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RE: [RC] Norco etc - Laurie Underwood

If you find something negative about the ride, how about offering your
time and muscle to help improve things?

Laurie Underwood

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Holland
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 4:48 PM
To: 'Barbara McCrary'; 'Laurie Underwood'; 'Kristi Schaaf';
ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [RC] Norco etc

I have never managed a ride, but I have crewed a LOT....and helped with
rides.  In fact, Jerry Fruth, Trail Boss at LBL, ran my britches off
marking
trail this spring.  I musta jumped in and out of his truck a zillion
times...then we went back out in the rain on horseback and marked the
trail
we couldn't reach by vehicle.  Then as the weather deteriorated, he send
me
back out again to hang glowsticks on another mile or two because the 100
milers were going slower. I went thru 4 sets of boots and it took me all
day
to clean my tack!

I worked for IBM for 30 years and managed many VERY large projects,
where
everything had to be perfect. Ever heard of Comdex? Hundred's of
networked
personal computers, with software demonstrators who couldn't spell
"technical".  You checked, you double checked, and you made sure
everything
worked, then you checked again.  You designated.  You delegated. It's a
big
pain in the butt.  In addition, I have done many technical
presentations,
active-on-line, with equipment that HAD to work every time....to
hundreds of
people.  I was a technical teacher for many years.  I wrote and taught
the
repair and maintenance course for the IBM System 36.  

In all these endeavors, you ALWAYS hand out "evaluations".  You ask for
feedback.  You want to know what you did wrong, and what you did right.
The
objective is to do it "better". EVERY time you do it, you want BETTER
evaluations and higher "satisfaction" to encourage greater attendance. 

Ride Managers pass out "Ride Evaluations".  If you don't want a rider's
honest opinion, whether you deem it "complaining" or "constructive" (not
everyone is good with words), then don't pass them out!

The trick is to "evaluate" the evaluations. Don't let it become
personal. Be
objective. Look at the "problem", not the "description" of the problem.

If you got ONE negative, and you don't have a clue what happened, or any
details, toss it. You're looking for an "overall" perspective.
Hopefully
90-95% or better positive.

For EVERY problem, ask yourself "Can I fix it?"  Is it something that
can
and should it be fixed next time? Write a memo on HOW you plan to fix it
and
communicate with the workers involved. DESIGNATE someone to be
responsible
to see that it is fixed next time, which may be YOU! For Endurance
rides,
IMHO, if it's something that impacts the welfare of the horse, (or
endangers
the horse) it would get higher priority than something that involves the
convenience of the rider. (I would not be overly concerned if someone
complained that the morning coffee was cold. OK, next year let 'em
provide
their OWN coffee! :) Scrap making the coffee and send one more person
out to
check the trail marking that was vandalized last year.

The NEXT time you do that presentation, seminar, (or ride), review the
evaluations from the last time you did it and note how many of the
problems
you have "fixed" since the last time you did it.  Always be aware that
you
will get a "new" set of problems every time! It's the nature of managing
"projects".

Is the problem "perspective"? Lack of information? You might be able to
"fix" it without any physical labor, just better organization or
communication.  This includes participants as well as workers.

Solicit suggestions.  Even email the person involved if possible

If you can't "fix" it, then tell the participants that it exists, give
them
a logical explanation, and ask for their help to minimize the problem.

Once there was a little bird who was up North for the summer. As winter
approached, it became time to fly South, but he was having so much fun,
he
kept putting it off. Finally, he took off.  He was caught in a
snowstorm,
his wings iced up and he landed in a barnyard. He was freezing there in
the
snow when a large horse came by and pooped all over him.  At first he
was
disgusted and dismayed, but the horse poop was warm and he began to thaw
out. In fact, he became so warm he started to sing.  The barn cat heard
the
singing, came over and dug up the little bird....and ate him.  The moral
is
that not all people who dump poop on you mean you harm and not all
people
who take poop off you mean you well.

Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic.


-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-
owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Barbara McCrary
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 2:03 PM
To: Laurie Underwood; 'Kristi Schaaf'; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] Norco etc

I believe it should be mandatory for any complainer to manage a ride,
and I
mean MANDATORY.  Although I have not heard of what the issue is, I can
empathize with Lynne.  Ride managers should not have to suffer
complaints
and whining and worse, abusive behavior. Positive suggestions should be
polite and helpful....they inspire a ride manager to improve.  But
complaining just makes a ride manager rebellious enough to say or
think,
"Forget it! If you don't like the ride, you manage it next time."


============================================================
Personally, I shouldn't give a s--- where the other people on the course
are, and if I find myself starting to concern myself over this, I remind
myself that this is the first step on the road to overriding my horse
and
tell myself to "knock it off!"  :)
~  Kat Swigart

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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============================================================
There is something really special about getting to ride all day, and all
night on your horse. I know that a lot of people like to get finished, and
get it over with. Yes, it is a lot of work. But, realize that each ride,
especially a 100 is a really special gift and savor it for all it is worth. 
~  Karen Chaton

ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/

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Replies
RE: [RC] Norco etc, Jim Holland