UNITY COMMITTEE – H – E – L – P !!!!! by: Tammy L. Pflugerville, Texas, USA (Newsgram – Q3 2016 p. 22)
I decided to come to the Unity Committee because our Area suffers with putting on Unity Events, and struggles with keeping a Unity Chairperson. I believe that the new chairs become overwhelmed with not having any ideas or especially leadership. My sadness is there is no “Pass it On” done in our Area. My goal is to achieve getting some ideas and some guidelines with the hope of assisting newly elected Unity Chairs with putting on a few, small, Unity events and forming a committee because together we stand, divided we fall. It seems our Area needs and is starving for Unity – just fellowshipping.
What is a “Pass It On” Document?
A ‘Pass-it-On’ document is a policies and procedures guide toward accepted C.A. Committee strategies and objectives.
‘Policies’ identify the Committee’s key objectives and a general strategies on how to handle Committee matters.
‘Procedures’ provide the C.A. Committee Chair and its Committee members with a clear and easily understood plan of action required to carry out the Committee’s objectives. Well-written procedures help to eliminate common misunderstandings by identifying committee responsibilities and establishing boundaries for those C.A. Members entrusted to carry them out. Procedures allow Committee Chairs to manage events in advance and help to thwart mistakes.
Policies
- Are general in nature
- Identify Committee Guidelines
- Explain why they exist
- Tells when the guideline applies
- Describe who it covers
- Shows how the guideline is carried out
- Describes the negative outcomes when guidelines are not followed
- Are normally described using simple sentences and paragraphs
Procedures
- Identify specific actions
- Explain when to take actions
- Describe alternatives
- Shows emergency procedures
- Includes warnings and cautions
- Gives examples
- Shows when and how to submit reports
- Are normally written using and outline format
Policies and procedures help to establish consistency in Committee activities. Policies and procedures provide clarity when dealing with accountability issues or activities that are of critical importance to the Committee, the Fellowship or C.A. as a whole, including health and safety, legal liabilities, regulatory requirements or issues that have serious consequences.
Signs that indicate the need for better Committee policies and procedures:
- An increase in the number of budget over-spending issues.
- Lack of documentation or vaguely written reports.
- Members ask many questions on ‘normal operations’ or express a feeling of general confusion within the Committee.
- Members are demonstrating inconsistency in their performance and outcomes
- Increasing complaints from members within and outside the Committee
Benefits of well-written “Pass-It-On” documents.
Committee Chairs and Members understand their job without using a ‘trial and error’ approach.
Well-written committee policies and procedures enable C.A. Members to clearly understand individual and Committee duties and responsibilities, thus saving time and resources. Everyone is working off the same page and C.A. Members can get the “ratified” word on how they should go about their tasks with accountability and effectiveness.
Clearly written policies and procedures allow Committee Chairs to exercise control by exception rather than ‘micro-manage’ the members of the Committee.
- “Pass-It-On” documents send a “We Care!” message.
- “Pass-It-On” documents signify that the Outgoing Committee wants the Incoming Committee Chair to be successful.