This year I am getting barraged by calls and e-mails about people not getting their points. Last year, not one call. Michelle and I watch everything, write it down and that is how we do this. If we didn’t see it, then it is not getting points.
Also, if this is WHY you are helping out, please don’t.
The intent of the points is to reward people who are helping out, not to get more people to help out.
We always had those altruistic and hard working kids who never got noticed, now they are, through this simple point list. That is the ONLY reason I made it, so that those people get some recognition.
Last year I didn’t receive any e-mails about “you missed my points.” This year it is out of control. And most of these people are already in the top 20! So here is a new rule, if you e-mail me for more points, I will simply reply “please don’t help out if you are doing it for points. You should be helping out because you love the band and want to contribute to the program.”
A great band person told me last year “If I get some points, great, if I don’t, that’s great too, I just love that feeling of being a part of this and helping out.” That person is one of our leaders now!
In addition, part of life is for the important people to see you do that extra stuff, you need to build those skills as well. The officers you want to be seen by are the President, CEOs, Vice Presidents, and Managers. You should know who they are. Do not ask them about your points, just make sure one of those people, or I see you. In the workplace it is a major skill to get the credit for what you do in a passive and intelligent way. Yes, you could tell your boss “hey, did you see me do that” but it would probably be more effective to “just do it” and be seen doing the work in a modest, hard working fashion. I am the one who ultimately picks the officers and this is the kind of person I am looking for.
We need help at certain times. It is pretty obvious when those times are. The 9 of us are taking notes and watching at those exact times in those places. Those are the times that we need you and that’s where you will get noticed. And know what else? You should be an altruist and do it for no reward!
From this time on there will be no more point adjustments after the date. You should be doing this for the “love of program.” Points are only to give SOME recognition to those who work very hard to keep us going! If you are the type of person who won’t do it without points, don’t. We have plenty of people who will help just because they want to. Those are the kind of people that I am looking for to be our future leaders, hard working, band loving, altruists.
