your club because of the behavior of a few folks? Do you find yourself attending fewer club/group meetings these days? Do you feel like your opinion does not count? Are you ready to just say heck with it and walk away as a volunteer? Are you tired of the politics and clicks in your club? In other words, do egos and personalities rule your recreation?

In my travels around the country helping folks get organized and keep trails open, I have seen too many of the above problems. Don't get me wrong, there are tons of great clubs that are doing just fine. But I've seen my share of personalities driving folks away from organized recreation. There are ways to fix that.

In my opinion, our future lies in folks joining and staying active in organized recreation. The more we band together and stay tuned into what's happening with our trails, the better our chances of having a sport in the future. The more we separate or alienate from each other, the less chance we have of surviving as a recreational pursuit. We must be together at every opportunity.

This means that our local clubs/groups must be viable and effective. I am constantly reminded of the anti-access (radical environmental groups) slogan "think globally; act locally." They have got it figured out. They preach keeping the big picture in mind while taking baby steps locally towards achieving the big picture. It works!

Making Swiss Cheese

In large business corporations and management, there's a concept called the "Swiss Cheese" approach. Swiss cheese has a lot of holes in it to make the cheese what it is. When a manager faces a tremendously complex task, the Swiss cheese approach is to make one hole at a time until you have your block of cheese done. In other words, like a long hike in the backcountry, it's just one step at a time until you reach your destination.

This is where the local level involvement is so significant. If we're all taking baby steps, punching holes in the big block of Swiss cheese, eventually, we'll achieve the big picture – responsible and sustainable motorized access for all!

It starts with your local club or group. It begins with a few folks deciding to get past personalities and get something done for the greater good. It starts with not letting someone else control your feelings about your sport or club.

Expectations

If you have personality issues in your club or group, I suggest that before you give up, you confront them head-on. Let folks know how you feel and what you expect. Only then can a group or club decide if they want to make changes to accommodate your wishes. But to me, it is such a shame to see someone drop out of a group without letting folks know the reason why. It's similar to telling a boss at work what's wrong from your perspective so the problem can be fixed. Many times, bosses don't know what the employees know. So, by letting someone know there's a problem, at least you give them a chance to fix it.

There's an old saying I use a lot: "A complaint is never legitimate until it's voiced to someone who can fix it." If personalities rule your recreation, I suggest you speak up and clear the air. Get to the "peace table" and talk it out. Go face to face, and don't try to solve it on the forums. Find solutions or compromises that all the parties can live with. But whatever you do, give it a shot before you give up.

When I help folks get past personality issues, I always remind them that we are not out to change who someone is, only how they behave in our group. If a particular behavior alienates other club members, we must find a way to change that behavior. It can be done, but only through communications that are pretty open and honest.

In the leadership training I give folks, I drive home the point that we must let folks know our expectations -- those things that make us smile and enjoy our sport (or our job or anything else). The same holds true for a club or a volunteer committee. If you have expectations that are not being fulfilled, then let someone know. Doing so increases your chances of staying in the game and helping punch holes in that big block of cheese.

Here is the 3-step formula:

STEP 1: Find Out. The first thing to do is find out why clubs have problems -- to recognize and accept the fact that we are people and we have shortfalls, as well as personalities. Learn to accept the basic fact that we are not all poured from the same mold. In stead, find ways to understand and make better use of our differences. But that comes from first finding out (identifying) just what causes our club problems.

STEP 2: Focus. Next, focus on the issue or problem, not the personalities. Learn to separate a problem from the person who seems to be causing it. Lay the problem on the table, dissect it and figure out how to put it back together in better shape than when you started. Enlist the help of the person you think is responsible for the issue, if possible. Get them to become part of the solution. But whatever you do, learn to address the issue, not the person or personality. It’s not Joe that is causing the club to drift apart; it’s something Joe is doing – his behavior. That is what we must focus on – the behavior that needs changing.

STEP 3: Facilitate. Facilitation is a skill every leader or club activist should develop to some level. To facilitate means to make things easier – to lessen the resistance, to smooth the path. In clubs and groups, it means finding ways to help people help themselves.

Once you find out what the issue is really and focus on it, you can begin to facilitate a resolution. In volunteer organizations, there is seldom a rank structure (like in the military), so we must learn to ease the resistance and smooth the path with facilitation skills and techniques.

Before you walk away, please make sure you have done and tried all you can to fix the problem. We need clubs, groups, and associations fighting for our rights and freedoms.

Del

LINKS:

DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)

WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)

PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)

6 TIPS FOR BETTER CLUB LIFE

SOFTENING THE IRON GRIP OF CLUB ELDERS (when needed)

By Del Albright

Too many times people walk away from an off-road or Jeep club or group because of a club elder putting them down, or not allowing them to contribute. On the other hand, club elders and founders get frustrated when the “youngsters” do not do it their way! Have you seen either of these situations?

Read the whole story on ModernJeeper here.

More land use help here:

RUN A BETTER MEETING

LEARN MORE ABOUT NEPA

WRITE A LETTER

GIVE A SPEECH

LEARN TO FACILITATE MEETINGS

WHY JOIN A CLUB

ORGANIZE A CONVOY

JOIN THE RIGHT GROUPS

GET VOLUNTEER TRAINING

LEAD VOLUNTEERS

CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU

GO BACK TO HOME MENU FOR THIS MOBILE PLATFORM

#modernjeeper #landuse

EGONOMICS

EGOS AND SOME PERSONALITIES CAN RUIN A CLUB OR GROUP.

Egonomics Studies the Cost of Allowing Egos to Rule Your Recreation.

By Del Albright

I have coined the term "Egonomics" to shed light on the cost of letting egos and personalities rule your recreation and possibly ruin it.

Is your club ticked off at a neighboring club? Are you drifting away from your club or association because of the behavior of a few folks? Do you find yourself attending fewer club/group meetings these days? Do you feel like your opinion does not count? Are you tired of the politics and clicks in your club? In other words, do personalities and egos rule your recreation?

Now, do not get me wrong. Most all off-pavement motorized recreation have egos. Usually, that means we get things done, we can lead projects or efforts, and we step up to help clubs and groups grow. But then, on the other hand, all too often, egos and personalities become the deciding factor in too many things.

Making Swiss Cheese

Expectations

3-Step Formula:

STEP 3: Facilitate. Facilitation is a skill every leader or club activist should develop to some level. To facilitate means to make things easier – to lessen the resistance; to smooth the path. In clubs and groups it means finding ways to help people help them selves.

Once you find out what is really the issue, and you focus on that issue, you then begin to facilitate a resolution. In volunteer organizations there is seldom a rank structure (like the military), so we must learn to ease the resistance and smooth the path with facilitation skills and techniques.

Before you walk away, please make sure you have done and tried all you can to fix the problem. We need clubs, groups and associations fighting for us and our rights/freedoms.

This easy-to-follow book teaches you more about leadership, egos, clubs, personalities, land use, and volunteerism in general right here!

Here is my take on the question: Do Personalities Rule Your Recreation?

Personalities must be addressed when you are talking about leadership. More on Leadership and a Horse Harnessed Before All Others, here.

And more on Resolving Problems in Clubs with Partners, Possibles, and Poops. With the three main tips for getting to the bottom of this: Find Out; Focus; and Facilitate, summarized here.

Finally, if you would like to read about Softening the Iron Grip of Club Elders, here.

LINKS:

DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)

WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)

PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)

More land use help here:

RUN A BETTER MEETING

LEARN MORE ABOUT NEPA

WRITE A LETTER

GIVE A SPEECH

LEARN TO FACILITATE MEETINGS

WHY JOIN A CLUB

ORGANIZE A CONVOY

JOIN THE RIGHT GROUPS

GET VOLUNTEER TRAINING

LEAD VOLUNTEERS

CHOOSE THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU

GO BACK TO HOME MENU FOR THIS MOBILE PLATFORM

#leadership #egos #personalities #clubs