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Some of this letter can equaly be applied to the GFA. Think on
it! Cheers, Ron Baker.
----- Original Message -----
From: Thomas
Knauff
To: K&GNewsletter
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2002 1:19 AM
Subject: Leadership Lots of you are suggesting the SSA be replaced with a new organization or joining the EAA or AOPA. Beginning again simply throws out the many good things about the SSA organization. Like throwing out the baby with the bath water Better to fix what is wrong with the organization. The problem is direction and purpose. Somehow, over the past 15 years the focus of the organization has deflected to causes while failing the basic purposes and functions necessary for strength and growth. Those of us who complain are not privy to the daily happenings within the organization, so it is not easy to make constructive suggestions. I have heard from many of you who have excellent leadership skills. As I see it, the SSA office staff takes their direction from the SSA board of directors and especially the executive committee. It probably is most important to place the blame for the current state of affairs on the board of directors, while it is also necessary to take a hard look at staff. If the staff is not willing or able to conduct the business of the organization, then they must be replaced. I doubt if this is necessary. However, everyone has their own agenda. Some people simply resist changes so it is possible changes need to be made. The organization attracts some 2,000 new members every year. Unfortunately, it loses about the same number or slightly more. The obvious question is why? The answer is perceived value. The organization must give good value in direct member benefits and services. For the past many years, direct member benefits have diminished and the leadership continues to erode the few visible benefits while failing to publicize those indirect benefits. Compare the SSA with EAA/AOPA mailings to members. The International Gliding Commission member division reports less than 70% of USA glider pilots belong to the SSA, and they use a highly inflated number of SA members. The actual number is probably far less. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the fundamental SSA problem is membership. During the convention, it was stated a number of times the SSA sent poll to a number of members. They responded with the number one concern as “government advocacy.” This poll has been quoted several times over the years. It is my perception that this is one of the personal agendas of some of the SSA leadership. The poll question turns out to be severely “twisted.” Twisting a question is to ask it in a way to elicit a desired result. If the poll uses proper questions, it is more likely the members would recognize the principle problem of membership growth. Bottom
line – the organization is broken. Repairs will be made by new leadership. It
will take more than one or two people. Each of you needs to consider becoming a
director of your region so the SSA can be fixed from the inside
out.
Thomas Knauff
Knauff & Grove, Inc. Schempp-Hirth Sailplanes 3523 South Eagle Valley Road Julian, Pa 16844 Phone (814) 355 2483 Fax (814) 355 2633 www.eglider.org |
