Gold Wing Road Riders Association     
Region H Trainer

 The “By the Book” articles are intended to help familiarize Volunteer Leaders and GWRRA members with the policies, procedures, and information contained in the GWRRA Officer’s Handbook (OHB).  A copy of the Officer’s Handbook can be found at www.gwrra.org - Click on the Officer Connection tab at the bottom of the page; then select Officer’s Handbook in the upper right hand corner.  Please feel free to reprint these articles in Region, District, or Chapter newsletters 

 

 

Thanks to John Simonick (former Texas District Director and Texas District Trainer) for the inspiration to write this month’s article based on ideas he wrote in February 2004.  Revisions have been made to keep it current.

 

 

Keep Your Chapter Director “Honest”

 

     A Chapter Director’s role is to represent the desires of Membership through the collective efforts of the Chapter Team.  Who, if anybody, evaluates whether Chapter Directors are acting in the best interest of their Chapter?  Could they be acting based upon their personal beliefs?  Would those beliefs adequately represent the desires of the general Membership?  Who could make that determination?  Why YOU, of course!

 

     To be able to determine if the Chapter Director is “on track”, you will need to have a basic understanding of the Officer’s Handbook (OHB).  In this issue, I would like to present the Introduction to all GWRRA Officers provided by our Director.  This is found in page A-1 of the Handbook.

 

 

Dear GWRRA Officers:

 

You have accepted a very important and responsible position in our Association that will challenge you to provide leadership. A position to furnish an environment for our Members to come together to experience mostly FUN and CAMARADERIE; to enjoy riding their GOLD WINGS or VALKYRIES and, most importantly, take advantage of GWRRA’s RIDER EDUCATION.

 

The network you now join as an Officer of GWRRA is wholly responsible for the communication link between the Association and our Members. By acceptance of this Officer’s position, all of us have agreed to support the ideals of GWRRA and to provide our Members with a relaxed, fun atmosphere… free of politics and religion. Politics and religion are a personal choice and should always be left to the individual discretion of the Members. Our sole purpose is to keep it simple, make it FUN, and say YES 99.5% of the time. The word “NO” is not in our vocabulary unless it is absolutely in the best interest of our Members’ safety.

 

This handbook provides you with background information about our remarkable organization. We hope you will refer to it often. If at anytime you are uncertain about anything pertaining to your office, please call your appointing Officer and ask for assistance. All of us are here to support you and to help you be the best that you can be.

 

In conclusion, as Officers, we are here to serve our Members; they are not here to serve us. We are here to ensure their fun and entitlement as Members of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association.  Congratulations and best wishes for a successful and meaningful tenure as an Officer of GWRRA.

 

     In the Handbook, the signature of then-Director of GWRRA Melissa Eason appears after these previous paragraphs.  There are a few important points I would like to emphasize here.  In the first paragraph, the point is that the Officer is challenged to be a leader, make it FUN, and promote inclusiveness.  Does your Chapter Director allow, promote, or participate in cliques?  I would challenge that cliques are in opposition to the “coming together” principle.

 

     In the second paragraph, the responsibility is delineated to the Officers to be the communication link between the Association and the Membership.  Does the Chapter Director (CD) keep the Chapter informed of news from the Association?  This can be accomplished through the newsletter, chapter gathering, website, etc.  Additionally, this may be accomplished through the Chapter Team.  Nevertheless, the CD is responsible for this communication.

 

     Is there any discomfort or conflict in the Chapter that is political in nature, or dealing with religion?  The statement “…free of politics and religion” in the 2^nd paragraph delineates the CD’s responsibility on that front.

 

     Does the CD respond with “no” frequently, turning down reasonable requests and nixing reasonable suggestions?  See the last two sentences in the second paragraph.

 

     Finally, does the CD act more like a boss than someone who serves?  The first sentence in the last paragraph reads, “…as Officers, we are here to serve our Members, they are not here to serve us.”

 

     If any of these concerns are perceived as real within your own Chapter, challenge your CD to re-read Section “A” of the Officer’s Handbook.  With a little cooperation, your Chapter may become even more successful.

 

Learn Something New…Then Teach Someone!

 

Steve and Carolyn Cotton

Region H Trainers