[D-plan-net] Fw: Bowsprit Award

[Kay Simkins]

Keith, I have forwarded your message to D-Plan-Net in order to assure the widest distribution possible to those most involved with planning and the future success of our organization and its many parts. Your response highlights many positive ideas. I am hoping it encourages others to respond.  There are few moments better than as squadron commander we say thank you to our members for their efforts.  Communication is vital -we need to share the ideas, thoughts and yes, the grumbles - so we know where to put forth the efforts to make things better. 
Thank you for a great message.
Kay
Kay Simkins, AP
P/D/C National Planning Committee
tolenut at comcast.net

 

United States

Power Squadrons

 

Boating is fun.we'll show you how

 

 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Keith Baldwin 
To: Kay Simkins ; res8fx1m at verizon.net ; Christine D16plan Rasmussen ; Robert D29Plan Rayburn ; Philip D13Plan Dee ; Eladio D33Plan Reyes ; Bonnie D8Plan Katz ; William I. D22Plan Neef ; James C D5Plan Frost ; J. Lloyd D17Plan Cox ; Charles T. D27Plan Helms ; Ellen J. D14Plan Cardoza ; Charles D28Plan Pe ; Ralph D1Plan Borriello ; Susan R. D7Plan Harris ; Arthur A. D4Plan Epstein ; John R. D21Plan Morawski ; David D9Plan Brooks ; John D18Plan Bedrossian ; Edward C. D26Plan Leibfarth ; Jeff C. D10Plan Hamilton ; G. Leslie D25Plan Johnson ; Richard D30 Stablein ; Keith R. D20Plan Baldwin ; Anne S. D2Plan Peskin ; Jack E. D24Plan Bannister ; Margaret d31Plan Miller ; Abraham D23Plan Cahill ; William D15Plan Dietrich ; Phyllis D32Plan Sines 
Cc: wmb413 at sbcglobal.net 
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 12:17 PM
Subject: Re: Bowsprit Award


Kay:  Over the years I have looked at the Bowsprit Award and tried to figure out how its founders thought it would be a great tool too train Squadron Leadership.  It is a District award and most squadron commanders are busy looking at ways to get their members involved in programs that will show results to the SQUADRON in the form of new members, better community exposure, Squadron esteem, etc. In my opinion, there has to be a better way to provide SQUADRONS with a tool that they can use to effectively measure the health of their membership.

In District 20 two years ago we starteded to develop a District Award that could be won by every squadron every year, that would provide a yardstick for a squadron commander to measure the squadron's health. Squadrons did not compete against other squadrons, they competed with against their own past years record.  We liked the six Bowsprit categories, and looked at the squadron's performance this year as a base for next years goal.  Our philosophy was that if each squadron did at least one better in each category, they would be a stronger squadron, ie, 255 VSC in 2007, 2008 goal would be 256, 134 members in 2007, 2008 goal would be 135, etc. To win the Sqaudron Achievement Award, a squadron had to do one better in each of the six categories. While our numbers were generated at national, we have encountered problems getting accurate figures and appropriate reporting times.  It is a problem we are continuing to work with.  

The larger picture is this could be a great management tool to put in the hands of a squadron commander.  The commander could on a regular basis measure the squadron's success or failure, and martial its members as need be. Bowsprit as it is today is too remote for the Squadron commander to relate to.  If one squadron does a great job in all areas, and the rest of the District doesn't, there is no recognition or gratification for the squadron who excelled.

I would like to see the Bowsprit Award changed to make it more relevant to squadron commanders

P/D/C Keith Baldwin, SN
D/20 Planning Committee Chair
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.usps.org/pipermail/d-plan-net/attachments/20080603/bce12c54/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1839 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://www.usps.org/pipermail/d-plan-net/attachments/20080603/bce12c54/attachment.jpe