THSCC Forums

This thread is hypnotic. It's like watching an injured animal. Will it EVAR die?

Simon

i've read the whole thing and there doesn't seem to much to add to this thread except maybe this.

i've been a part of many clubs due to my somewhat obsessive nature...Gun clubs, Disc Golf Clubs, Golf Clubs, Paintball clubs, Indoor Soccer clubs, etc.

With the possible exception of maybe the Disc Golf clubs (they are all high so they can't help but be nice ), this car club is by far the friendliest of the lot. everyone is willing to lend a hand and there doesn't seem to be any cliques...there is always going to be a group of guys that generally hang out together, but i don't feel as though i couldn't walk up to any of you and ask for a tool or for some advice on tire pressure.

_________________
05 MCS

What really bugs me about people in this club is that nobody will tell you what they *really* think.


--Donnie

I feel obligated to respond to David's post. Not for David's sake but for the sake of the lurkers out there in the club who may be taking this as status quo.

What David describes is NOT the way things usually work. I don't know what went wrong in David's situation (this is the first I have heard of it!!!), and it's obviously too late to make it right now.

Please believe me when I tell you that for every story like David's, there are 20 other people out there who have volunteered to help and have been accepted with open arms by the club staff. As others have mentioned, we have a GENUINE asset in the helpfulness and skills of the people in the club.

At the end of this year, most of the experienced officers (myself included) are going to be stepping down. Now is not the time to be doubting and scoffing at the club's attitude - now is the time to step up and take the challenge.

In my 4 years in a senior officer position, I like to think we've built the club up to a great level. Most if not all of my energy has been committed to safety or our events, efficiency or our events, and keeping the masses happy. Anyone in a management position will tell you that you can't keep all the people happy all the time. Just how it goes.

So, for those of you out there who feel like you may have been blown off or brushed aside by anyone in charge at some time - it's probably because we were preoccupied with trying to run the club or an event. It's happened to me plenty of times!

So who wants to be a VP next year?

_________________
Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

Just to follow up to Mike post, the attitudes that I ran across did not happen a lot and 95% of the time I enjoyed being with the Tarheel people. So please do not take my post as being negative towards Tarheel or the current officers, as it has been years since this was an issue for me. I just wanted to point out that that has been in the past an elitist attitude by a few people, and what mike was talking about was not just as isolated incident by just a few people. I just took as my help was not needed and when another opportunity to help another club, (NASA-VA) came up, I jumped on that since it would get me on track quicker than any other at the time. I also realize that in the long run as mike stated above that my experience was an atypical experience.

_________________
David Teague
2015 Lexus IS 250c
1994 Honda Del Sol HS 39
2009 Dodge Journey R/T
http://teaguefamily.us

5/5

_________________
Has no responsibility whatsoever.

I do want to clarify for Mike Winn's sake that I don't think he bothered during the tuning time in the grid. I think if I was perceived as an ass, it was probably deserved When the car/driving isn't going well, anyone can get a little cranky

I've now got a fever, and the only thing that will cure it is more cowbell... - AB

_________________
'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

DISCLAIMER: This is long, but good for newbies to the club and anyone that has been offended by elitist attitudes that wanted to help!
**************************************************

Several of these posts have reminded me of instances in the past within our own club that have mistakenly given a few people the wrong impression. It has to do with offers of help from newbies that seemed to be just flatly turned away. It was more complicated than that!

As the club continues to evolve and grow and each year, it becomes a little more complex. Some club staff people have been involved in their current positions for a looong time. In general, that's a good thing, but it can look like a problem if a newcomer shows up and wants to do that person's job.
Generally, the old timers get to know somebody and train them for a while before they pass these complex jobs on to someone else.

I know of instances where a relatively new club member wanted to help, but only wanted to help in a certain area. Well, that area was really covered and no help was needed by the people who did that job. In this particular case, I know that the people who did that job had tried before to get other newcomers involved, but they lost interest and didn't stick around. Basically, we "hired" them and then they "quit."

If you are a brand new member to the club and want to take over a critical job right away, you're going to have to prove that you are serious first with smaller tasks. We get in big trouble quickly if we give big responsibilities to people who aren't responsible, or people who simply can't do that job. Many, many, novices come autocross and get wildly excited in the first season. They volunteer for this and that. Then in year two they are gone! (yes, that could be a whole 'nuther thread as to why they are gone....)

Some jobs in the club require special skills. Some jobs require a special personality and ability to deal with people. Not everyone will make a good business/sponsorship person. Not everyone could be a good timing person or registration person.

There have been instances in the past where people have volunteered for a job and I know that the officers either recognized that this person would not be suited for that job or at least did not yet know them well enough to be comfortable with them in that position. You don't hand over the keys to your car to someone who can't drive yet.

Sometimes, the club hasn't handled that situation very well. I saw this happen on my watch too, so I'm not blaming any particular administration for this. We try to be friendly and being the nice guys we are, have a hard time saying "Nope, we think you're not qualified for that task." So we put them off, or don't get back to them, or handle it in some other way that isn't so good. Yes, there are many better ways to handle this, so let's not start a thread on that issue either.

The result is that the person becomes offended and feels rejected, and often never knows what really happened or why. That is unfortunate.
They felt that the officers were "elitiest" or "snobbish" because their offer of help was not readily accepted. Or they thought the people doing the job had an attitude problem because they did not immediately take them on board and teach them how to do their task.

Folks, this is a volunteer club, but it has many parallels to a business. We offer a service for a fee. We have people in many positions that must perform their duties well or the organization suffers. Yet, just like in a company, you can't come on board the first year and pick any position in the company and say "Hey, I want that job. Kick that guy out of his/her position so I can run it." The biggest difference is that our pay is only satisfaction from a job well done serving others and the appreciation of those who benefit.

It is important for all the newcomers to realize that the front inside cover of our newsletter consists of Elected Officers and "staff" positions. Technically, we should only vote for the elected officers. (Pres, VPs, Treasurer, Secretary, and a few others) It is up to the elected officers to recruit, select, approve the "staff" for each position. All those other positions are referred to as "appointed" positions. That is why we don't vote for "Business Development Person" or "Worker Coordinators."

Though it may step on some toes now and then, there absolutely must be a way to keep the wrong people from the wrong job. That being said though, when somebody wants to volunteer and help in a position that is already filled, we must do everything we can to harness that person's enthusiasm and efforts and find a place where they are needed. There's always things to be done and positions that need help. Unfortunately, those are the ones that sometimes are the most work, least fun, and least visible.

Miles

Well then I understand completely! You definitely didn't want to be around me in MD a few weeks ago when I got there and it was pouring rain sideways (thanks to FL for the leftovers!) I am a less than happy camper and I whine like a little bitch when it rains. (I wasn't thrilled the other day at Fieldcrest either.) I don't mind driving in the rain, but I really hate getting wet from it and standing around all day in it.

I'll see you in Laurinburg. (Provided Mr. Transmission Tester gets the car fixed in time)

Whew.. now that's a long thread! By now I hope everybody's tired of, if not chafed from, picking lint from their navels. Let me clarify a few things:

It is true that over the years certain officers promoted an "intense sense of competition" with our neighboring clubs in order to make us run better events or just to get a cheap laugh during a club meeting.

It is true that I once argued at length that we should paint a derogatory slogan about Triad backwards on the front axle of the bus. Thank heaven then-Pres Mike Dishman stopped me.

David Teague forgot that newbies are supposed to bring acceptable gifts to the club officers before they are granted the right to speak. The gift requirement is clearly spelled out in the club bylaws.

There are five too many Subarus at our autocrosses.

Only the Cowmaro has enough cowbell.

Art
Railroading Officer
wlc

DOH! There are Bylaws to the club...... guess that was my first mistake!

_________________
David Teague
2015 Lexus IS 250c
1994 Honda Del Sol HS 39
2009 Dodge Journey R/T
http://teaguefamily.us

New THSCC logo:

It's Lonely At The Top. But It's Comforting To Look Down Upon Everyone At The Bottom.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/po ... pair/58fe/

BAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh, I just noticed that someone changed my title.

I'm amused.

Art; there can never be too many Subarus.

This could also be a problem with this club.



I see they finally changed my tag line too. I have not been hammered since the Xmas party.

And yes there can be too many Subarus. And thanks to Art for the link to Dispair.com before they flushed all the neat pictures.

_________________
George Bright Member # 141
One of the youngest of the old farts.
Yes I voted against you joining the club.