Challenge to the ASGPP3

Mon Mar 16 10:27:52 CDT 2009

As I have mentioned, I am suggesting a small group gather, a  
committee, and redesign the conference.  I do not feel I have the  
answers here, and yet I have seen the alternatives and their value.   
My angst frankly is how often, when suggestions for change are made  
we hear many no's, and I don't have that much energy to attend to the  
no's. I am much more interested in yeses, let's go forward with a  
redesign.

In the IAGP summer academy a group forms and meets for all three days  
of the conference with the same leaders. It's a training series as  
part of the academy in using a method within a group.  People come  
not for just a taste or to showcase themselves, people come to the  
academy for extensive immersion in an aspect of the method.

The sociodynamic effect is in operation in our organization as well  
as all/most organizations.  In Romania they found the organic unity  
with the awards by having full inclusion, with food but not in the  
same sort we are familiar with.  They embraced all of us in these  
activities.

Having a conference in a college setting affords best of both worlds:  
low cost housing and the option for hotel space.

And it goes on.  Regarding shaming, I personal feel ashamed of our  
failure to respond to the needs of members who called for these  
changes many years ago.  I also realize there are Stages of Change in  
operation here.  Precontemplation to contemplation to preparation to  
action to sustained action.  I suggest we have been in contemplation  
long enough.  Why do I say that?  We have talked about these issues  
for 10 years now, at least.  Why else?  We are losing people and  
growing smaller.

I am willing to be part of a small group that redesigns the conference.

I asked this to be put on the agenda of our annual meeting.
I was told this the idea for a small redesign committee had to be put  
on the agenda by a certain date.
I, with Rosalie and Lorelei put that on the agenda in time - and we  
were told that it was too large an issue
for an agenda item.  The conserve defines itself to defend and  
sustain it's own process.

I love the idea of an awards ceremony as a plenary session.
I have the experience now of being on the hospitality committee,  
working with the conference planners, with John and Jen from the  
office.  All players are genuine and caring and love this work.  But  
it's clear to me that we keep a conserve going based upon exclusion  
with many many factors of exclusion, financial one of them, in  
operation.  We hired a consultant, have the information, and have  
been contemplating for years. Time for action.

Ed

On Mar 16, 2009, at 11:01 AM, Adam Blatner wrote:

> Dear Ed, okay, you are beginning to come up with some specifics!  
> Great!
>    1. I agree with you about the awards banquet. Speaking only for  
> myself, I would actually prefer not to have that modality, and  
> instead have an awards ceremony as an additional plenary session.   
> That would save money and include more people.
>
>    2.  Your "Why do we think or why do we have?  is easy to answer:  
> Because no one has thought of a better idea and worked out its  
> major component considerations.  Other options aren't so easy to  
> find. Jeanne's cruise ship may work, but it might more likely (for  
> the USA) involve even more expense than a hotel, be harder to get  
> to, etc.
>
>    3. Kate indirectly hinted at other factors: Are there less  
> expensive places to stay? Might some be able to stay with friends  
> or relatives? Do some prospective attendees live in the area and  
> can commute?
>
>    4. Your complaints seem to expect that we (others) could come up  
> with workable alterntatives, but instead of shaming us by calling  
> us stuck in a conserve---akin to a therapist accusing the patient  
> of being "resistant"--- how about recognizing the insufficiency of  
> warm-up and the possibility that we just don't know what else to  
> do? Your specific suggestions may help!
>
>   5. For example, present to us the IAGP academy structure and  
> explain why you think it would work. Note also that there may be  
> some disadvantages or elements that don't translate well and how  
> you'd get around it. I don't know what that alternative is about,  
> but I'm open.
>
>    6. Please don't reify (make a thing out of) the "conserve." And  
> please don't accuse others of being stuck in a conserve just  
> because they haven't been able to come up with compelling  
> alternatives. Actually, most folks I know are willing to think  
> about creative alternatives---just haven't been able to find one yet.
>       Your approach sounds to me like "Why hasn't Obama fixed  
> things yet?" (someone actually wrote this in a letter to the editor  
> of a local newspaper); or why haven't they found a cure for cancer  
> after all the money we've spent on research?
>
>    Anyway, I like and agree with your first specific alternative.  
> Please continue to "prime the pump" and come up with some other ideas.
>           Finally, to the Grouptalk (American members): Are any  
> people on the exec council reading any of these emails or will  
> there be a summary going to the forum and forwarded to some of  
> these people?    Warmly, Adam
>
>
> .
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edward Schreiber"  
> <edwschreiber at earthlink.net>
> To: "Group talk Listserv" <list at grouptalkweb.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 7:59 AM
> Subject: A Challenge to the ASGPP
>
>
>> Why do we think only 150 people will be at our annual conference?
>> Why do we have an awards banquet that costs so much and excludes so
>> many?
>> Why do we have the same format, for so many years, when the IAGP has
>> advanced a model
>>   of providing training series within the conference format?
>> Why do we continue to have the conference at hotels, with costs that
>> exclude students?
>> Why do we continue to have the conference at hotels, with costs that
>> exclude members?
>> Why don't we consider a new structure?   Why don't we consider
>> adapting the IAGP Academy structure
>>   that offers in-depth training within a conference experience, in a
>> "new" format?
>> Why don't we have an awards event to honor our members that all
>> attendees can attend?  One that does
>>   not require great expense to our organization or to attendees?
>> Why don't we consider many options that are new to us and tried by
>> others?
>> Why do we defend a conserve that is falling or failing?
>> Why don't we take this moment - and begin to recreate ourselves with
>> courage and vitality?
>>
>> I for the last line, anyone interested?
>>
>> Warmly,
>>
>> Ed
>>
>> Grouptalk mailing list
>> List at grouptalkweb.org
>> http://grouptalkweb.org/mailman/listinfo/list_grouptalkweb.org
>
>
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