GUTS Group Inventory
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Attendance:
Jack – Moderator (non-group member)
Kristen R – Meeting Chairperson
Ian – Zoom Coordinator
Jess H – Secretary
Barbara, Dennis, Mark, Suzie M, Marco, Amy, Andrew, Christian, Donna, Elle E, Jayna, Jeannine, Kelly H, Lauren S, Leona, Mary M, Sebastian, Grant, Gabi, John E, Marie, Kate R, Holly
Meeting opens at 11:00am PT
- Ian read Traditions
- Kristen R outlined the guidelines for the meeting, including time limits for shares, staying on topic, and addressing any issues at the upcoming business meeting. Introduced Jack as our moderator.
- Jack introduced herself, and opened the meeting with her qualification to moderate a Group Inventory, emphasizing the importance of group unity and the need to avoid personal grievances during the meeting.
11:12am PT inventory questions begin
FORMAT
#. Question
People who responded to the question
- Summary of responses: general consensus of everyone’s sentiment and/or conflicting consensus of everyone’s sentiment.
- What is the basic purpose of the group?
Dennis, Lauren S, Kristen R, Christian B, Sebastian, Ian
- To carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic.
- They highlighted the group’s strengths in providing service opportunities, maintaining traditions, and supporting newcomers. Members discussed the importance of Zoom meetings in providing accessibility to alcoholics who cannot attend in-person meetings, especially during the pandemic.
- Areas for Improvement: better emphasis on sponsorship.
- What more can the group do to carry the message?
Ian, Mary, Donna, Lauren, Suzie, Kelly, Kristen
- Promote sister meetings (focused/womens/mens/big book/etc)
- Focus more on newcomer
- Keep contact list accurate (12th step-willing)
- Implement a way to encourage people w/ less than 30/90 days to share
(lots of agreement with this in the chat)
- Sister meetings & filling positions (no hosts when people show up to meetings)
- Lack of coverage at late nights meetings
- Clarify language in chairperson scripts to be more descriptive about “contact/sponsor/women/men” phone numbers
- Condense chairperson script (its 15+mins give or take…25% of meeting)
- Concerns were raised about members who are not comfortable with technology, particularly with Zoom controls, and how this might prevent them from participating in service roles. The current Group Conscience is that the only way to get into service is by being a host first…this is a blocker to getting into service of other capacities.
- Better host discretion on shares that are intimidating to newcomers
- Emphasis on the importance of step studies, big book studies, and traditions meetings as the core of the recovery program. Members were encouraged to highlight these in their shares.
- The group discussed the role of the Intergroup Representative in gathering information and suggested finding someone to fill this position to help with their efforts.
- Is the group attracting alcoholics from different backgrounds? Are we seeing a good cross-section of our community?
Dennis, Sebastian, Suzie, Lauren, Ian, Kristen
- Yes, we have participation from, and space for, all religions, gender identities, sexualities, and neurodivergence. However, there is room for improvement in racial balance.
- We could be better at involvement with underrepresented groups (LGBTQIA+, YPAA/Young People in AA).
- There was a discussion about the group’s attempt to have an LGBTQIA+ meeting, which has been in limbo. The group acknowledged the need for more commitment and follow-through to make it happen.
- The group noted a lack of young people in their meetings and discussed potential reasons, such as young people attending in-person meetings instead. They considered ways to attract more young members.
- Question for follow-up: can we reach GSO and obtain statistics on the diversity split (%) of the overall/general AA population to compare them with our group and identify any gaps?
- Do new members stick with us, or does turnover seem excessive? If so, why? What can we, as a group, do?
Ian, Mary, Dennis, Lauren, Kristen, Suzie, Christian, Sebastian, Dennis, Jess
- Discussion about principles vs personalities in WhatsApp threads (hostility), and the need to avoid personal grievances in and out of meetings (restraint of pen, tongue, and text)
- Discussion on the joy of seeing new members return and participate, but also the challenges they face with certain types of shares that might scare them off.
- Debate on whether hosts should use more discretion in allowing shares, balancing the need for open discussion with making new members feel welcome.
- Suggestion to have breakout rooms or someone on call to talk to struggling new members, providing a space for them to vent without disrupting the main meeting.
- Encouragement to use the fellowship room more actively, both before and after meetings, to help new members feel more connected.
- Proposal to collect newcomers’ phone numbers for follow-up to ensure they feel supported and welcomed.
- Discussion on encouraging new members to get involved in service, with a suggestion to explicitly state that people with 30 days can join.
- Emphasis on personal interaction and support.
- Discussion on how internal conflicts and arguments within the group can lead to high turnover rates. Mention of efforts to address these issues through workshops and guidelines.
- Discussion on the importance of service in AA and how members can support each other, especially newcomers, by being available for calls and personal interaction.
- Discussion on the difficulties of maintaining a 24/7 support line for members in need and the alternative methods used to provide immediate help.
- Discussion on the impact of negative behavior and cliques and the importance of promoting group unity.
- Discussion on the need for proactive outreach to newcomers rather than waiting for them to seek help.
- There was a discussion on the length and content of meeting announcements, particularly how to balance providing essential information without making the announcements too long.
- Conclusions:
- 1. Conflict is inevitable, but it can be managed through recovery work and group conscience.
- 2. Efforts should be made to avoid negative behavior and promote unity.
- 3. The group needs to work on putting personalities behind and focusing on the betterment of the group.
- 4. The group should focus on making newcomers feel included and provide clear guidance on how to get involved.
- 5. The group needs to improve its emphasis on sponsorship and find better ways to connect newcomers with sponsors.
- 6. The group should find a balance between providing necessary information and keeping announcements concise.
- 7. A Policies & Procedures (P&P) Manual, or Group Conscience Manual, could be useful in outlining group policies as well as underlining what is not allowed.
- Do we emphasize the importance of sponsorship? How effectively? How can we do better?
Mary, Dennis, Kelly, Kristen, Suzie, Jess, Jayna
- We need to be better at this. Need to explore solutions in business meetings. Gets lost in chat – maybe verbally announce. Asterisks are small. Do better about utilizing fellowship threads.
- Group believes it is not effectively emphasized, often getting lost among other announcements.
- Suggestions on how to improve the process of finding and assigning sponsors. Ideas include making phone calls to check on people, using reactions in online meetings, and having more detailed lists with availability, time zones, perhaps geographical location.
- Suggestion to make sponsorship announcements during the seventh tradition pause when people are already engaged, rather than at the beginning of the meeting.
- Simplicity and structure is emphasized.
- Discussion on the importance of encouraging members to attend other meetings if they don’t find what they need in the current one.
- Are we careful to preserve the anonymity of our group members and other A.A.’s outside the meeting rooms? Do we also leave the confidences they share at meetings behind?
Thomas, Lauren, Kristen
- Discussion on the need to avoid gossip and respect others’ anonymity.
- Discussion on the complexities of maintaining anonymity during business meetings and the need for transparency while protecting members’ identities.
- Conclusions:
- 1. Create clear guidelines on what constitutes a violation of anonymity.
- 2. Respecting anonymity is crucial and should be practiced diligently to maintain trust and confidentiality within the group.
- 3. The group should develop a list of do’s and don’ts to help members understand and uphold anonymity effectively.
- Do we take the time to explain to all members the value to the group of keeping up with the kitchen/housekeeping chores and other essential services that are part-and-parcel of our Twelfth-Step efforts?
Lauren S, Kristen, Thomas
- Group agrees that change is needed. Re-visit the “prerequisites” on requirement to hold co-host position before permission to hold any others. Clarity around roles/responsibilities could help. Asking people what their strengths are, to find ways for them to help behind the scenes, could help.
- Discussion on the importance of having a great training team for co-hosts and hosts, and the issues faced due to inactive service team members.
- Discussion on opening up other service positions that do not require co-hosting to distribute the workload better and encourage more people to be of service.
- Need to encourage more people to attend business meetings and understand that they have a voice and can participate even if they are not in service positions.
- Discussion on the importance of outreach efforts and the challenges faced due to the high turnover rate and burnout among service members.
- Conclusions:
- 1. Suggestions included verbally reminding people to participate, reaching out to newcomers personally, and possibly creating a service position to help with this.
- 2. It would be beneficial to involve more people in service positions to prevent burnout and encourage wider participation.
- Are all members given the opportunity to speak at meetings and to participate in other group activities?
Kristen, Jayna, Kelly
- Resounding yes.
- Mindful that holding office is a great responsibility not to be viewed as the outcome of a popularity contest, are we choosing our officers with care?
Lauren, Ian, Mary, Kristen, Kelly, Suzie, Jess, Thomas, Kristen, Mark, John
- Discussion on the responsibilities of Steering Committee members, such as representing people’s concerns and being involved in business meetings. Member stressed the importance of understanding these responsibilities to avoid frustration.
- Group members’ issues with how complaints are handled by the Steering Committee need to be handled by the group collectively.
- Perception shift: familiarity among members is natural but doesn’t necessarily indicate cliquish behavior.
- Suggestion for a more structured election process, where nominees qualify for positions during business meetings by stating their qualifications. This could help ensure that nominees are well-suited for their roles.
- There is a need for a structured approach to electing trusted servants, including clear roles and responsibilities and a formal nomination process to be refined and agreed upon as a group.
- Discussion on the importance of adhering to principles over personalities, especially in the context of AA traditions.
- Discussion on the need for proper training for chairpersons to ensure they are well-prepared for their roles.
- Conclusions
- 1. Leaving personal differences at the door is crucial for group harmony.
- 2. The group is improving in selecting service leadership, but popularity still influences decisions.
- 3. Steering Committee should not “manage”; complaints should be handled by the group at business meetings.
- Are we doing all we can to provide an attractive meeting place?
Ian, Mary, Grant, Lauren, Suzie, Donna, Kristen
- Members highlighted the strengths of the group (sponsors, accountability partners, verification, extra help through linked resources, open rooms accessible globally for hours at a time, etc.)
- Also pointed out were areas for improvement: better communication and reducing hostility in threads.
- Member suggested empowering thread admins to manage comments better and ensure members understand the purpose of each thread. Member also proposed making resources more accessible to all members.
- We have an opportunity to open up service & trusted servant roles for public viewing (as opposed to members-only which is how it is today).
- Does the group do its fair share toward participating in the purpose of A.A.—as it relate to our Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service?
Ian, Kristen, Jess, Mark
- Discussion on the importance of unity within the group–that when the group is unified, it is incredibly strong and unstoppable. Any break in unity significantly weakens the group.
- The group’s focus on recovery is a common thread that brings everyone back together.
- There was a suggestion that we, as individual members, should evaluate our own participation in fellowship, sponsorship, and service to ensure we are doing our fair share. The health of the group is only as strong as the health of the members themselves.
- Discussed the challenges of maintaining unity within the group, emphasizing that there will always be individuals who may cause friction.
- Highlighted the importance of sponsorship in AA, stating that becoming a sponsor is a key objective of working the steps.
- Discussed the role of service in AA meetings, noting that it must come from within and cannot be forced.
- Moderator praised the group for conducting a Group Inventory, suggesting it could be done regularly to improve the group’s functioning.
- What has the group done lately to bring the A.A. message to the attention of professionals in the community—the physicians, clergy, court officials, educators and others who are often the first to see alcoholics in need of help?
Ian, Mary, Kristen
- Discussed efforts to bring the AA message to professionals like court officials and educators. Mentioned the use of Zoom meetings as an alternative for those unable to attend in-person meetings.
- Discussion on the difficulties of getting people from rehabs and sober living facilities to attend meetings due to restrictions on electronics and time of day.
- Increase outreach efforts to people in sober living and counselors in drug and alcohol addiction to inform them about the meetings.
- The meeting listed on the Online Intergroup site is an achievement, which helps in attracting new attendees.
- Offering court verifications, which helps in bringing people to the meetings and has led to long-term sobriety for some attendees.
- Suggestion to appoint an H&I (Hospitals and Institutions) representative to improve outreach to rehabs and sober living facilities.
- How is the group fulfilling its responsibilities to the Seventh Tradition?
Ian, Kristen, Holly, Elle, Suzie
- Pie/contributions, etc, are being managed appropriately.
- Concerns raised about a former GUTS Treasurer who retained access to a bank account receiving Seventh Tradition contributions, emphasizing the need for transparency and resolution to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
- GUTS’ current Treasurer clarified the financial situation, including the transition to GiveButter for contributions and the closure of old accounts.
- Discussion on the group’s contributions to various organizations and the use of funds for coins/chips, and for members who can’t afford to contribute.
- Conclusions:
- 1. The old bank account has been entirely closed, and all contributions are now managed through GiveButter.
- 2. The group contributes every quarter to GSO, OIAA, and ORC.
Moderator, Jack, shared some closing thoughts.
- Group Inventories are a great way to address and improve group dynamics and behavior management in AA meetings, and emphasizes the importance of regular evaluations.
- Members shared personal reflections on how their own personalities have impacted group dynamics.
- Personal biases and friendships can overshadow principles in group decisions, leading to division and discomfort among members.
- Conflicts within the group can lead to collateral damage and silence members who have unpopular opinions. How to address inappropriate behaviors like 13-stepping and sexual harassment within the group: emphasis on supporting both the person bringing up the issue and the person being accused, regardless of personal feelings.
- Discussion on the importance of maintaining anonymity and the use of gender-specific contact lists.
- Suggestion: reflect on past contentious meetings and the solutions that emerged from them.
Meeting closed at 4:18pm PT with the ‘We’ version of the Serenity Prayer.