Re: STC blackmail?

["Steve Arrants" <stephena -at- compbear -dot- com>]

<bryan -dot- westbrook -at- amd -dot- com> asks:
> One thing to consider about this thread: most of the people who are
putting down the STC are non-members.  Most of those who have identified
themselves as being members have also been supportive of the organization.
If you were a national officer of STC and had to decide between making the
members happy or making non-members happy, which would you choose?
>
> I'm not denying anybody perceptions of problems in the organization
(though I do think that some of "problems" amount to a difference in
peoples' vision of STC's role), but what I am saying is that attacking it
from the outside is a lot less likely to cause any significant change than
working from the inside to improve it would.

I would try and find a middle ground.  I'm guessing that most technical
writers join the STC at the beginning of their careers (or in college) and
keep up membership through most of their career.  As they become more
"senior" in their careers, there seems to be a point where some decide not
to renew and some decide to renew each year. Now, this is all anecdotal,
based on my experience and what I've heard from talking with others.  At
about the 6-7 year point, a lot of the folks I know drop membership.  Why?
The reasons are varied--
  a.. My company won't pay for it
  b.. I don't get anything out of it
  c.. I haven't seen anything worthwhile in the magazines in a long time
  d.. I've moved into a very specialized area, and another organization
represents me better
  e.. I don't need basic information on HTML or single sourcing or
teambuilding
  f.. and others
I'm still a member, something like 15 years after joining, but more out of
lethargy than anything else. I DO find the job listings somewhat valuable,
though each chapter seems to have its own convoluted rules for allowing
members from other chapters access to the listings. And I very rarely find
the articles worth the time to read.

I'd suggest to TPTB in the STC that they look at attrition, and see why
(if?) people aren't renewing. Is it worth it to make changes to the
organization to retain these members? Does this attrition hurt recruitment
of newer members? Does it hurt the organization to lose members with
valuable experience and knowledge?

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I think they're important
for the continued growth and importance of the STC as a representative
group.


===================
steve arrants
http://www.compbear.com/paddbear   Certified Cruelty Free
"The dream was marvelous, but the terror was great.
We must treasure the dream, whatever the terror."
---Gilgamesh





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