Sometimes i get a little nostalgic for things i have written over the years. These latest feelings were triggered by Cheri Marchio's exceptional report from her attendance at the RCSC's Long Range Planning Committee meeting. You can find the report here. As i read her comments, the frustrations of years of writing, following and participating washed over me. It's the whole deja vu thing all over again. It feels like i am trapped in a time warp and watching Ground Hog Day with Bill Murray, time and time again. Will nothing ever change? For newcomers, i served on the RCSC board (2012-2014). I often tell people my three years there was less than memorable. I freely have admitted i went in to shake things up and change the culture of the organization. I did it on purpose which may have been a mistake. Some of my fellow board members were less than loving towards me. That was fine, i've always been more focused on outcomes than friendships. Anyway, while serving on the board, there was a proposal to do away with committees, at least some of them. By then, the Legal Affairs committee (one of the most important) had been flushed down the drain as well as the entertainment committee. With others on the chopping block, i wrote a lengthy treatise to the board (and management), regarding the future of committees and in fact, Sun City's future. Over the years i had the good fortune of working with really talented people who ingrained in me the importance of strategic planning. I would be stunned if anyone on the board even read the piece i wrote them (with the exception of Carole and probably Jan E). My ideas died on the vine as the board's majority just did managements bidding. Nope, not whining, that's what happens when you are in the minority. I knew that the day i was elected, i had just hoped/expected those serving with me were open minded. Silly me. Anyway, several years later i dug up this piece i wrote and posted it on TOSC (circa 2015). Nothing had changed other than the community had drifted further from their roots and the GM was assuming even more control. It was frustrating back then, and when i read Cheri's report, it sent me scurrying trying to find the thread. I'll break here and when i return, if you are interested, you can read what i wrote back in 2012. I know at times i make it sound like i went on the board with guns blazing. Truth be told, i had more than my share of ideas, suggestions and proposals that simply died because all of the oxygen in the room had been sucked out as we went streaking after managements vision for a better Sun City.
Committees…The good, the bad and the ugly: “A committee is a group of the unprepared, appointed by the unwilling to do the unnecessary.” Fred Allen Seems Fred Allen had a somewhat nasty perspective on the role of committees and even a more jaundiced view of those foolish enough to appoint them. I suspect those of us who have had the misfortune of living in a world surrounded by committee-dumb have come to understand just how challenging it is to get things done. Organizations by their very structure are slow moving but when you bog them down with a dozen committees, one quickly comes to appreciate the concept of working alone and just getting things done. With that vitriolic overview out of my system, it must be said that most assuredly committees have played an integral role in Sun City’s evolution. I suspect from its earliest days the powers that be turned to the old standard of committees being used to help shape and guide the community. It was standard boiler plate fare for the “greatest generation.” It also should help motivate us to look at any changes we may consider in a highly questionable light. It would be easy if Sun City was in shambles and we knew for certain committees were the reason for it. Certainly not the case, but does that mean there may not be a better way to approach the future of Sun City? And therein lay the fabulous self-examination potential we have before us. Rather than begin to think we are a group of nine who have been granted some sort of omnipotent powers, we need consider what has happened when we have acted in haste and without input from the community at large. Suffice to say; too often we have ended with the proverbial egg on our face. Before we go there however, let me quickly review what was one of my most pleasant experiences in the 10 years I have been in Sun City. I have had the joy of serving on a half a dozen boards, working with any number of committees and have come to appreciate how we are uniquely different than so many other places I have worked at or lived in. We are self-governed and that of unto itself is a blessing (yes I said blessing). Almost everyone that buys in Sun City is transferred through ownership the right to speak their mind about what we do and how we do it. Sadly, we have morphed into both a society and a community where complaining is far easier than acting on those issues we find troubling. We need change that and therein lay our challenge. As usual, I regress; let me get back to the matter at hand. On April 22, the Sun City Foundation board engaged in an exercise that was exceptionally good. Approximately a dozen of us gathered to look at the future of the Sun City Foundation. To do so, we needed to look at the bigger picture of Sun City and the changes we ultimately will be facing. There is little doubt the pressures of a society where people will work later in life and be facing the economic impact where defined pensions will fall by the wayside will seriously change Sun City. We quickly came to understand the challenges and rather than agonize over them, we felt our best hope was to try and manage them with some careful and speculative thinking about what those changes would bring. The difficulty was we were working in the vacuum of a small group (perhaps a good thing) and with a fairly narrow perspective (the role the foundation would play going forward). The experience was eye-opening to say the least. Following the session I had the good fortune of having coffee and a brief internalizing of the meeting. Out of the process of picking it apart, I came to believe we were on the right course, but for certain, a far more aggressive analysis of our future was imperative. What brought this to light was the simple question: “Has the RSCS Board ever done this kind of exercise?” Great question eh? Let me say, my answer was based solely on what I know and that was no. I have to believe somewhere along the line boards did a down and dirty 10 years from now scenario, but if they did, I have never seen or heard about it. The question brought to mind one of those really awesome presentations I attended along the way where the presenter suggested the successful companies always did 10, 15 and 20 year planning so they could properly position their company for the future. If we did so, what would Sun City look like in the year 2023? What would the impact be to a community filled with more boomers and less people in their 80’s and 90’s? How would the community be impacted when better than half the population is still working and has less time for golf, joining clubs and becoming an active participant in the self-governance? Can we even begin to fathom the affect and begin to shape the future by coming to understand what new buyers will bring to the table when they move here? It truly is a daunting challenge for most of us. Long range planning in Sun City has almost always been short-sighted. In age restricted communities the tendency is often just living in the moment. From the beginning, it’s been a more hedonistic lifestyle predicated on getting the most out of the incredible number of options we have here. I would argue that in fact our sense of giving back by volunteering was an effort to counter-balance the idea we need to have more in our lives than just a life of fun and games. That’s a topic for others to examine; my effort here is to try and get us to shape our actions around those yet to buy into Sun City. I think it’s safe to say past boards have been more interested in making decisions based on those living here (and quite often for very long periods of time). The leadership by its very structure looks to longevity (at least two years as a resident to be on the board) and often those in attendance to be long time residents. Part of the problem was new people haven’t been welcomed with open arms. I see that changing and would argue if we do the right things before and as people buy, we will continue to bridge that gap between long term and short term residents. More to the point, if we ask those living in Sun City for years, we will undoubtedly hear an outcry about doing away with committees. It will inevitably bring about the cliché “if it isn’t broken, why fix it?”Of course that begs the question…”is it broken?” For those of us on the board who sit through never-ending committee meetings trying to make it look like we are doing something of value, the answer is easily answered. Which ultimately takes us back to the opening quote from our leaned Fred Allen; what is the purpose of committees? My past life has taught me the absolute value of feedback/input from those I represented. It also proved to me that often long-standing committees are almost always a drag on an organization. Unless they have a clear purpose with defined objectives, they tend to flop about like a fish out of water. If that’s true, then we need look at what committees fit into a specific need and which are just there for “show.” Let’s be blunt, that gets ugly; hell, who wants to admit they are wasting their time by sitting in a room doing little more than filling a chair. I know I am being somewhat caustic but for clarity purposes, this is where we need take a careful and concise inventory of the role of committees. In my humble opinion, this isn’t an action to be taken on solely by the board of directors. While we may have the best handle on which committees are essential and which aren’t; it’s a decision that affects the community at large for years to come. At the very least committees should be involved and I would argue the larger body community may even want to weigh in. One only has to look back at the decision to do away with the legal committee to give cause to pause and ponder. From that process we then may consider how we replace those committees. I know many of us like the concept of ad hoc; some may like “town hall” type calls to action and maybe there are even more ideas out there we haven’t considered. The fact of the matter is committees are there to help us gain insight and suggestions as to what the community is thinking. In reality, it often becomes a place where a person’s personal agenda is being promoted (nope nothing wrong with that, it’s often how self-governance tends to work). Through all of these ramblings, my most overriding comments are this: 1). Move slowly. 2). Seek committee/community input. 3). Use this as an opportunity to begin engaging in the education process of the changes Sun City will be facing to help people understand why we are looking to the future and what that impact may be. Perhaps no one will ever read this, that’s fine. My purpose in committing thoughts to writing is it helps me understand the challenges we face. Bill Pearson.
I read it Bill! Problem is, most Chair and Co-Chairs who are in place only by virtue of the Bylaws knows less than the members on the committee, but to show that they are the smartest ones in the room, their guidance is often off target! Like Cheri said, it seemed like the meeting was about nothing more than what the committee should do???
Well stated FYI, with every committee chair change, we end up with people sitting at the head of the table who think they have to reinvent the wheel. Committees by virtue of their bylaws have already defined their roles. Makes you wonder if anyone reads them or just charges in without regard. I do want to give a shout out to all those of have hung in there believing they could make a difference. Tragically over the years, those sitting in the corporate tower have over ruled them. We all should know the bylaws are clear, they can only make recommendations. The board used to decide what went forward, now it guess that right belongs with the general manager. Until 2006, the gm simply could provide input, but more often than not the board relied on the committees for direction.
Perhaps the bylaws need to be changed so that the committees be chaired by a Member of the community who actually knows and understands the problems and has a clear path to provide the proper approach. Only make it mandatory that the Co-Chair be a board member just to keep the whole process within the eyes of the board? We have tons a Members in our community with a wealth of knowledge on practically any issue you care to discuss. They have spent their entire careers in those positions. I bet they would be more than willing to share their knowledge? And boy, what a way to keep the community feeling like they have some credible input with the goings on in SC. Just think'n out of the box!
Actually that has been proposed before and was never well received. It would provide continuity that is so badly needed but there has always been a fear they would lose control. As we have watched the shift from a community self-governed to a more autocratic form of governance and where committees recommendations are ignored or worse yet, held up to be scorned, i don't expect to see the ad hoc bylaws committee even considering it. Hope i'm wrong.
The Board should enjoy the fruits of active, productive, in-touch Committees, chaired by members not Directors. These Committees should be providing very informative recommendations that ultimately the Directors can act upon or not. Committee work should be better summarized in Meeting Minutes, Updates at Board Meetings, and committee volunteers recognized for their work. This would go a long way toward self-governance and leave the 'power' in the hands of the elected Directors -- and provide the much-needed transparency we are seeking.
Well said Cheri. The problem is the general manager found committees to be a bar to reaching her objectives. She had a vision for Sun City and for whatever reason, the board bought into it. Over the years i had speculated once they started paying someone to have all the answers, she felt compelled to provide them. It was the ultimate fools game. No one has all the answers; NO ONE. In one of her early years we (the RCSC) ran a historical program teaching members about Del Webb and Sun City. It was at the Sun Dial Auditorium. I had provided the RCSC with some awesome Webb photos that were made into 6 foot tall metal Webb cutouts that greeted members as they entered the auditorium. Wonderful event, well attended and after the first, never repeated. In fact, when i asked about the cutouts, i was told they had been "lost." I knew at that point, my vision for Sun City was wholly different than the GM's. And to be clear, i never argued my vision was better than hers, the point apparently was lost, the choice belonged to the membership. There was an inherent fear in giving the members a voice. Didn't matter whether it was through committees, town hall meetings or something as simple as teaching members about our history. I still look back at what i wrote in 2012 and i marvel at how spot on it was. The problem almost always is when we start down a road, you end up in a place you may not like. When the committees began to be dismantled, i proposed perhaps moving to something better. Little did i know, it would only get worse.
Let me give a shout out to the RCSC board today (4/28) for standing by the long range planning committee's recommendation regarding a trial on new fitness equipment. I know there was some resistance from management for several reasons, none of which made all that much sense. The board has always filled an important role in the decision making process. Hearing the general managers thoughts are important, but then so are the opinions/suggestions of those serving on committee. Kudos.
Yup, today was a step forward. I'm not intending to say this as a "downer" but it kinda makes me wonder if our aged IT equipment was a concern and has any effect on the ability to install that new computerized equipment? It just makes you understand how everything is somewhat related and connected. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link! It was encouraging to finally see the board embrace some of the recommendations of the Long Range Planning Committee.
In this day and age FYI, almost everything is connected to technology. None of the issues facing the RCSC will be solved until we come of age and fix the mess left us over the past 15 years. We knew it was bad, we didn't know it was this bad. Now they know and have admitted it, getting it fixed should be a top priority.
