Bid: $RACESBUL.361
Subject: RB361 Multiple Commit. 2/2

From: W6WWW@KD6XZ.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NOAM
To  : RACES@ALLUS

TO:	ALL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES VIA AMATEUR RADIO
INFO:	COMMUNICATIONS VOLUNTEERS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE
INFO:	AMATEURS U.S  (@USA: INFORMATION), CAP, MARS, RACES
FROM:	AUXILIARY COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE (ACS) of the Governor's
      Office of Emergency Services; the volunteer communications
      reserve of the State of California.

Bulletin 361  MGT - Multiple Committments 2/2
Release Date: January 16, l995

Continuation of the reply to the query: Why do Amateur Radio
operators sign up with a multitude of places to serve and then
are not available to any particular unit when really needed?

Item 3. Misunderstanding by the person having multiple
commitments and/or poor leadership. Unit participants want
benefits they can understand, but this may not be apparent to
them. It takes an effort on the part of the leaders to place
benefits into focus for the participants; still, it is also up
to the participant to seek these out.

Item 4. Leaders must make the benefits of commitment to any
program clear, meaningful and purposeful. It doesn't matter
whether it's the RACES, Red Cross or whatever. Its leaders CAN
help participants realize the importance of committing to support
ONE program of the person's CHOICE. Leaders must understand their
own program, communicate its importance and develop participants
with an interest in really making a contribution to a specific
program.  When that is done you can have people signed up with
several programs, but whose prime commitment is to one specific
program first and foremost. It's a matter of the mental
understanding and approach of the leaders and of conveying its
importance to the participants. It takes effort and time, but is
worth it in the long run. It begins with expectation.

Item 5. People with undeveloped self discipline have difficulty
pushing themselves into new ideas, applications and concepts;
such as "my commitment to the (unit name) is important to me and
to my community; I willingly agree to serve the unit of my choice
to the best of my ability." Without self discipline there are
people who won't make good operators/participants in any program.
It's best to just let them float where they will - basically
ignoring them - and build the program around the few really
committed participants to whom the work and program is really
important.

Since one of the major purposes of these bulletins is to further
the rapport between the agency coordinator and the Radio Officer
it is recommended that they be discussed in person at an
appropriate opportunity planned by the Radio Officer.
                            --  --  --
ACS Addresses:  2800 Meadowview Rd., Sacramento, CA. 95832.
Ph: 916-262-1600. FAX 916-262-1677. Landline BBS: 916-262-1657.
W6SIG@WA6NWE.CA or  Internet crm@oes.ca.gov or seh@oes.ca.gov.
eom