Would you use webinar to attend AGM if it was available

[nomadpete]

I would like to get a rough idea of how many of the forum folk would use a webinar or audio 'telecast' to know what is going on at a AGM.

 

Don't let internet availability put you off, there are public libraries with internet in most towns and often it just takes a visit to your local club or neighbour to use their internet if your own is not up to it.

 

It seems that the cost would not be great once spread over a potential 12,000 members. Also, it should be possible to set up a login to make the information only available to paid members.

 

Peter

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

This may be one viable option, Peter, but keep in mind my suggestion http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/so-what-would-stop-you-attending-a-gm-in-canberra-in-coming-weeks.51661/page-2#post-256657

 

 

[nomadpete]

Yes, OK, there are more options than I listed. I just wanted to get a feeling for whether people are really wanting easier communication in this way. I, for one, have never been able to attend a AGM because of work commitments and the distance/ time/ motel accommodation costs . So I became one of the great unwashed apathetic ones, unable to vote properly because of a disconnect in the communications. Information is power and the informed are therefore empowered. If I had been able to hear how the meetings were chaired, I would have had a better idea of the way things were going, and how the personalities were interacting at the meeting. In the past I have used web for lectures and for meetings at work. It is not going to be as good as being present at a meeting but is sure does tell you a lot about how the business is being conducted. I suspect that a whole lot more members would get involved if the meetings were made accessible this way. And it can work both ways - through better participation, the board would be better in touch with their members and so be better able to represent the member's. I used to ignore the AGM. The minutes didn't tell me much. But if I had been 'present' at the meeting, I would surely have been in my nearest board member's ear asking him questions.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

You probably speak for many of us, Peter. It's only when the wheels fall off that we remember to do some maintenance.

 

I am happy to give my proxy to a trusted rep, but as you say, we need to see them in action. The standard pre-election blurb gives us little idea how a person will function as part of a committee.

 

 

[AlfaRomeo]

From one who was there, I feel the Minutes are a heavily sanitized version of what went on. There was uproar over the President's Report and for a while it looked like the Meeting would not accept it at all. The Minutes look long at 18 pages. However, when you take out the 10 pages of Questions on Notice and the pat answers from the President (in absentia), a couple of pages of the vote on the Special Resolutions, a couple of pages for the formalities, a page or so of the Meritorious Service Award for Carol Richards, the the six hour meeting was summed up in 3 pages. For example "A lengthy discussion was held on Insurance matters" was summed up in one line! Questions of the Board from the floor were recorded but not the answers! This is a mockery of Minute taking. Perhaps what they say is correct "All power rests in the hands of the Minute taker" or in this case the Minute's editor.

 

 

[nomadpete]

Well, I guess that 26 prospective remote attendees would not warrant the expense. I was hoping for a lot more, especially considering that the results would have been skewed toward internet users because they would logically be the sort of folk already reading these forums.

 

However, I still believe that these avenues of communication would bring about more active involvement by the members. It is just not good enough to have to wait for the magazine to publish some sanitised report (if anything at all) on what is going on.

 

Peter

 

 

[fly_tornado]

record it and upload it too youtube would be the best option. streaming it maybe be a bit hit and miss depending on the location's internet.

 

 

[Bandit12]

Well, I guess that 26 prospective remote attendees would not warrant the expense......

It's probably quite difficult to judge the true interest. I suspect that there would be a lot more of the wider membership who don't read here, and a substantial number that just don't understand what is being suggested. But the results of the poll show more people voting than I often see in polls in this forum, so that may mean something in itself. It may have to be trialed, feedback given and the results put out to the wider membership to get some real interest.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I've been taking part in webinars broadcast from Wall St, New York for about a year.

 

It's not far off sitting in a meeting - very realistic.

 

The office is above a fire station so every now and then we get to hear the fire trucks go out.

 

The format we've been using is that one persons in NY does the talking, and we all either type questions while he is talking, or type answers to his questions when he stops. At his end, if another guy is going to cover a segment there is a controlled hand over.

 

The chairperson can either leave the questions on the stream until a suitable moment, or clear them immediately.

 

I don't find is much different to being in person at a meeting. Sure you have to type, but that stops people rabbiting on, and you don't get the interruption of side discussions.

 

I would prefer a webinar format to a conference call.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Damn, didn't read "Multiple Votes Allowed" before I pressed send, oh well!

 

 

[Pete Greed]

An AGM is specific in the business it is required to discuss/resolve. A general meeting is exactly that and offers members the opportunity to raise submitted agenda items or those received from the floor by the Chairman. Even the recording of a meeting (not live) is worthy of a trial in an attempt the improve communications to members.

 

Pete

 

 

[nomadpete]

I feel that one of the big causes of member apathy is the disconnect of communications between exec/board and the members. Yes, we ALL just want to go flying. But we don't question that there are numerous political things that we have to spend time on before we fly - stuff like paperwork. I would extend that (individual's) requirement to include our responsibility to ensure that the background running of our organisation is being administered with integrity and efficiency. So it follows that we can't just go flying without taking an interest in the politics. Which brings me back to where I started - please put in place a simple modern way to be informed.

 

As an aside, in business as in Associations, it is the job of the management to empower, educate, and put in place the processes that are essential tools required for the rank and file to make the management look good.

 

Peter T