Advice for a new chairman!

[Ken_the_Geordie]

I'm about to begin chairman of my homegroup in three weeks. It's a middle-of-the-road AA group I guess, with a weekly meeting of around 20 drunks in a nice location (our local hospital's chapel). Members range from people who're BB types to others who only attend meetings and won't work the steps. Some meetings are recovery related, and other meetings members will spill their guts about what's happening in their life at that moment. The group as a whole are a friendly bunch and I don't think there's any animosity or anything strange about the group. This area is fairly affluent (though I'm definately not) and therefore members are generally fairly well off.

It's definately not a hard core BB study group; though I do go to a regular meeting that is; this wouldn't suit my group's members. I'm just describing my group as I see it, I'm not taking their inventory; honest.

I don't plan on changing anything without a group conscience; but I would like to be a good chairman both to satisfy my EGO (yes I still have one, and I have to watch out for it regularly) and - more importantly - because I like my group members and wish to provide a good service for them.

Has anyone any tips or advice on being a good chairman?

[Joe H]

Just be yourself and keep it simple.

Traditions one and two helps guide each of us in our service positions.

[ann2]

Hi Ken,

Congratulations on taking on this service position.

"God does not call the qualified; he qualifies the called."

You are there for a reason, and it's both to learn and to share your special Ken-ness that makes your higher power so happy.

Reach for that direction, when in doubt, pause and reflect, be true to your higher values.

I was made chairman of a committee and this week we took a decision that wasn't where I wanted to go, initially. I thought something better was possible. Yet I kept listening and putting down my ego and waiting and reading all the signs, and I went the way of the committee without a murmur, even presented the opinion for the larger group, without biting my tongue.

This is not the old me -- but this is the right me.

Ann

[ann2]

Hey Ken, just curious, how is the service position going? You still chair or have you resigned in disgust, been outed by a rampaging mob of dissatisfied group members, or serenely rotated out in favor of another more new than you?

Curious minds want to know

Ann, incuriably alcoholic

[lisar]

Has anyone heard from Ken? Via PM or otherwise? He's usually so vocal....

[Mike O'R]

He's still putting up the Daily Reflection so I guess he's around.

[Ken_the_Geordie]

Hey Ken, just curious, how is the service position going? You still chair or have you resigned in disgust, been outed by a rampaging mob of dissatisfied group members, or serenely rotated out in favor of another more new than you?

Curious minds want to know

Ann, incuriably alcoholic

Thanks for your concern guys; I'm still secretary of the group; and it's going well and the meeting seems to be well attended so I haven't given everyone resentments. And although - for all the wrong reasons - people seem to enjoy watching (laughing) at this 'mad Geordie Japanese guy' get flustered and be silly. But it's calmed down now. They're a tolerant lot!

[MarcLacroix]

Hello Ken;
Best advice I could give you is to just do it.

In my first couple years of sobriety I chaired and lead a 2 pm meeting on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It was called 'The Weekend Winners'. People in attendance were often court ordered. So these people thought of AA as a form of punishment. How do you work with a group like that?
Well I figured I'd lead by example so I shared my story and step work with them.
It is not possible to please everyone but I think that I did reach a few of them.
Of course your mileage may vary... Just go for it. If it is what you are supposed to be doing then you might be amazed at the fruit of your labor.

Good Luck to you;
Marc

[Ken_the_Geordie]

Thanks, Marc, but I'm six months into my 1 year tour of duty!

[LetgoJoe]

Yeah, ya gotta love those rotations. Just about the time you get it down, its time to pass the torch. But somehow it all works out and I know for me it keeps my ego properly deflated. I try to roll on into something else and I then learn another aspect of the program. ~Joe K.

[MarcLacroix]

This is another first for me. I just got an itch I wanted to scratch about weird feelings as the years go by. The 'Weekend Winners' thing was very frustrating at times but I miss it.
I was just reviewing the Meeting Guide I wrote years ago and felt tremendous sadness because I miss the challenge it presented. The meeting eventually failed and I just walked away from it turning it over to an other guy who wanted to try doing that sort of service work.
It started out with maybe 5-10 members and over time dwindled down to 1 member(Me).
So as fate would have it I had become the 'Weekend Winners' group. Group Conscience and all. I was GOD and that scared me so I gave it away to another guy.
What I think I'd like to do someday though is start something like that up again. I still have the Meeting Guide I wrote. As I read it I feel like crying.
Here you go Ken, if you want it you can have it. You can do whatever you want with it.
And I could PM the Meeting Guide if you want.
Maybe I should post this in the Nostalgia thread.

Marc