Decorum at Meetings and Ceremonies

[trimzihedges]

Hello Everyone,

This has been bugging me for awhile and I felt I would like to see a poll as to how the group feels about this.

If you don't know what Decorum means here is the definition.

Decorum: conformity to accepted standards of conduct.

Yes I now what some of you are going to say, ummm..isn't this for fun? Should we take things so seriously? Well I have to say that in general Meetings and Official events like the Banquets are in fact a form of official RPG and if you were to be in RP you would conform to the ideas that Star Fleet would see as Standard and being that we are all suppose to be adults, not showing a form of decorum when some take and do such a great job at keeping the levels of work honoring such activities, that the least we could do in general is effectively act in a state of decorum.

I have to say personally at the Ball and at a meeting I attended a certain members, who I will not call out on the carpet have acted like they should be on the Teen grid and well not even then cause I know some Teens who act better than that. But these individuals, to me do not have a concept as to what decorum is and should not be allowed to continually disrupt the activities in the group. Yes the Ball was long. Yes we may not like attending meetings, but, the Ball was very special to me and others especially when we see what hard work Katrina, Cobramax and everyone who took part in making that event the highlight it was for many who partake in SFC.

At the meetings, whoever is speaking at the time should be given their time to speak without interruption, not shouting, not encroaching on another's' space unless they are allowed to. I know you are thinking boy she may be wound a little too tight, but, the admirals and members have put a lot of hard work into having their fun and not spoiled by a few members who really don't seem to have a clue.

So please respond to the poll just to get an idea where people stand on this and also respond if you wish.

Thank you for you time.

Lt. Trimzi Hedges

[Tee Cramer]

Thank you Lt. Hedges

I guess i may be considered stuffy to. But i agree 110%...we are adults playing an adult game but we represent the creation of a man with great vision. and when we put on the Starfleet uniform we become Officers and Representatives of that Vision..We are a pseudo military, and as such need to conduct ourselves accordingly....I will call other Ensigns Mister and their last name, and others of higher rank by that rank and last, name...or Sir (male or female) unless i have been told by that Senior officer to refer to them as Ma'am. Yes we need to have fun and cut up from time to time, but not during meetings or official events.

Again

Thank You Lt. Hedges for bring this up

[Angelica Nephilim]

I agree with the vast majority of the statements above, but also allow for a little good humored ribbing and kidding. But meetings and ceremonies definately should be kept as solemn and proper as possible. Speaking out of turn or unnecessary rude public comments that could be sent in IM or wait until later for a joke between friends boogs the mtgs down and makes it hard to hear the pertinent info being discussed. But to make a point, most of our members are courteous and proper enough in these cases; its just a few who present a slight problem.

[katrinabixby1]

Thank you for bringing this up. True we learn as we go, the 2nd and 3nd ball were must shorter because we limited awards being presented to those present only. I'm all for fun, but true, in meetings, and a event like the ball we have a set goal or focus and hecklers are, distracting and like griefers, cause the meeting to take longer then it should.

I ejected a member from a general meeting for playing to much after being warned. I was contacted by a few who believed i over reacted.

We are a SF organization, and members are expected to exhibited SF role play postures. Such as When a higher ranking officer is on deck to recognize them. A salute is not actually SF.

My only question here would be if someone does not conform to the Decorum at Meetings and Ceremonies what would be the consequences?

[Cinfull Vixen]

Thankyou Lt. Hedges for this discussion,

I have been to most of the general meetings consistantly since the beginning of Galaxy. I must admit that I have been apalled at the behavior of some officers that attended the meeting. The immature behavior needs to be recognized by the lead or even the chief officer for the division that the officers exhibiting this behavior belongs to. If anyone knows me I am "laxed", informal type of person normally, so if I am saying that there is a definate problem of the behavior I see at meetings then there must really be a problem.

I describe some of the behavior obnoxious and totally unacceptable. There is a time and place for everything. The opening of alcoholic drinks, devices and guns scripts initializing once taken from inventory, gestures with loud obnoxious laughter in the middle of the admirals speaking about something that we need to know, the inappropriate comments being made to fellow officers of a suggestive nature that should be private and the constant questioning of "Is the meeting almost over?" especially when someone is speaking is rude, disstracting, immature and unlike an SF officer.
This is how I feel about this...and yes I practice what I preach. As a lead officer, not only wear the title but actually do what is expected of a lead officer. You are in charge of your division. This means not only the projects that they work on, not only their training to perform their duties, but also their conduct at events, their participation in events and/or projects, their growth and progress in SF on a general level. You are their role model in SF. How you conduct yourself at meetings, how serious you are when it comes to your projects, how organized you are, how aggressive you are and your professional relationship with your division officers play a big part in this. If you see one of your officers acting inappropriately it is your responsibility to speak to them (best done in IM) and advice nicely but firmly that we are in a meeting, please refrain from the the joking around so that I and others can listen to what is being said. If it doesnt stop after the first time, maybe add the fact that if this meeting is taking up too much of your time or you dont need to hear what is being said then you may be dismissed.

I won't name anyone in particular, but if the lead officer is also acting inappropriately then how can they say anything to their officers? If the lead is participating in the joking around with the officers why should they listen to him or her? The chief of the division should address this with the lead in the same way, perhaps have a talk with them alone after the meeting. If the chief officer isnt there to witness this then maybe the next one up which is the admirals should address it in IM to the lead and/or talk with them one on one afterwards.

Now for the lead that is responsible and has addressed this in IM twice they can ask the member to leave immediately and can be placed on probation. Lt. Hedges gave me an idea when she said that the ones interrupting doesnt have an idea of how much time and effort was spent into putting the programs and meetings together. I say during the probation period to give the officer a goal to accomplish in order to get off the probation. They will need to come up with an idea for a project, lay out the idea, its purpose and benefit on a notecard and give it to the lead. The lead can schedule a meeting with the rest of the division and give the floor to the member to present the to the group. They will facilitate the entire project, getting volunteers to help and getting it organized and completed. Upon successful completion they will be taken off probation. This will inturn help the growth of the officer, gives them a focus and a goal, helps to develop organization and leadership skills also gives them experience on what it takes to facilitate a group project, will show them the importance hopefully in turn will appreciate the attentiveness of people as they too will be holding a meeting and speaking to the division. This will not embarrass and discourage the officer from being active in the group or wanting to be active, that is definately not the goal.

When I am running my division meetings and I am getting IMs, then we get existing members popping in and out, some just wanting to see whats going on others bringing in new members, then you got room chat going on, its hard to pay attention to 50 million things going on all at the same time. So help out by keeping your jokes, and your and unrelated comments to a minimum, stop interrupting the meeting to ask if its almost over, if you absolutely have to go then please go quietly and allow those who can stay and need to listen to whats being said a chance to do so. It only lengthens the meeting more. You can log on this forum and read the chat log that the admiral so kindly puts of each meeting and you can read what was said after you left.
Thats my input on this topic. Hope to see more suggestions on the consequences if after being warned what should be done about it.

Lt Cmdr Vixen

P.S. Brings to mind an interesting lecture I can do on "How to establish a rapport with your officers".

[trimzihedges]

Personally I do have to admit that my post came out of frustation with a RL flooding problem at my house andI felt like I needed to vent. This doesn't mean that I or other don't take it seriously. As to the question if someone does not conform to the Decorum at Meetings and Ceremonies, what would be the Consequences, I, in my opinion, would expect that if I was doing such a thing not be so readily pushed for promotions or inclussion in activities that place the said person in a said place of representing the SF group.

If for example say this.. New Cadet joins SFC and is looking for a way to fit in and sees said Member in standing acting over and over in a behaviour that is not what would be proper decorum, may in turn teach New Cadet that it is ok to be disruptive and then in turn we not only have one disruptive member, but two and so on and so forth. We learn by example and such is the nature of human nature. I would just hope that whatever action be taken, not just to pick on the one or two members, but that maybe we should set a policy in the New Member Handbook on proper decorum during Ceremonies and meetings and if there is warning needing to be given we do the 3 strikes and your demoted method. If this isn't a solution that could be used, then I would like to see others set forth. Again just my opinion.

[Xenon Darrow]

Permission to speak frankly:

I will say this: if you are going to a higher protocol, you need to include it in the Handbook, and shouldn't implement until EVERYONE is on the same page. Nothing is more discouraging than when someone is new and trying, and they get admonished because of lack of clarity.

Ensign Xenon Darrow, signing out

[wintertwwolf]

xenondarrow said:

Permission to speak frankly:

I will say this: if you are going to a higher protocol, you need to include it in the Handbook, and shouldn't implement until EVERYONE is on the same page. Nothing is more discouraging than when someone is new and trying, and they get admonished because of lack of clarity.

Ensign Xenon Darrow, signing out

I don't agree with that entirely. While I'm pretty new, I'll say this much: anyone who's followed the show and is a part of the group/sim should KNOW how to behave and act during the RP events/ceremonies/balls. Ok, granted that's a sweeping generality and not everyone has seen all the episodes or series, it's really not asking a lot for people to behave in a civilized fasion or to show some couth.

But, this is just me and lord knows I've been wrong. I'm not here to admonish anyone. Just tossing in my two cents