Re: Roundtable Help!
Amick Robert (amick@SPOT.COLORADO.EDU)
Tue, 30 Jul 1996 12:17:34 -0600
My experience with roundtables has been that often they are not well
marketed to the leaders. Yes, they are on the district calendar, but the
topics are never listed, and frequently, even if the presentation is
excellent, no one hears about it until after the fact. Sometimes the
presentations are not-so-good, and the reaction of those who attended was
"why did I waste my time going to that? I've got better things to do with
my time..." Sure, sometimes presenters have to cancel at the last minute
and the staff has to "tap-dance" to throw a substitute presentation
together, but if you have a good "backup plan" in place just in case, it
can save an otherwise embarrasing presentation. Also, follow-up with the
presenters just prior to the event often will keep them from accidentally
forgetting their committment, or giving you enough time to throw together
a substitute presentation in case they cannot make it.
So it takes a dedicated roundtable staff to pull together outstanding
presentations, and to make sure that everyone knows about them well in
advance. If the word gets out that each succeeding presentation has been
"nothing short of phenomenal" you will probably have to schedule a bigger
room next, time.
Be sure that youth leaders are attending too, and presenting. Some of the
finest presentations I have seen were done by Senior Scouts and Explorers
on various topics and the leaders were very impressed. These folks have
often been to JLT and many other courses and are quite well informed about
their subject. Most of all they are Scouts and know what their interests
and needs are, so who better to present than the folks we are trying to
support?
Commissioners can help a lot by making sure their assigned units have the
info on roundtables and are calling to remind the leaders about the
roundtable shortly before the event so they don't forget or just in case
they didn't get the word. Sometimes in our busy schedules a phone call
will make the difference in deciding to attend or miss a meeting due to
other conflicting activities. If the primary unit leader can't attend try
to get one or more of the assistant leaders or even a committee member to
come. At least someone from that unit will be there to share information.
If your district/council has a web page and/or e-mail capability, what
better use for it than to
provide announcements of upcoming roundtables and their "phenomenal"
topics. Get a list of e-mail addresses and put the leaders who have
e-mail on a group so they can get broadcasted messages from one entry.
Provide a summary of the presentations on e-mail or on the web page for
those who are unable to attend.
We have the "technology;" why not put it to use?
That coupled with outstanding presentations is probably a "sure thing" to
get folks to come to a roundtable.
Bob Amick, Explorer Advisor, High Adventure Explorer Post 72, Boulder, CO
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
