How do I make this work?

[5ft Diva]

I have been participating in a women's organization group for about six months and it's been very helpful because I have someone to report my goals to. It's also helpful because I can take big projects step by step and the women I meet w/ help me break my project into manageable steps. (I have gotten some pretty hefty projects completed thanks to this support group.) Anyway I haven't been as productive for the last couple of months because we haven't been meeting (due to our busy schedules) and I have noticed it in my house big time. So we have a meeting once again today and I'm super excited to get on the bandwagon. The thing I noticed was missing since we haven't been holding these meetings is that I haven't had the time to sit down and write up some goals. For some reason I have to schedule in that time AWAY from my home. Anyway, I was thinking that, for me, BnS would be a great place to make and report goals, but it has to be done on a schedule. Like there has to be a deadline of some sort....does that make sense? Anyway, I was just wondering if any of you had any ideas for how I could make this work.

Sorry so long.

[natickgirl]

No specific ideas on how to organize it, but I think something like that would be helpful for me. I tend to NOT be a self-starter, so having to report to someone & be held accountable would help motivate me. I'll keep thinking...

[Erudite]

I can't say anything very helpful either, but I too would love a support group to report to. I'll give it some thought too.

[Erudite]

5D tell us more about this support group. From what you said, it seems to me that we could easily form a support group here, complete with goals and deadlines for reaching the goals, but I'd like to know more about it before I assume that. I hear Dia talk about her WW support group and that just sounds so wonderful. Is it something like that? Do you all pick the same kinds of things to organize? Does someone take the lead or do you take turns taking the lead?

[5ft Diva]

Your thinking is right, E. Well, the group I meet w/ now meets once a month. We each pick what needs organizing in our own homes and sometimes it's the same thing and sometimes it's not - it depends. I usually pick about three or four different projects and sometimes they're not even projects. Sometimes one of my goals has to do w/ my schedule or something abstract like that. It's really whatever you need in your life at the moment. The last meeting we had we implemented the concept of a different leader every month because the same person at every meeting was burdened w/ the responsibility to keep things moving. I feel everything is going to be equal now.

On a side note, not too long ago I was meeting w/ a support group weekly and I can see the benefits of both. The weekly meetings are great for someone who wants immediate feedback and help staying on track from week to week. The monthly meetings are great for someone who wants flexibility and has a lot of self discipline in the subject they are meeting for. It's also a great way to measure progress in large strides because you can accomplish so much more in a month than you can in a week.

Was this helpful to you, E?

[Erudite]

Yes. It doesn't sound too hard to implement here. I'd guess, since this is asynchronous, that we'd have to say the "first week" of every month is the "meeting week" and those of us in the group could "chat" in a forum for it. Discussing goals and how to meet them and what not. Maybe the group could even read an organization book together? And that would provide goals too. Then we have the month to complete the goals and use the last week of the month to report back, maybe. Reporting could be first week too if that were easiest.

I don't know that I see the need for a specific leader in that plan, but it's easy enough to rotate if we do need one.

Does that sound like it might meet your needs?

[5ft Diva]

Okay, so is anyone interested in doing this? It sounds like you're interested, E. NG, you mentioned earlier that you'd like to be involved in something like this. You still interested?

Anyway, to respond to your post, E. I would suggest that the "meeting" be narrowed down to a specific day or two. I think there's too much lag time in a week....I feel the momentum would be lost. Also, I would suggest having a group discussion leader. I would suggest that their responsibilities be starting the "meeting", asking everyone how their goals are coming along (because everyone needs someone to be accountable to or the program will fizzle out), and any other stuff that a "leader" would do. I don't know if that makes sense. I've just found that in anything I've done if there isn't one person in charge nothing will happen because no one knows where the boundaries lie. I don't know if that makes any sense....it's just been my experience in the many groups I've been involved in. Also, having too many leaders is obnoxious thus the need for one. Hope this makes sense.

[Erudite]

Did you know that a lot of your posts lately appear twice?

I'm ok with whatever, really, but I think it'll be harder to do a day or two simply in the "find the time" factor, though I totally get what you're saying about momentum. But I've never really done a "support" group, so I'm no judge. We can do it however you say and adjust from there to fit everyone's needs. That's the lovely thing about setting up one of our own.

And having no "support group" experience, I also don't know what the leader would do beyond what you just spelled out, but what you said makes a lot of sense. Are you up to being a leader in ANOTHER thing till we get the hang of this?

[Meticulous madness]

I'd like to do this with y'all! Count me in.

[natickgirl]

Yep, I'm game. I've never been in a support group, either, so I guess I'll learn as I go....