Originally written, May 2014.
I quit the Red Cross the other day; took all the pins off my vest and left it at the Chapter. Well, I guess you don't actually "quit" when you're a volunteer in the Western Carolinas Region, or should I say, a member of the Disaster Workforce as the Regional Disaster and Programs Officer refers to us, (Officer…LOL).
If I was out processing from a DRO, I'd end up at Mental Health Services.
They'd sit me down for a little heart-to-heart chat. Many of you know how that conversation goes; "How are you feeling? Was this a positive experience? Is there any thing you'd like to share with us??"
Well, since you asked, I'll share just a few thoughts about my four and a half years at the Upstate Chapter of the American Red Cross here in Greenville, SC.
Disaster Relief Operations (DRO’s) were a tremendous eye opener for me. I'd listen to stories about gross incompetence in people's home chapters. I'd spend the day in an ERV with slackers who were a waste of the airfare spent on them. Then I'd get home and think what a great bunch of people we have here in Greenville! The Greenville Chapter is all about Disaster Services for me. Armed Forces, Community Outreach and Wine Auctions are great! But it's Disaster Services where the action is -- where trained, experienced volunteers have the greatest impact. I never had any quarrel with any of the staffers: Melise, Karen, Greta, Sue, Beth. All very special people.
I had a good run; Instructor, DAT Captain, Mass Care and several DRO's... all good stuff.
The Greenville volunteers I interacted with were great!
So it was all good on the surface, but the fact remains that over the past two years I've become increasingly frustrated with my local chapter and the Red Cross in general. I was failing at one of the great Red Cross Re-Engineering Pilars: Engagement
So why my disengagement? I think it comes down to this:
The Chapter I joined in December 2009 no longer exists*.
I joined a robust, dynamic Chapter. Today, that Chapter seems a distant, hollow shell of itself. A Disaster Services team going through the day-to-day motions with a few dedicated die hards hanging on. I looked at an old volunteer roster from 2010-11 and it amazed me how many volunteers have simply disappeared. Remember when our monthly meetings were standing room only? Who even bothers going to these anymore? Sad.
I'll say it: The system-wide Red Cross Reorganization, followed up by Re-engineering took the life out of our great Upstate Disaster Services group. Some of this was the fault of ARC National and Division leadership. Some was due to misguided Regional decisions and I suspect some was back-room local. Most of the big system wide changes have all the hallmarks of consultants. You'll never see those costs deliniated on the Annual Statement.
Some examples, in no specific order:
- The incredibly naive management assumption that Greenville, SC volunteers would think of Asheville, Hendersonville, or Forest City, NC as natural extensions of their home base and drive willy-nilly to help up North (as if the reverse would ever be true!) This was ARC group-think at it's worst!
- Musical chairs leadership in the Greenville Disaster Services office. This wasn't National's fault. It's almost as if the people running things had a total lack of business knowledge about the effects of leadership turnover and vacancies! And, how long has the Spartanburg position supposedly been in search? It's an embarrassment. It's not the money -- you can find the $25k! The HR Consultant running searches in our Region should be replaced.
- Witnessing what looked like the flailing, on-the-job learning curve of our loony Regional Disaster Program Officer. Initially we were bombarded with a never ending series of idiotic weather reports and warnings, many times exaggerating the actual facts as reported by the National Weather Service, or its River Forecast Center. And no e-mail about personnel changes was complete without a reminder to us that people reported to him. Truly clueless. (Memo to the RDPO; We don't care!) Remember the famous "Mandatory Meeting" that would take 45 minutes to drive to, just to see a Re-Engineering video on Youtube? Some of us spoke up at the time. But as influence and authority shifted to Asheville, independence drained out of Greenville. I saw strong people roll over as if their hands were tied, all accompanied by happy talk to the volunteers about the benefits of change. I understand not wanting to rock the boat. Why risk being perceived as not a team player?
- SABA: The Red Cross fell in love with LMS technology irrespective of who their students are! SABA killed the old-fashioned classroom. The classroom is a social environment where Red Crossers got to know one another. The classes went a long way to building a community of volunteers. I'd love to compare learning metrics from 2010 (classroom based) and 2014 (on-line). Boot Camp classes doesn't count.
- Volunteer Connection: In my opinion, epic fail. What has it really accomplished? It's already out-dated. It's still clumsy to use. The final cost was no doubt much, much more than any one will ever admit.
- Dissolving Greenville's "Leadership Quartet" program and Department Chairpersons. These were two outstanding local programs for volunteers to sink their teeth into. So why'd they disappear?? No one ever said. National certainly wasn't to blame! It wasn't financial because there wasn't any cost, and It certainly wasn't for lack of participation. The only answer seems to be parochial politics. Someone probably didn't like the ad hoc titles and positions that didn't fit in with their way of thinking. I know this: scuttling these two programs alienated a number of good volunteers and worse…signaled the inexorable erosion of chapter self-direction and identity.
As I said, I had a great run. It's not that I'm bitter or anti-change. But I'm a cynic and I worry about change that is over hyped and that good people have to recover from.
In the end, I'm grateful for the opportunity the Red Cross provided me to help some needy people and make some great friends. Happy trails to those who stick it out!
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* These are my opinions and perspectives. Your's may differ.
