"Difficult" president?

[Frank Goebel]

Does your league have a president that's a pain to deal with? Do you have a good working relationship, or when you have to bring something up, does it always turn into a struggle or argument? How do you deal with it? Have you ever been in a position where you don't want to continue as secretary if the same person is president, yet that same person has been in that office for an eternity?

[Keith Chambers]

Frank,
You really like to stir the pot, don't you? During my very long Naval career I learned to work for lots of people that I did not especially like. In the bowling world I have also had a couple of Presidents that could be "difficult", but more often than not, it is a case of a President that does not want to put in the work that it takes to be a good President.
In one case I quietly worked behind the scenes to have a different person nominated and she won quite easily. It turned out that many league members were not too happy with him either. More recently, I kept pestering the President with arrears reports and league issues that he should know about and he decided to not seek office the following season.
I try to meet with the other officers early each year to discuss the league and possible problems - teams that are "loaded", team captains that can not use the scoring computer, do not report substitutes, do not turn in their pay envelopes by the end of the first game, etc. We try to come to an agreement on handling each of these issues - and that I expect his/her full support in enforcing the rules. This meeting includes the Vice President.
This has worked very well the past couple of years in all three of my leagues, but none of the Presidents have been "difficult" and only once have they dumped the problems in to my lap to deal with.

[Frank Goebel]

I don't know about "stirring the pot" but, given that I'm not working, I have far more time on my hands than usual.

In short, I had a fairly "colorful" talk with my president last night...I had a long tirade of a post about that "talk" here all ready to post, and changed my mind. It would have bordered on airing "dirty laundry" so especially right before a holiday, I didn't want to go that far.

I'm ex-military also (reserve Army/Guard) so I know about the difficult leaders, at least they're not as permanent.

[Derrick]

Man, I'm still looking for my league president. And we've bowled 11 weeks already!

Ok, I know where he is, we're on the same team and we car pool to the lanes, but in our league there is really no reason for any office position except mine, sect/tres. The others are just there because someone has to hold office.

Don't get me wrong, it might sound like they aren't dong their job, but there really isn't any need to. We've have a couple issues come up, we have a meeting and (usually) resolve them. I am in a position that I could control the league as I wanted to and no one would care. But then again, they all know me and trust that anything I did would be in the best interest of the league. And, that I wouldn't change anything without their consent. Well, except that they now pay me $2 per bowler per night. I haven't told them that yet though, so let's keep that hush hush.

We are a small league, 8-10 teams, depending on what week it is. I'm pretty sure that next week we'll have 10 and hopefully finish the league with 10. Upon the addition of this team, I had to, well, make up new rules for the league. We tried the meeting and it was more of, "I don't care, let's just bowl" and "whatever you say Mr. Secretary". I have told the team captains individually what I intend to do with this team, and yes, it is within the USBC guidelines, even if the procedure is not. If any team captain complains, we'll hold another formal meeting and end up with exactly what I am doing anyway.

Anyway, yeah, I don't know what it's like to work with a difficult league president. Oh, and I was just joking about my fee. Please don't turn me into USBC.

Derrick

[Tom Kelly]

I have had only three league presidents since I became secretary. The first was the worst, always had problems that required a team captains meeting just about every week ( problems that should have been handled by just a small talk to a bowler or a decision of the president ), got to the point that nobody would attend team captains meetings. Needless to say he did not get re-elected the following year. Second and third presidents were great, both were bowlers and both had the best interest of the league as their top priority. Together we saw the league grow from 16 teams to the present 38 team mixed league, our main selling point is we are out for a good old fashion night of bowling and enjoyment.

[Frank Goebel]

Okay, here goes...why I brought up this in the first place.

First, this president doesn't communicate with me at alll, it's an inconvenience to him if I bring up anything to him, which I did six days prior to our last session (before a league in which he also bowls). He says "we're gonna have to have a meeting".

He didn't say that the meeting would be the next league session. During practice (I don't bowl due to disability), I'm taking bracket entries and the announcement is made for practice to end. Then, the announcement comes for a league-wide meeting (the control desk person knew, but I didn't). So here I go, turn my bracket sheet over because I know it's going to be about scheduling our double-sessions to make up for the holidays.

First of all, it's not something for a league-wide meeting...I wanted to suggest a board (captain's) meeting first and then present it to the league, but I never get a chance to suggest that. So here we are, and I'm quickly writing down the Mondays in January through March, and all of a sudden the president barks out "...and we gotta do one in the first half, and one in the second half". Arrgh, the first half on its own would have ended December 18, wouldn't be a problem to do two doubles in the second half....couldn't suggest that either. So here I am having to come up with the Mondays in December, and then I had to bark out that the 11th would be out, as the second shift would be a position round. So a motion comes up for the 4th (really, the only option at this point) and a quick second and a vote comes. So here I am, having to prepare everyone, walking around to everyone reminding them that we've just voted to bowl a double NEXT WEEK, be ready for it. At least the bowlers were okay with me, many not to thrilled with the idea but at least it'll be over with, and I told them I'd be relying on them to do the transition between shifts (scores processing, etc.)

I had suggested that we use a different set of lanes (available, and the proprietors are fine with it) for the second shift, and the president was against it. I'll still request the house oil those lanes just in case the president comes to his senses (and the second shift would be on fresh conditions).

It'll be fun. Meanwhile, in another thread started weeks ago about bowling a double shift, I'll talk there about the steps I've already taken, and will take, to streamline things.

[Larry Curts]

The only time I need my presidents is to sign checks and the monthly bank statements. I've been told on both my leagues "Its your league, run it. If you need me, I'll be there!" Kinda nice having it this way. But I'm 60 and have been bowling longer then some of them are old so I guess they trust me to make the right calls. But then again, I've only been sec/tr for 3 yrs now and only have two 12 team leagues. I don't have all the problems you guys face on larger leagues. The hardest thing I've had to deal with is pulling cards for non-payment, but they know I won't hesitate in doing it.

[Pam Donnelly]

This is my 2nd year with our president and we have a great working relationship. Trust me, having a great president makes the secretaries job a whole lot easier. The secretary is NOT supposed to run the league you are supposed to deal with the financials. I think having a good president is as important as having a good secretary.

[Joyce Lost]

This year I have a better working President - then last year-I expect them to run the Fall Organizational meeting- I have been making up the agenda and giving the President a copy [from now on] The past resident would always tell me that the bowlers didn't want this or that-I would be told you can do this or that- Well, I came with more info then the President or Vice-President had. They that been running two leagues,with the same officers, and telling the bowlers whatever they wanted to.

Well things are different now- We have 3 on a committee for Nominations, Prize List, Audit & Banquet. The bowlers all were saying they didn't know nything about any of the above Committee. I met with each committee, and gave them some info, papers, and they found out it was not hard to do, and they could do it. All in all it's working better, now. I've even made a balanceing sheet to balance checkbook, with BLS weekly statement, and the bank statement. It's great- I three of the Audit committee and they
are balancing every month [instead of 6 week] I let the chairman know when the Bank statement has arrived from the bank and they take care of it. I am a firm believer, they need to feel a part of the league- I also had a to give them directions on filling out the money envelop and score sheets. Since the past Sectretary-Treasurer did nothing to get things lined up and in the same. order. Not a hit or miss by a Captain- I have a back-up Captain on each team and the two captains work together- Most of them split up the team work- The scoresheet & the Money envlelope, and they switch ever so often. It's makes my job much better, NO MORE WRITE OVERS ON SCORE SHEETS- That helps, with only one copy of scores.