Fun Fact: The problem with the RCSC Board is Lack of Communication

Well this is the 3rd thread in my Fun Fact series.

After attending the 3 hour and 10 minute board meeting yesterday and getting up 3 (or maybe 4) times to comment, I firmed up another Fun Fact in my mind: Communication.

After the meeting Adjourned, I had the opportunity to speak with a Board Member and a Former Board Member. I usually run out these meeting and head for home and other activities.

I was particularly impressed with the Time Keeper at the table: "TIME". (intended sarcasm and humor in that statement).

I was really impressed at the turnout and especially the 2 hours of Member Comments. This was argest group I've seen attend a board meeting since I moved here, 3 1/2 years ago. I didn't count but someone did count one side and said she counted over 80 people. Both sides seem to be filled equally, and this was easily double the attendance of the Sept 10 Special Session (which I counted over 80 people).

On to Communication.

Communication is more than just publishing Agendas, Management Reports, and sitting on a high stage speaking down to us (yes, speaking down to the peons).

The board (this and any future board) needs to provide more information in advance!!! Lots More!!!
Task the Management Team to produce more. And not just with Technology. Use SunViews better and distribute Sunviews with the Sun City Independent.

Lots of people in Sun City are not connected with Technology. Many, that are connected, often are not comfortable with Technology. [ I know a close relative with an in-home tech expert. She knows how to use her smart phone to make a phone call. No calendar, no reading email, no apps. Just make a phone call. She has used email since the 1980s (yes 1984). Note my career of 40 yrs with computers. I wrote an email application that ran on a $500 dumb terminal back then. My wife and kids could send me emails. I had an office manager that turned my email application into an information database. She would send herself emails and file them in folders which made it easy to find the info when she needed it. Something I never anticipated. ]

To my background and credibility on this subject:

I pride myself on my written communication. I worked for AT&T corporate right out of college. I had the access to leading edge research out of Bell Labs and was able to interface with many of these people There were two women in Bell Labs (late 1970s) that developed 2 programs: Style and Diction. The women were experts in language and communication. I had access to their programs. I could create documents and run them through the the programs and get 2 results:

• A grade level rating for who could easily read an understand what I wrote. (grades 3-12 and college).
• I also got a mix of grammar and thesaurus suggestions.

I learned to write clearer and not write a I speak. My goal was to write at a 6th grade level. Express myself clearly. Remove all the run-on sentences. Be clear with pronouns: Their - can often refer to several previously used nouns. I learned that what was clear to me, wasn't always clear to others. I improved tremendously. I continued to read books on Technical Writing (creating documentation was one of my job responsibilities).

RCSC does not place enough importance on Communication with Members

Management and the board claim they do, but their actions show otherwise.
I believe there is intent to do this well, but intent is not enough. [Sue Wilson's comment that she intends to follow Robert's Rules of Order triggered my epiphany for this post]

This is copied from the RCSC web site:

• Management
  Bill Cook General Manager
  Chris Herring Director of Operations
  Mike Wiprud Director of Building & Infrastructure
  Bob Britton Human Resources Manager
  Brian Duthu Director of Golf & Grounds
  Randy Johnson Director of Bowling
  Theresa Cirino Director of Events & Entertainment
  Kevin McCurdy Director of Finance
  Angie Nelson Controller

What is Missing? COMMUNICATIONS
Dig deeper and we find this on the web site:

For all media inquiries and requests contact the Communication and Marketing Coordinator [my emphasis on Coordinator], Joelyn Dinnella Higgins.​

Where is the Director of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations?
We (Board, Management, Membership) desperately need this kind of person on the Management Team.
This person should oversee all aspects of Communication - Web Site, Social Media, Print (SC Independent and Sun Views). Anything and every thing related to communications. PRIORITY should be to Board / Member relations and RCSC / Member relations. Marketing to Future (Potential) residents is farther down the priority list. This is an area that deserves some serious funding. We can afford this. We need this.

With a better focus on COMMUNICATION, we could really improve the relationships. I do believe the board wants to do a good job. I don't see any bad intent. I do see some frustration, ignorance and a lack of really good communication skills. I think Jerry Delano (prior board president) has very good communication skills.
[Jerry his wife are one of the reasons I looked at Sun City and eventually moved here. One of many good decisions in my life. No regrets.]

 

Sadly Mike, the standard response regarding communication has always been we communicate plenty, it's not our fault if they don't come, or don't read or don't know.

Let's start from a very basic premise; i firmly believe the people moving to Sun City know almost nothing about how the community is run, how or why it works. We (the RCSC) makes virtually no effort to teach them or help them understand. People will quickly rebut this and say, but they have a newcomer orientation once a year. They do, they get a crowd of around 400 out of the 2000 home sales (1.5 people per house 3000 potential people), but in reality several of the 2000 are flips buying and selling (yes they get 2 PIF's). Essentially we are talking about a 20% attendance and it is overwhelming. In 2 hours (roughly) and at 2 sessions (4 -5 hours total ) they see so much material they couldn't begin to digest it all. The argument goes they at least find stuff that interests them.

When Sun City started, DEVCO had a newcomers coffee every month. It was manageable and social and informative. They produced a monthly paper detailing where everyone came from and what they did. We could argue they were trying to sell homes (and they were) but they were also working to build a sense of community and ownership with those moving here.

I argued for nearly as long as i have lived here we have an obligation to teach people how we work and why our future is directly tied to their involvement. In the 5 magazines i wrote, 2 for SCHOA, 3 for the RCSC, i always tried to help home owners understand our history and why that mattered. While on the board i argued vehemently for twice a year town hall meetings. Not in this lifetime. It's all been finger in the dyke efforts.

If the organizations that have the most clout don't have a defined goal of educating and communicating and involving people, it becomes impossible. Suffice to say, that has never been important to the RCSC...at least in a meaningful or measurable manner. Someday maybe, but clearly not while the current gm is still around.

 

I know the standard response.

You seen to have been beaten down over far more years than I have been at this. I respect and appreciate your comments and history. It helps me know what I am up against. It helps me focus on specifics and not Xanadu. Your efforts are not going to be unnoticed by me.

I know I can't do it all. I can't do much without some help

So I've thrown a bone to the audience. I won't be defeated from the get go.

 

I would still argue that Money was the major motivator for Del Webb. He as a good guy. He wasn't overly greedy and looking to spend Other Peoples Money (OPM) the way many business people do it today. He wanted to create and make things better. But he also wanted to make money. Greed drives any successful business. Businesses are for Profit. There are non-profits for the other and some of them have personal motive and greed.

I grew up a Yankee Fan. So Del Webb hits my special button there. My grandfather worked as an usher at Yankee Stadium most of my life. He got me into the locker room to meet Mickey Mantle, Roger Marris, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra and others. I met Ted Williams (Red Sox) coming out of the shower (naked to my surprise as a young kid). Go Yankees. Even the Yankees are big business. What a dream come true for Del Webb to become an owner. That ownership required some greed and success in his bushiness.

Back to Communication. RCSC is a non-profit, but greed is still involved. RCSC is a bushiness. Employees and management want to be paid welll and have a good life (greed). You can be a good guy and be greedy. You can be a bad guy and really be greedy. You can be lazy and be greedy (bureaucracies provide excellent fuel for laziness and greed) The board does not have greed as part of their make-up and role. The only greed they might have is their private agenda. Everyone has preferences for what they want. Running for the board probably starts with some kine of preference and desire for change that satisfies a personal need. We are all not Jesus.

I believe it all comes down to being a good guy. Some balance and true concern for fellow man (members in this case).

No one wants to be viewed Judas or Satan. I think most of us want be liked.

So the problem is weeding out the bad and showing that we are good. Communication is a big part of this. Good communication benefits everyone!

Hence, my suggestion that the RCSC needs a true Communication and PR Director. Some priority is needed. I believe it would be money well spent. However Board oversight is extremely important. This can't just be left to the GM.

 

A quick response regarding Webb. Consummate business man. Hell, he was the first owner in major league baseball to figure out there was a ton of money in to be made at the concessions stands. He monetized everything and the other owners quickly followed suit. Back then it was just a rich guys hobby to own a team. I tell people when giving tours, the next time you pay $16 for 16 ounce beer, blame Del.

His second in command, Bob Johnson who took over when Del died in 1974 and was actually with the Webb company longer than Del. Bob watched finances closely, it was his job. The guy who didn't was John Meeker. He was asked by Del to come to Sun City in 1965 and save it. He was willing to spend whatever it took. In his memoirs you can read about the profits he took from the community, but the simple reality he spent it like a drunken sailor. Johnson fired him on at least one occasion for spending so much money. Webb found out, got Johnson on the phone and said hire him back immediately. Meeker made Sun City the massive success it became.

A footnote on Del. When he died July 4, 1974, he left his first wife Hazel and his second wife Toni enough money to live very comfortably the remainder of their years. The rest of his fortune went to the Del Webb Foundation and for 60 years they have been giving money to hospitals and hospital research; and they will for the next 60 as well. Pretty impressive.