Pagekeeper

My home group did a group inventory recently, and I wanted to share some of what happened because it was very helpful.

We used the format/questions suggested in the pamphlet "The AA Group." Found here.

Our group invited an outsider (still an AA member, former delegate, but he'd never been to our home group) to act as the mediator. He simply asked the questions and kept the discussion on track without inserting his opinion. We also asked a non-group member to act as secretary of the group inventory.

All attendants were encouraged to speak openly about their concerns with the group. Several things were brought to the group's attention that needed to be addressed in a future business meeting. That's another thing--during the inventory there were to be no motions or voting.

A few things that came up were cliques, gossip, duties of members holding a group service position, housekeeping, and sponsorship.

Several people had the opportunity to voice their concerns about specific issues that were troubling them.

Overall, I thought it was helpful and informative.

Any ESH with your group doing an inventory?

keithj

There are a number of sample formats such as
http://www.thejaywalker.com/images/G...ory-8_2005.pdf that pop up in a google search. All pretty much the same and based on that GSO pamphlet.

My home group takes an inventory like this every couple of years, and I think it's a wonderful practice. There is really something special about a responsible group and not just a meeting. In a nutshell, how are we at upholding the traditions, how are we at keeping the newcomer, how are we spending our money questions keep us pretty grounded.

One thing we do a little different than Pagekeeper's description is that we ask the facilitator or moderator to give us some feedback. We want his or her input from an outside perspective. A group (especially a rigid, self-righteous one like mine) can get myopically dysfunctional when everyone is in agreement.

DayTrader

Great stuff you guys. One of the regular meetings (my first home-group) I attend will, I'm pretty sure, object when I bring this idea up. They like to run things loose... and it shows.

My primary home-group hasn't had a group inventory in a formal setting per-se but we do hold monthly group conscience meetings and everything Page mentioned is regularly on the table being discussed. Maybe they've done these "formally" in the past but not in the 2yrs of so I've been there.

GettingStronger2

My group just started the process to start the process! Thanks for posting this.

Pagekeeper

Ours gave feedback, but not opinions, if that makes sense. Like at the end, he pointed out a few issues that were brought up more than once or had been repeated in a different way. But there was no, "Because of this, I think your group needs to do a, b, and c." It was more like what stood out to him, but up to us to discuss the issues further.

DT, how our inventory passed was a group member brought 15-20 copies of a sample format to the group and they took them home to review until next business meeting. In the following business meeting, we voted and it passed. Then we formed a committee to find the facilitator, secretary, and set a date. Presto!

LexieCat

Thanks, Page,

I found this very interesting. Neither of my home groups has done an inventory since I've been there (two years). I like the idea of the facilitator with feedback. It all sounds very positive.

Ceres

I remember you posting something on this eons ago and thought "What a great idea, my home-group should do this" And then, like a good little alcoholic, I forgot all about it. Now look where I am! :rotfxko

Pagekeeper

Yeah, the idea was brought to the group last April, but it didn't happen until very recently. We voted on it in May (I think), got the date by June, had to reschedule once for reasons beyond our control, but finally, it happened. And I'm glad.

tomvlll

So you decided to limit the group membership to one?

(joke)

Pagekeeper

LOL.

I suppose cliques and gossip are common in any group setting, be it work, school, church, etc.

But in AA, it is more bothersome, perhaps because it's a "spiritual program" and there's nothing spiritual about gossip or alliances.

Tommyh

Page,good job
the last one we had wa slast year and we also had a past area delegate moderate it
our group let the findings fizzle out because we did not have a group conscience and discuss the findings.
One main concern we had ,was we carrying the message out into the world by means of CF,H&I,PI etc in line with trad 5,our main purpose as a group.

Pagekeeper

Yeah, that came up in our group too. There's been some talk about having group reps for CPCPI, treatment, and prison. That all happens at the district level right now. We have members involved, but they're not group reps.

Tommyh

we have district committees that does the same,but only in name,their actions are practically non existent.

DayTrader

If it makes ya feel any better, I thought the same thing, printed out the forms, and purposely left them on my desk at home Tues night because I was afraid to ruffle the feathers of the 2 old timers who consider themselves chairman/secretary/leader/meeting opener/greeter/etc/etc/etc. They may not have objected at all but my little mind envisioned an argument, got scared, and figured it'd be best to get to it another day.

Pagekeeper

DT: Do you have a group service position? Or do the two oldtimers dominate all the group service positions, like treasurer, secretary, chair, etc?

swlnyc2017

Thanks for posting, the clique situation and the gossip have gotten pretty bad, and our group inventory is being done by an outsider (AA member from another town). There have been lots of complaints that this "cool kids" clique are making life miserable for some folks, and newcomers are really turned off by it. The particular clique is also really into the Young People in AA thing, and they're very exclusive about who they invite to their events. As business chair, people have come to me privately with several incidents, which I have passed on to the group at large at the business meeting. Now no names were mentioned at all. But after the business meeting a few people came up and asked me who was complaining. I said I couldn't betray a confidence. So now I'm getting the cold shoulder. Yes, I'm upset, but I took this commitment on and just want to do a good job with it. No one is in trouble, some issues about our meeting were brought up, and the group conscience suggested a group inventory. I just wanted to vent a little.

Ken33xx

My guess is a "group inventory" was done because it was the easier/softer way to deal with members (the "cool kids") others can't control. Sometimes its best to start another meeting.

The meeting in question sounds drama-filled. Young people doing their thing. Probably a lot of behind the scene romance.

If newcomers are as turned off as suggested they won't join. My experience has been meetings filled with drama tend to slow down. Only those at the top of the chain (coolest of the cool) are left.

The 5:45 meeting where I am is something like this. Many in attendance are young/single. Lots of drama and lots of sweets. The table in back is usually filled with cookies and cakes.

But I rarely go although the sweets make it tempting. It can be fun listening to some of the men brag about their job/income and watching some of the women on the prowl.

Now, I might not be one of the "cool kids" but a few of the guys like me and we talk after a meeting.

Which is to say nobody feels threatened by a 61 year old married man who needs to lose a few pounds.