Up until my experiences in AA, when asked what my service attitude was, I would say, “What? I want to “get,” not “give.” Plus, I’m too shy to talk to people.”
In AA, people volunteer for service posts on a monthly basis. For example, they would need a person to “chair” the weekly meeting, do setup and teardown and to make coffee.
I entered AA by “accident” when I was 25. Within a week of getting a sponsor, she said, “Do you want to make coffee with me next month?”
My first response was, “No, I don’t even drink coffee.”
But because I wanted to please her, I said okay.
Before I started making coffee, I arrived at the meeting 5 minutes before it started and left 5 minutes after it ended. That was not conducive to getting to know people. And I certainly didn’t feel like I was a part of the group, even though I called myself a “member.”
To make coffee, you have to get to the site 45 minutes ahead of time, as it takes a while to brew the large urns. And it needs to be ready when people start arriving ahead of the meeting (some people get there really early to visit).
Then, you have to dump the grounds and clean out the urn after the meeting.
Sure enough, by being there 45 minutes ahead of time, I started getting to know the “old timers” who would show up a half hour early. I learned so much from them. And, eventually, I slowly got to know more and more people.
Being “behind the counter” made me special. It was so much easier to talk to people. They came to me and I didn’t have to mingle.
I have moved around the country quite a bit in my career. Every time I moved to a new city, I'd find an AA group I liked and immediately volunteered to make coffee. That way, I got to meet a whole new circle of friends quickly and easily.
Service serves me. I always look for opportunities to serve, no matter how “low” the task. In every situation in which I have “served,” I have never failed to come away richer, know more people and have greater confidence.
Before I became a Woodard Group Co-Leader:
- I got to the meetings 5 minutes ahead of time and left 5 minutes after (sound familiar?)
- I didn’t know everyone in my group by name
- I never had ideas of topics I wanted to hear – just let the leadership figure it out
- I didn’t have a relationship with the members of the Woodard organization
Now things are very different.
In the Austin Woodard Group, we have a Leadership Committee composed of us two co-leaders and six individuals designated “Coordinators” for various things we have going on (e.g., Membership Coordinator, A/V Coordinator, etc.). This way, several people get to participate. Not the whole shebang, but a necessary part (like the coffee).
If your city doesn’t have a Woodard Group, I highly recommend you consider starting one. It’s easiest with a co-leader to share the responsibilities and brainstorm together for the brightest ideas.
You will find what I did: The Woodard Organization is extremely helpful to Group Leaders.
Honali Austin
Honali Austin is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and the proud (and privileged) co-leader of the Woodard Austin Group (WAG) in Austin, Texas. Please contact her at honaliaustin@gmail.com if you're in the Austin area and would like to come to a fabulous Woodard Group meeting. Her amazing co-leader Laura Fischer balances Honali's hotheadness with calm professionalism, resulting in quite the dynamic duo.