randomatt
Bogey Member
This question is for all of you who show up to, participate in or run your clubs' meetings...What's your secret to a great meeting?
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What's the secret to a great club meeting?
- Thread starter randomatt
- Start date
KniceZ
Double Eagle Member
Beer
cheese dog
Birdie Member
- Joined
- May 24, 2014
- Messages
- 444
try incorporate an incentive into your scheduled organized club meetings. rather that be a hot meal, a drawing or a door prize . most disc golfers just want to play and could care less about meetings.
People showing up.
Have a timer and when the time is up you move on to the next topic. That keeps the meetings from stalling out and wasting time on subjects that are not going to get a resolution this meeting. Also, have the board meet on there own at least once in-between meetings and have them make most of the decisions on there own. Then at meeting time the board just tells the rest of the club what they have decided and thats it. The less time you spend in open discussion the better. The board is the club's elected officials. They should have the power to handle most of everything on there own and not need to wast time in general discussion on everything.
The right people showing up.
Yes, absolutely. One of our earlier club presidents would hand out an agenda, with time slots allotted for each line. If you wanted to drone on about something, come early or stay late.
Free food or free beer always increases attendance.
VictorB
* Ace Member *
Have a meeting process to follow (parliamentary procedure is a good example) Only one subject can be discussed at a time. Only one person can talk about that topic at a time. Whomever is running the meeting has to be a good moderator though, or you'll eventually get off track.
In another organization I used to run, we had a 'talking ball' where you couldn't speak about the topic unless you had the ball in your hands. It would get pretty rowdy otherwise
Also, punch and pie (or beer and snacks)
With free beer, put the controversial topics on the top of the agenda.
Otherwise, the meeting ends up in a tavern debate.
CaptainAnhyzer
* Ace Member *
^This^
And ^this^ 10x.................. Arrange an agenda in the days prior and stick to it.Have a meeting process to follow (parliamentary procedure is a good example) Only one subject can be discussed at a time. Only one person can talk about that topic at a time. Whomever is running the meeting has to be a good moderator though, or you'll eventually get off track.
In another organization I used to run, we had a 'talking ball' where you couldn't speak about the topic unless you had the ball in your hands. It would get pretty rowdy otherwise
As long as it's limited or not club-provided. Some people just wanna spend the club $$ because it's there.
Do you want as many members as possible to show up for an annual meeting or election?
Disc Golfers would rather disc golf than come to a meeting. So give them some disc golf and THEN have a meeting afterwards.
In So Cal, we host a "fun" 18 hole disc golf event in the morning, and have the annual membership meeting in the afternoon at the meeting room located in the park .
We have also hosted the 18 hole event at a course in the afternoon with meeting at a local business in the evening. However, the daytime format seems to draw the most members. Players pay one fee for the event and banquet. We serve food at the meeting and also hand out year end awards which helps to attract more members.
If you are talking about monthly meetings, you only need a group of dedicated volunteers. Plan meetings at times that are most convenient for your core volunteers and then invite everyone else.
Disc Golfers would rather disc golf than come to a meeting. So give them some disc golf and THEN have a meeting afterwards.
In So Cal, we host a "fun" 18 hole disc golf event in the morning, and have the annual membership meeting in the afternoon at the meeting room located in the park .
We have also hosted the 18 hole event at a course in the afternoon with meeting at a local business in the evening. However, the daytime format seems to draw the most members. Players pay one fee for the event and banquet. We serve food at the meeting and also hand out year end awards which helps to attract more members.
If you are talking about monthly meetings, you only need a group of dedicated volunteers. Plan meetings at times that are most convenient for your core volunteers and then invite everyone else.
chainedwraith
Par Member
Our club seemed to always have difficulty getting the board members together at the same time and place so we ended up scrapping the formal meetings and simply created a private facebook messenger group for board members only.
When a topic of discussion needed to be addressed, we addressed it immediately in our group discussion, including taking board votes right then and there. If the topic required feedback from general membership it would be mentioned as an announcement before tee-off at league rounds and posted on the club facebook page for members to provide feedback and the board would give adequate time for members to chime in before a final vote or decision was made by the board.
For tournament planning; however, there would usually be a few formal meetings among the TD and assistant TD and volunteers usually since there were materials being gathered and it was more conducive to have everyone together in person for those types of meetings.
We also scrapped official roles/titles. Our members don't vote on pres, VP, etc.. People just list 5 people they think should be on the board as a voting decision maker. Once the new board is elected the new board gets together and decides who will handle what responsibilities for that year.
Being a little "less" formal seemed to work out better for our club in the end. We've accomplished great things and there is a lot less bickering and finger pointing and decisions are made quickly and efficiently and we keep transparency on the group pages and during league announcements.
When a topic of discussion needed to be addressed, we addressed it immediately in our group discussion, including taking board votes right then and there. If the topic required feedback from general membership it would be mentioned as an announcement before tee-off at league rounds and posted on the club facebook page for members to provide feedback and the board would give adequate time for members to chime in before a final vote or decision was made by the board.
For tournament planning; however, there would usually be a few formal meetings among the TD and assistant TD and volunteers usually since there were materials being gathered and it was more conducive to have everyone together in person for those types of meetings.
We also scrapped official roles/titles. Our members don't vote on pres, VP, etc.. People just list 5 people they think should be on the board as a voting decision maker. Once the new board is elected the new board gets together and decides who will handle what responsibilities for that year.
Being a little "less" formal seemed to work out better for our club in the end. We've accomplished great things and there is a lot less bickering and finger pointing and decisions are made quickly and efficiently and we keep transparency on the group pages and during league announcements.
Dcinmd
Double Eagle Member
Most have touched on the other items. But the most important is Leadership.
sumo21
Eagle Member
I like chainedwraith's idea about a 5 member board. If this is being done at the junior college level or higher, there must be 2 members (President and Treasurer). Formality, or sticking to it, is the unenviable downfall for a lot of clubs that I've seen go by the wayside.
Pretty much, everything that I would have said has been.
1) Allotted time put next to each agenda item so the meeting runs smoothly and stays on time.
2) Set time that fits the majority.
3) Make it a casual get together instead of a meeting.
4) Change up the meeting every so often so it doesn't become stale and that staleness bleeds into the meeting.
5) Incentives are a great way to get participation from the members.
6) Set the budget, each semester, to encompass a percentage of the current funds available. The percentage (60-70% max) should be no higher than what will needed to run the club the following semester. This also ensures that if you made money during the current semester, then you can the rewards the following semesters.
7) Fundraisers. This might easier for some than others because disc manufacturers might be easier to deal with than local businesses. Also because of the proximity of a course is near the campus, tournaments might be easier to coordinate. ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR THIS!!! Everyone must have a role(s) in this.
8) Hold clinics for the newbies or for potential members that might not be playing or wanting to learn to play.
9) Sponsor club members in tournaments outside one's that are organized by the club.
10) Beginning and end of the year (awards) get togethers are always good for the members to get to know one another.
A lot of this reiteration of what has been said, but I hope it helps.
Pretty much, everything that I would have said has been.
1) Allotted time put next to each agenda item so the meeting runs smoothly and stays on time.
2) Set time that fits the majority.
3) Make it a casual get together instead of a meeting.
4) Change up the meeting every so often so it doesn't become stale and that staleness bleeds into the meeting.
5) Incentives are a great way to get participation from the members.
6) Set the budget, each semester, to encompass a percentage of the current funds available. The percentage (60-70% max) should be no higher than what will needed to run the club the following semester. This also ensures that if you made money during the current semester, then you can the rewards the following semesters.
7) Fundraisers. This might easier for some than others because disc manufacturers might be easier to deal with than local businesses. Also because of the proximity of a course is near the campus, tournaments might be easier to coordinate. ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR THIS!!! Everyone must have a role(s) in this.
8) Hold clinics for the newbies or for potential members that might not be playing or wanting to learn to play.
9) Sponsor club members in tournaments outside one's that are organized by the club.
10) Beginning and end of the year (awards) get togethers are always good for the members to get to know one another.
A lot of this reiteration of what has been said, but I hope it helps.
lyleoross
* Ace Member *
It's not beer, it's enough beer to get them to do things they don't really want to.
Lewis
* Ace Member *
Communication and transparency. Everybody should know about the meeting well in advance so they can get it on their personal schedules if they want to make it. Don't assume people will check facebook often enough to find your meeting. Don't assume the "core" members who come to weekly doubles will spread it by word of mouth. Invariably, they won't.
Tell every single member when and where you're going to meet in a timely fashion, and then tell every single member what was discussed and decided in the meeting, in a timely fashion. This can be as simple as emailing the whole club with enough notice before the meeting for them to get it in their schedules, and then emailing meeting minutes out to the whole club within a week after the meeting. There's nothing more frustrating than being told there is a club meeting tomorrow when you can't attend where an important decision that you have a strong, informed opinion about is going to be made. Well, maybe being told that the meeting has already happened without your being told about it in the first place is worse.
Otherwise I generally agree with Discette.
Tell every single member when and where you're going to meet in a timely fashion, and then tell every single member what was discussed and decided in the meeting, in a timely fashion. This can be as simple as emailing the whole club with enough notice before the meeting for them to get it in their schedules, and then emailing meeting minutes out to the whole club within a week after the meeting. There's nothing more frustrating than being told there is a club meeting tomorrow when you can't attend where an important decision that you have a strong, informed opinion about is going to be made. Well, maybe being told that the meeting has already happened without your being told about it in the first place is worse.
Otherwise I generally agree with Discette.
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