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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: The graph showing meteoric
growth over the next 10 to 12 years seems outrageous—why should we
think this is possible?
Q: Why are you doing this? What
makes the work of 21st & 7th so important?
Q: Your company name and slogan
really work well together—how did you arrive at those decisions?
Q: Why workshops? Can’t we
get this from studying lecture notes or a manual or viewing a video?
Q: Are these workshops just for
small struggling chapters or is there value for larger chapters and more
achievement—oriented chapters as well?
Q: How long is the “Compellingly
Attractive Chapter Meetings” [CACM] workshop, who should participate
and how many participants does it take?
Q: What does it take to book or
host a CACM workshop and what does it cost?
Q: Can we participate in the second
workshop without experiencing CACM first?
Q: Where can we get answers to more
questions?
Q: The graph showing meteoric growth over
the next 10 to 12 years seems outrageous—why should we think this
is possible?
A: Skeptical, eh? Here's how it's possible:
From 2006 Society records, nearly 600 of the Society's 830 chapters have
the critical mass—@ 20 or more active guys—to successfully embrace
the "Compellingly Attractive" programming. Let's take, for instance, one
of the over 500 of those with fewer than 70 members.
First year: the chapter's leaders participate in the first
workshop and fully embrace the program—their meetings become compellingly
attractive, their active membership goes up 30%.
Second year: the chapter's leaders take the second workshop—the
chapter's performances become compellingly attractive, administration becomes
admirable, new profile-building begins, active membership up another 30%.
Fourth year: the chapter's active membership is now up
over 100% from when they participated in the first workshop—leaders
take the third workshop. Plans for colonization of new chapters in the surrounding
metro-area are made.
Fifth and sixth years: three new chapters are colonized
and by the end of the sixth year their average membership is 40 (collectively
120). Adding that to the original chapter's membership of 90+, there are
now over 210 barbershoppers in an area where there was once less than 70.
Given the bell curve trend for chapters embracing new programming, and given
the second wave from some of the colonized chapters, it's easy to get to
the growth numbers in the 10 to 12 year time frame.The critical issues are:
starting—participating in the first workshop, grasping the
new vision bases for success, making the crucial leadership adjustments;
championing—a leader, or small leader group, within each
chapter who understands the wisdom of the approach, sees the near-term benefits
and long-term potentials, and is absolutely determined to create it;
timely availability of workshops and support services.Q: Why are you doing this? What makes the
work of 21st & 7th so important?
A: If you are a spiritual person, this is a calling.
If you aren’t…it’s
a happy obsession!
More seriously, as an original American vocal music genre, Barbershop stands distinct along with Jazz, Opera, Gospel, Country and other vocal music genres. The style has a unique and powerfully positive effect on singers and audiences alike. It enriches their lives in unexpected and joyful ways.
The Barbershop Harmony Society and its chapters have been entrusted with preservation of the style and perpetuation of the genre. As trustees, we have the stewardship responsibilities, and it’s really important we get it right. The fun, thrills and uplifting emotions innate to Barbershop harmonies are genetic rights for all human beings to enjoy. It’s up to us to provide delivery service. [genetic rights—July/August 2008 edition of American Scientist magazine "The Psychoacoustics of Harmony Perception"]
The work of 21st & 7th is being done so that healthy, thriving, stewardship-conscious BHS chapters proliferate. The potential value of Barbershop in the lives of millions of people today is too great not to seize this opportunity.
Q: Your company name and
slogan really work well together—how did you arrive at those decisions?
A: "Where barbershop 7th chords intersect the 21st century" won out in a
tight run-off with "Zen and the Art of the Four-part 7th Chord"—after
all, perfect harmony does make us one with everything…
Q: Why workshops? Can't
we get this from studying lecture notes or a manual or viewing a video?
A: This particular training involves a depth of organizational change—new
mindsets, new bases for making leadership decisions as well as new packages
of methods. The in-person experience is practically mandated. The workshops
are about fully shifting to new pathways of success—not about adding
tweaks to what has always been done.
Q: Are these workshops just
for small struggling chapters or is there value for larger chapters and
more achievement-oriented chapters as well?
A: There’s important value for chapters regardless of size or goals.
The workshops are about chapters becoming compellingly valuable singing
organizations—valuable to their members, valuable to their communities.
It’s a paradigm fully helpful to social/affiliative chapters and competitive/achievement
chapters alike. Membership growth, philanthropic outreaches, contest achievements,
worthy community profiles and practically all other goals and benefits are
byproducts along the road. The workshops are valuable irrespective of size
or goals.
Q: How long is the “Compellingly
Attractive Chapter Meetings” [CACM] workshop, who should participate
and how many participants does it take?
A: Held almost always on a Saturday, the CACM workshop takes 7 1/2 hours
including lunch—usually 9 AM to 4:30 PM. The Music Director (or Interim
Music Director) plus two or more additional leaders from each chapter are
expected to participate. Successful workshops can be held with as few as
18 and as many as 120 as long as the venue can accommodate the numbers.
Q: What does it take to
book or host a CACM workshop and what does it cost?
A: The CACM workshop is an easy event to book and host. Complete details
including costs, checklists and parameters are at
Hosting a Workshop.
Q: Can we participate in
the second workshop without experiencing CACM first?
A: It is strongly advised that the prerequisites for a chapter’s participation
in the second workshop—“Compellingly Attractive Performances,
Administration and Community Profile”—be these items:
The 7 Deal-Maker Characteristics are well on their way to becoming part
of the chapter’s identity in the minds of the active membership.
The chapter’s Music Team is using the Top Strategic Priority every
week in everything it does.
Weekly meeting scripts designed for efficiency, education, creative participation,
variety and fun—all at the “compellingly attractive” level—are
emailed to members and prospective members prior to each meeting.The first workshop lays the foundation—compellingly attractive chapter meetings. They are the heartbeat of chapter viability. Only with that part pumping strongly, will strategies from the second workshop make a worthy difference.
Q: Where can we get answers
to more questions?
A: Call or write:
Chuck Greene
219 Windsor Forest Circle
Fletcher, NC 28732
828-768-9303
Chuck@21stn7th.com