99s Chapter
Communication
SWS WINTER MEETING JANUARY 2015
MAUREEN KENNEY
99s Chapter Communication –
Housekeeping
Exits for the room
Cell phones – please turn them off or set on vibrate only
Approximate length – 50 minutes
My contact information is on the final slide
This presentation will be posted at
http://ninetynines.net
Ninety-Nines Inc.
Mission Statement
The Ninety-Nines is the international
organization of women pilots that
promotes advancement of aviation
through education, scholarships, and
mutual support while honoring our
unique history and sharing our passion
for flight.
99s Chapter Communications
• Types of communication
• Importance of Communication
• Issues associated with Written
Communication
Types of Communication
The type of communication often defines how effective it is.
Early in the history of the Ninety-Nines, we had
◦ written communications, sent by snail mail.
◦ Phone communications, one on one oral exchanges
◦ Ah Ha! This must have been the birth of the telephone
tree – and its direct descendent, the game of telephone.
◦ Face to Face Meetings in large or small groups
The communications were effective because we know that
the goals of the organization were met, more women joined
the group, and the world became aware of women as pilots.
Historical footnote: It has long been acknowledged that
Amelia Earhart and her husband George Putnam were
amazingly skilled at mass-communication – making the world
sit up and take notice of Amelia and her escapades.
99s Chapter Communications
– Issues and Solutions
PROBLEMS
Dwindling participation in chapter
meetings
Fewer members participating in
chapter activities
Fewer chapter members to
participate in meetings and
activities
Unintended consequences such as
fewer members overall in the
organization and fewer members
who participate in the leadership
of the organization at all levels.
SOLUTIONS
Effective Communication
Enthusiastic membership
Importance of Communication
First and foremost communication is the
means for disseminating the goals and
accomplishments of the organization.
There are multiple ways to achieve
communication – so many ways and so many
variations, that one can get dizzy
contemplating the choices.
Importance of Communication
A fact of communication in the organization
is the process of one-to-one or interpersonal
communication, between individuals. Such
communication may take several forms.
Messages may be verbal (that is, expressed
in words, either written or oral), or they may
not involve words at all but consist of
gestures, facial expressions, and certain
postures ("body language"). Nonverbal
messages may even stem from silence.
Importance of Communication
A number of variables influence the effectiveness of
communication. Some are found in the environment
in which communication takes place, some in the
personalities of the sender and the receiver, and
some in the relationship that exists between sender
and receiver. These different variables suggest some
of the difficulties of communicating with
understanding between two people. The sender
wants to formulate an idea and communicate it to
the receiver. This desire to communicate may arise
from his thoughts or feelings or it may have been
triggered by something in the environment.
Types of Chapter
Communications
• Intra-Organization Communication
• Newsletters
• Websites
• Forums and Facebook pages
• Calendars
• Telephone
• Email lists
• Types of email lists
• Conference Calls
• Traditional Monthly Meetings
• External Communication –
getting the publicity we crave!
Types of Communications –
Newsletters
◦ Did you know that 95% of the content of newsletters should be
directly related to the Ninety-Nines mission statement?
◦ Newsletters are a very popular form of 99s communication.
◦ May be snail-mailed, posted on a website or emailed to the chapter
members or section members.
◦ Digital publication has greatly increased the interest of the
newsletters by providing a way to increase the information
provided, and the pictures to support that information.
◦ Make sure all chapter members get a copy. This may mean someone
designated to snail-mail a copy to a short list of members.
◦ Minimize emphasis on purely social. Talk about the educational
aspects of activities and about the promotion of flight and pilot
mutual support and shared passion.
Newsletters - Excellence
Articles in this
newsletter focus
directly on our mission
statement. Here they
showcase the upcoming
Women of Aviation
Worldwide Week.
The rest of the
newsletter focuses on
new student pilots,
contacts and activities
of the Ninety-Nines Inc.
and communication
channels for the
chapter.
Newsletter - Exceptions
At first glance, this
article looks purely
social. And in fact it is.
But it is less than 10% of
the newsletter, and is
not typical of their
focus. Our Guru, Terry
Carbonnell, assures us
that if we keep socialonly articles to less than
5% over the year, then
we are in compliance.
Newsletter – Skip this in your
newsletter, share it privately
Newsletter –
more than 50% Social
This newsletter item
missed an opportunity
to tout the event as
support for their local
airport facilities and
tower personnel. And
a plane in the
background would
have helped.
Types of Communications –
Websites (and FB, Twitter, Instagram)
◦ Did you know that 95% of the content of websites should be directly
related to the Ninety-Nines mission statement? Websites are a very
popular form of 99s communication.
◦ A simple one-page website, letting the public know where you are
located, when you meet, and what activities your chapter provides
is a good start. Contact information should also be available.
◦ Many chapters and sections have more complex websites. See the
list of sites, available on the Ninety-Nines.org website, for examples.
◦ Minimize emphasis on purely social. Talk about the educational
aspects of activities, list scholarships and community participation.
List activities about the promotion of flight and pilot mutual support
and shared passion.
Website – Focused on the 99s
Mission Statement
Website – Focus on
Mission Statement
This chapter ties
activities together to
showcase their
commitment to the 99s
mission statement.
Website – Missed Opportunity
This chapter
missed an
opportunity, on
their website, to
tie the Poker Run
to pilot skills
enhancement and
to focus more on
the pilots’ passion
for flight.
Types of Communications –
Forums
Examples of Forums, which are one case of an email list are found on the
Ninety-Nines website.
◦ http://www.ninety-nines.org/index.cfm/email_networks.htm
The 99s Email Network is for the educational discussion and productive
exchange of information on topics pertinent to The Ninety-Nines, including
being women pilots and 99s members, flying, chapter/section innovations,
and 99s events and activities.
The 99s Flight Training Forum is for the educational discussion and
productive exchange of information related to flight training, flight safety,
flight currency, aviation education, and the related activities of The NinetyNines - ideal for finding a flight school or instructor, completing a rating,
maintaining currency, and becoming a safer pilot.
The Pro 99s Network is for the educational discussion and productive
exchange of information about pilot careers and the related activities of
The Ninety-Nines. This is a virtual meeting place for women worldwide to
discuss the benefits and disadvantages of different pilot career
opportunities, finding scholarships and jobs, balancing work and family,
and being women professional pilots.
Types of Communications –
Facebook pages
◦ The options for using FaceBook as a communications tool are many
and complex.
◦ Pages
◦ Groups – open or closed
◦ Major advantage – immediate communications, ability to post
pictures, often as the event is underway.
◦ Limitations – it is an unstructured way of communicating.
Information can get lost in the list, so it may not be the best way to
maintain an events list.
◦ Spend time studying the options and getting to know the security
levels before setting up your group or page.
◦ Discuss this with your chapter or section. Avoid using FB as a
primary communications tool, because many otherwise computersavy individuals have opted not to participate in social media.
Types of Communications Calendars
Calendars are a tremendous way to communicate among
your chapter members.
Calendars can be as simple as a list of upcoming events.
This is often maintained by the newsletter chair, and
posted in the newsletter.
A more sophisticated calendar can be set up in Yahoo or
Google, with a single user and password so that all
members can post events and information about the
events.
◦ This system is particularly useful for sections, where
chapters can post events so that all section members are
aware of the activities.
Types of Communications Telephone
The telephone still has a major role in chapter
communications. The venerable telephone tree is
particularly useful in small chapters.
Telephone communications are also important in
maintaining contact with older members who may be
intimidated by digital forms of communications.
Call a member that you have not seen for awhile. Invite her
to a meeting or event. Offer to arrange transportation. Or
just invite her to lunch!
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
◦ Chapters increasingly rely on email to get information
out to their chapter members. This may include simple
meeting reminders, or it may include special
notifications from local aviation officials, section-level
communications sent to the chapter chair, invites to
parties…You get the picture. The topics are endless, and
because we have email, more of these communications
are occurring, bringing our members closer than ever
they were before.
◦ Mailing to several chapter members at one time has its
challenges. Some chapter chairs maintain a private list of
member names, and use that list whenever they need to
communicate to the whole chapter. This list may be a
“group” set up in their own email account. We will not
explore personal email groups. They cannot usually be
shared with other members.
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
For a simple text file list, follow these instructions:
Create a simple text file, in a text editor such as Notepad:
◦ File name: testchapter99s.txt
◦ File Content :
◦ mm@test.com;
reen@bytb.com;
99mem@test2.com
Note that each email address but the last ends with a ; . This text file can
be shared with all other members of the chapter. Each member saves it on
her computer. When anyone wants to send an email to everyone, they
simply open the file, highlight and copy the list, paste it into the bcc field
on the email to be sent. Voila! A group list is born.
Updating such a list has a downside. The list manager (yes, there must be a
list manager) must modify the list. Then the list must be re-distributed to
everyone. The list manager must trust (there is the issue!) that everyone
will delete the old list, save the new list and begin using it. Otherwise
there may be many bounces and missed communications.
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
Email Groups – we will discuss google groups and yahoo groups
It is not necessary for every member of the group to have a Yahoo or Gmail account.
Yahoo Groups - Yahoo! Groups offers free mailing lists, photo & file sharing, group calendars and more. Discuss
hot topics, share interests, join online communities. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!_Groups for a list of
options and further explanation of Yahoo Groups.
◦ To start a Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/start
◦ Group messages can be read and posted by e-mail or on the Group's webpage like a web forum. In addition,
members can choose whether to receive individual, daily digest or Special Delivery e-mails, or simply read
Group posts on the Group’s web site. Groups can be created with public or member-only access. Some
Groups are simply announcement bulletin boards, to which only the Group moderators can post, while
others are discussion forums.
◦ It is not necessary to register with Yahoo! in order to participate in Yahoo! Groups. The basic mailing list
functionality is available to any e-mail address, but a Yahoo! ID is required to access some other features.
◦ Messages can be moderated, and thus spam and inappropriate messages can be “denied”. This is a quick
process, usually delegated to the list manager.
Google Groups is a free service from Google Inc. that supports discussion groups, including many Usenet
newsgroups, based on common interests. The service was started in 1995 as Deja News, and was transitioned to
Google Groups after a February 2001 buyout.
◦ Membership in Google Groups is free of charge and many groups are anonymous. Users can find discussion
groups related to their interests and participate in threaded conversations, either through a web interface or
by e-mail. They can also start new groups, which are inaccessible by NNTP and act more like mailing lists.[2]
◦ More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_groups
◦ Start a group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups&hl=en#!overview
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
Setting up a list in one of the above services may at first glance look
complicated. In fact, it is a simple process, guided by the service that
maintains the groups – either Google or Yahoo.
Important – both services require a list manager who will maintain the list,
adding new members and deleting obsolete addresses. The list manager
may share responsibility with another member of the group. Groups will
have a single email address for posts. Examples:
sfv99s@googlegroups.com or VC99s@yahoogroups.com. The List Manager
may moderate the group, and may designate other group members to
help with this activity. Moderating was explained above.
In the case of both groups, administration can be as simple as adding and
removing email addresses, or something much more complex depending
upon the group wishes. For instance, the sfv99s group is maintained at the
simplest level. No moderation is used, and we have had very few issues of
spam getting through. We rely upon members to understand that posts
are supposed to be aviation related or chapter related, which includes
congratulations for accomplishments, announcements of events, etc. We
request that nothing of a political nature or religious nature be posted.
VC99s on the other hand have a policy guideline and use moderators to
enforce the guidelines and to minimize spam.
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
For the sake of completeness, and for those who like
to do it themselves, a third list option is an open
source program such as
http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/index.html.
This is a free program, not tied to a specific service
such as Google or Yahoo.
The group lists presented here have an advantage
over simple text lists. Members email to one specific
email address. The list is maintained centrally, and
does not have to be disseminated to the group.
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
Addressing E-Mails:
1) To reach everyone, send to vc99s@yahoogroups.com
2) To reach one person, or just a few: send to their specific e-mail
addresses.
Sending and Replying to E-Mails:
1) Reply to Sender rather than “Reply All,” unless it is important for
everyone to see your message. Examples: An e-mail asks members to
supply cell phone numbers; reply only to the sender. An e-mail asks for
volunteers to work at an event; reply only to the Sender.
2) Fill in the Subject line. Never send an email through the List Server
with a blank Subject line.
3) Sign your full name. Many people have similar first names and
many people have e-mail monikers that bear no relation to their real
names
Types of Communications –
Email Lists
Forwarding E-Mails:
1) Avoid forwarding an e-mail that requires the recipient to follow
several links to reach the message. Just forward the original e-mail or do
not send it, as most people may have already seen it. Use a cut-and-paste
technique so you do not pass on other people’s addresses unless you
want the recipients to know the source of the original e-mail.
2) Make sure the Subject line reflects the content. Never forward
emails with blank subject lines.
3) Identify the content of all forwarded e-mails at the beginning of
your message. Write your own introductory comment: Examples: “Fwd re
Class Bravo airspace changes,” or “Fwd SFV99s message re Oct flyouts.”
Avoid: “FYI” or “forwarding e-mail”, or “Thought you’d like this one.”Sign
your name at the end. Spammers cannot fake your name.
4) Check out whether a story is true BEFORE forwarding. A local favorite
which can be used for checking is www.snopes.com
Types of Communications –
Email Lists – Suggested Topic Guidelines
1) Send e-mails concerning only aviation-related topics or information relating to Ninety-Nines and our activities.
2) Please avoid:
◦ Jokes.
◦ Anything off color.
◦ Anything you’d never want to see in the newspaper with your name on it.
◦ Chain letters.
◦ Charitable appeals not related to general aviation or the 99s.
◦ More than one or two photo attachments. Just upload the photos to Shutterfly, Snapfish, KodakPictureGallery or a similar
service and send a short e-mail to the list server indicating that the photos (aviation-related or 99s-related) are available for
viewing. Many of the people on our list server have dial up connections and cannot handle large attachments without tying
up their e-mail accounts.
◦ E-mails with more than one photo embedded.
◦ Videos or links to videos through the list server, unless they are videos of 99s. Share aviation videos only with individual
recipients.
◦ Political commentary, unless the issue/proposal is specifically directed at or affects: airports, pilots or general aviation.
◦ Virus and fraud alerts. McAfee and Norton and others are in the virus protection business, we are not. At various times the
SFV99s list server has been used to circulate multiple bogus virus and fraud alerts from well meaning members. Almost
without exception any e-mail you receive about a fraud scheme or a virus or worm, is false.
◦ E-mails with blank subject matter or exclamation marks in the subject matter field. Spam e-mails and e-mails with viruses or
worms often have blank subject matters or contain exclamation marks. Most junk mail filters block these e-mails or put
them in the junk mail folder.
Types of Communications –
Email Lists – References
Your sister 99s’ e-mail addresses are listed in the
International 99s online directory:
www.ninety-nines.org/index.html.
The directory is in the “Members Only Area.” It will require
you to log in, but once you’re registered, the entire site is a
wonderful resource!
If you cannot read attachments created in Word,
PowerPoint, or Excel, download the Microsoft Office
Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007
File Formats at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?Family
ID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en.
Types of Communications –
Conference Calls
Conference calls are an alternative to traditional meetings.
They may be the only way for a chapter to meet, or they may
supplement the meeting schedule for a chapter or section.
Conference calls are easy to set up
One Chapter EXAMPLE: Each month on the SECOND SUNDAY,
Ambassador Chapter communicates by conference all. This chapter is
international in scope and has set an excellent example of flexible
communication.
Chapter members from all over the chapter area log in for about an
hour to chat free over the Internet. A consistent date and time has
been found to be the most convenient to include all of the chapter
members.
Types of Communications –
Conference Calls
Conference call EXAMPLE Posted in their newsletter
Each month on the SECOND SUNDAY, Ambassador
Chapter members from all over the world log in for
about an hour to chat free over the Internet. This
consistent date and time has been found to be the
most convenient to include our international and
most western USA members.
Our next monthly meeting will be held on:
SUNDAY, April 13th at 19:00 Zulu/UTC
For questions or downloading instructions of
Skype, send an email to Karen Rosier
Types of Communications –
Conference Calls
Skype - Skype is now offering group video calling free to all users. Group video
calling allows you to have group video calls with up to 9 of your friends at the
same time
FaceTime – Apple – Now available for PC. Google it. One-one only.
No groups.
GoToMeeting – $$, more formal, but this program provides a very organized
meeting option. Many internal setup options.
Freeconferencecall.com
◦ Conference for Free Anywhere, Anytime!
◦ 100% Free Conference Call Service
◦ No Service Commitments
◦ Quick and Easy Group Meetings
◦ Available on Demand! No pre-schedule needed.
Types of Communications Traditional Monthly Meetings
◦ May actually be more than once a month, or every other
month, once a quarter, etc.
◦ Frequency tends to be directly related to size of the
membership and/or geographical area of the chapter.
◦ Some chapters have a single meeting, others have a
board meeting and a general business meeting.
◦ Recently, some chapters have re-designed their chapter
meetings. A business/board meeting is held once a
month. A Social event or a dinner or a seminar/speaker is
the chapter general meeting.
◦ These re-structured meetings are in response to
dwindling participation in traditional chapter meetings.
QUESTIONS?
99s Chapter
Communication
MAUREEN KENNEY
D I R E C TO R , N I N E T Y - N I N E S I N C .
818-207-6089
M D K E N N E Y @ YA H O O . C O M