Unsure of my group.

[Athena]

Hello all.  I am from San Diego. I am also in a group called S.P.R.T Sand Diego paranormal research team. We have gone to tomb stone arazona. We investigated the Bird cage theater. It was a great exsperiance. My probleme is this. Our founder is a little wobbly in putting things on a regular schedule.  We have had 3 meetings and never know when things are going to be happening. I want to do more organized things. I just dont know how to start on my own.I am a very quiet sensitive and therefor not very strong at the leadership roles.Does anyone have any advice?

[dwalters]

Hello all.  I am from San Diego. I am also in a group called S.P.R.T Sand Diego paranormal research team. We have gone to tomb stone arazona. We investigated the Bird cage theater. It was a great exsperiance. My probleme is this. Our founder is a little wobbly in putting things on a regular schedule.  We have had 3 meetings and never know when things are going to be happening. I want to do more organized things. I just dont know how to start on my own.I am a very quiet sensitive and therefor not very strong at the leadership roles.Does anyone have any advice?

Shoot. I wish I did. I'm HORRIBLE at the leadership role myself LOL.

When PPI was just getting started, we had meetings once a week, and they were mandatory. We've since become very busy and it's so hard for us to meet, so we meet on investigations. The number one secret I can tell you about forming a good team is PICKING THE RIGHT PEOPLE! Once you pick the right people then it pretty much goes on autopilot and you get to watch as your team grow into a well oiled machine! You still have to remain in control or it will go in the wrong direction very easily. Set a goal for yourself and your team...and just do everything  you can to reach it.

[TAPS Jen]

While I've never run a paranormal group, I have run other groups (some w. 80+ members, some as small as an office of 5 employees)  What it comes down to is communication. If you don't feel comfortable being "in front" a laissez faire style leadership may work best for you. (Type up an agenda, group is seated in a circle, everyone has a say, in order to keep your sanity, you stick to the agenda) For a larger group, you may want to have a board of directors that can meet weekly, bimonthly - whatever you deem necessary. Being able to delegate responsibility is a wonderful thing if you have good people to that with. (it can take a lot of pressure off of yourself) 

Things that I have found to help in the past - a rules and regs pamphlet with a handy dandy tear out page in the back that a member signs and turns in that says they have read, undertsood, agree w. rules. I used to have a few Zero Tolerance items included in mine (ie. physical violence, use of illegal substances, that sort of thing) Also a mediator of sorts - even for the small groups - just someone a person can vent or discuss problems they may be having (i.e. w. a fellow member, even the group leader, procedure or a specific incident) w/out fear of being ostrisized or a target for retribution.  Actually, in a very large group, a mediator has proved to be invaluable!  It cuts down on gossip w/in the group and 99% of the time, the issue was something that can be resolved.

Those are just a few suggestions. I hope they help. Best of Luck!

[MichaelF (FPIE)]

Hello Athena nice to meet you.

I think that a few things are important in a group, firstly you need to have good people, then you also need to have a similiar mindset for investigating, then a good leader helps a lot, and lastly you want to have everybody wanting to spend the same amount of time.  For some people they merely want a hobby, others want it to be like a job.  It's really hard to sit back and give advice on your group without knowing where you fall in your group.  It sounds like you arn't crazy about the leadership, but not because he is a poor leader, but because he doesn't do things often enough.  However, if you like everything else about the group, I strongly advise to try and work it out.

An "event" doesn't need to be a huge thing, you could simply get together and talk about particular books and such, a "paranormal book of the week club," for example.  Then leave the heavy duty leading things to your regular leader like now.

San Diego also has a Ghost Hunting meetup group that meets twice a month, we don't really do any investigating and such, it's more for getting together and talking to people and such.  So you can get a little paranormal "fix" outside your group if needed.

Good luck to you!

Mike