In response to Freelancer's question on another thread:

I, too, have found myself stepping into the role of leader of a y2k group (Jackson County IN) in essence becuase there was no one else readily willing and it looked like it needed to be done. This Saturday we have our first meeting.

Anybody else been there, done that?

This came about when the local red cross had a meeting in January re:y2k. Their speaker was mostly concerned with PC reaction, nothing on a large scale, and the assembled group was more on the level of this forum. Virtually everyone there was interested in following up with more meetings, but the red cross pulled out because of negative noises from the national office about liability for panic.

I'm walking into this meeting (which I called, based on the signup list from the first meeting) armed with 'net resources and little else. The group, or at least those i've talked to personally, are very concerned with community preparations, and that will be our primary focus.

As freelancer asked, any comments, suggestions, advice, help?

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), March 02, 1999

Answers

also to Freelancer - I found some great tips in the 'Self-Reliance and Contingency/Continuity' thread. I just wish I had the time to read and absorb every thread out here.

-- Cowardly Lion (same@same.com), March 02, 1999.

You're doing fine. BREATHE! Remember:

1) Comon sense isn't. You need to provide some of your own for the group.

2) The sincerest form of group leadership/bonding is delegation of the research function to those who have the resources to do the research. If you work it right, you may just delegate all of the subjects to someone else and only have to guide the discussions to get the info out from the people who went and dug it up. This has worked for me more times than you would believe.

3) DON'T BE AFRAID OF "I DUNNO BUT I'LL FIND OUT," as an answer.

BUT mostly, for a first meeting, point people at sources, and call the next meeting. Of course, the meeting AFTER the meeting, at the piza shop or teh watering hole will ALWAYS be the more productive ones.

Chuck, who has lead a volunteer organization for about 10 years from several positions in the group (one of which oddly enough was chief, but only for a few months)

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), March 02, 1999.

Get Steve Hartsman's powerpoint presentation - print it (4-6 slides per page) onto paper copies, delegate somebody to get copies distributed. That'll help focus and train people. Gives a target for the next meeting at low cost too. (See comment above - plan for next meeting early in session.)

Where are you at? What is local utility situation? Local government readiness? Local 911 and fire readiness? Local water and sewage? Local tax and government salary and business situation? Each should be a target for somebody to dig out facts. Then report back at next session.

BEgining that way will show what questions will become important. You don't know enough yet to plan responses. For next meeting, after these investigative reports, get the local fire chief to make his report. His answers - if he knows you have done checks, should be informative. If he reports first - you will get standard PR poof.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 02, 1999.

Where is Steve Hartsman's powerpoint file?

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), March 02, 1999.

Contact him via: Steve Hartsman (hartsman@ticon.net), March 01, 1999. Check the story in "Just finished presentation to my company..." thread.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), March 02, 1999.

My thanks to those who contributed suggestions on what types of information I should or could provide. My laser printer has been running non-stop for 45 min now doing printouts. My girlfriend is putting the info. packs together(that's gonna cost me a killer dinner!) for my presentation. I'm going to do a trial run on some of my employees, yes they all GI, and solicit feedback and then fine tune things. Spoke with two of the fireman at the station on my way home today and they said their cheif was a definate GI!! Left him a voice mail and hopefully we can talk before my debut.

Funny, I run a company, make decisions everyday, affect peoples lives, etc. but I'm still nervous about doing this presentation. Guess I'm worried that folks either won't get it or they all wil get it and then what do I do.

Thanks again for the advice and the input. I'll let you all know the results.

Freelancer(will code for wheat! :)

-- Freelancer (mercenary2000@yahoo.com), March 02, 1999.