Bright Ideas and True Confessions: How and What to Do and Why

Officers

Performance of Officers [1]

Poor

  • doesn't do anything
  • doesn't show up
  • doesn't know anything

Fair

  • shows up, unprepared
  • reports when threatened or reminded twice
  • has a vague idea what's going on

Good

  • reports without anyone watching
  • shows up at the right place at the right time
  • pays attention and learns as time goes on

Better

  • gathers information from more than one source
  • dispenses information to more than one person
  • knows enough to do a good job and still willing to learn

Best

  • goes to great lengths to learn what's going on
  • informs all who need to know in a timely and useful fashion
  • has regard for the needs and feelings of those he works with and for

Other Ideas

Credit people for their ideas, cooperation, assistance, and attention, either in your reports, or to them, or to others
(it makes you look good, and makes them come back).
Exchange ideas with other officers in or outside the kingdom.
Be tolerant of other groups' differences and opinions.
Lead by example if you can.
If you make what you're doing look fun you'll get helpers and appreciation.
Teach other people what you're doing in the course of your work.
Work toward making your group look good, in small ways and large.
A strong, cohesive group is to everyone's advantage. If you can make your seneschal look good, and the baron, or the king (or whatever level you're working on), your job and theirs will be easier.
Learn what other officers need done and offer your help when you can,
or be observant of competent people so you can play matchmaker between ability and need. Being involved makes people enjoy the Society. Feeling unneeded or ignored drives them away.

 

Footnotes:


[1] This was written in June 1990, as a handout for "Nattercollege," a summer series of workshops organized by Duke Koris Natterhelm for new fighters in al-Barran. It's one of a set of three; see the lists for autocrats and royalty in their respective chapters.
Copyright © by Sandra Dodd, 1991
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