What I did in July 2025

 Officer Report July, 2025

Chairman

• Drafted possible motion to appoint interim CRC members.
• Closed the voting on the motion to approve the June Async meeting minutes.
• Attended American AG.
• Attended Colloquium.
• Met w ExecDir and Treasurer to discuss staffing options.
• Met w DB re interim CRC configuration.
• Participated in Foundation meeting & receptions.
• Discussed strategic planning with former SMAC chair.
• Participated in M&G for International officers
• Presented LDW for LG Communications officers.
• Presented program about Mensa International.
• Zoom w A.
• Worked on reviewing and drafting edits for IBD Motion 25-15.
• Shared insider views on a request from a educational company to collaborate with Mensa.
• Discussed motions with GPAC chair.
• Zoom w DSNM re motions and issues.
• Zoom w chair of Australian Mensa re constitutional inconstancies.
• Gave A directory info for new South Africa and Slovakia chairs.
• Found and organized all IBD motions passed in 2025 so far and forwarded to DOO for Bylaws updating.
• Responded to CRC candidate’s questions.
• Zoom w DoD re many topics and to-do items.
• Facilitated forming consensus on interim CRC motion.
• Put forth motion and poll for appointing interim CRC members.
• Pointed new US Chair to past Async meeting to see how that format works.
• Read and forwarded research article about intelligence and a lower need for socialization to A and AT for social media fodder.
• Responded with explanation to a committee chair’s request to join IBD Open Session space.
• Requested input from ExComm re scheduling next meeting.
• Notified members of the recent Special Election Committee that they are dismissed.
• Notified the last couple live groups on WP that they need to move to the Hub.
• Checked on status of KAT joining the user Support Team.
• Sent formal IBD meeting invite to AT.
• Zoom w A, AT, and V re grand social media planning.
• Zoom w A re database, social media, and member discounts.
• Messaged w M re CRM topics.
• Messaged w UserSupport Team re CRM topic.
• Lots of discussion w V re social media platforms, official approval formalities, and policy needs.
• Prepped and put up motion/poll to appoint KAT to User Support.
• Prepped and sent Doodle Poll for July ExComm meeting.
• Sent initial onboarding email to CRC committee.
• Began drafting agenda for July ExComm meeting.
• Met w US NatRep to onboard to ExComm.
• Zoom w M re Cyprus, NatReps, motions, and other topics.
• Worked on July ExComm meeting agenda(s).
• Email discussion with new CRC member re getting started.
• Zoom w A re planning projects and coordinating to-do lists.
• Pointed out significant loopholes in eligibity restrictions to CPAC chair.
• Contacted Danish editor re Hub registration and uploading permissions.
• Asked US NatRep for details of AML’s agreement with TKS.
• Responded to several Mensa Foundation discussion threads.
• Manually added member from Denmark to the Hub.
• Put together a long list of S oMe ideas and where to find the content.
• Researched best travel options to get to and from Dusseldorf.
• Worked on SoMe strategy planning and content sourcing.
• Zoom w A re SoMe open meeting preparations.
• Zoom w A and MJ re CRM project and volunteer issues.
• Set up Hub space for Membership Database project.
• Thoroughly review complaint from Cyprus and made note.
• Zoom w A re discount benefits project and process and SoMe open call meeting planning.
• Zoom w M.
• Zoom w A to catch up on website crisis du jour.
• Participated in on-going discussion re web host situation.
• Put my foot down re Macau.
• Emailed MWJ editor re funding for IBD meeting.
• Nudged ExComm re July agenda, reporting, and a discussion thread to  participate in.
• Requested clarification about a Mensa Germany expulsion issue.
• Shared opinions about possible solutions to an issue in Mensa Germany.
• Discussed Macau issue with DoD.
• Reviewed updates re recent website hack.
• Sent email to IBD & NM Chairs with status update re MI Membership data.
• Zoom w A re webhosting options.
• Worked to get Awards Committee back on track.
• Put together a list of additional nominees to consider for awards and shared with committee.
• Drafted "script” for my portion of the SoMe open meetings.
• Researched and drafted lengthy response to concerns raised by Chair of Cyprus.
• Zoom w A & AT re planing for SoMe open call meetings.
• Caught up with Foundation online discussions.
• Pre-SoMe meeting practice and  alignment.
• Zoom open meeting for social media teams.
• Zoom with LN re social media ideas.
• Zoom w DoA re MWJ questions.
• Second Zoom open meeting for social media teams.
• Helped DoA find the Aug MWJ.
• Zoom w ISC.
• Zoom w A re web hosting options and ideas.
• Wrote Chairman’s report for May 22–July 20.
• Reviewed SoMe ideas and questions from LN.
• Prepped for meetings with PF and MJ.
• Offered advice re ExComm column in MWJ.
• Manually added chair of Mensa Bulgaria to the Hub.
• Responded to NZ Chair re SoMe questions.
• Zoom w P re motion drafting and staffing thoughts.
• Zoom w M.
• Zoom w DoA re annual report forms and processes.
• Zoom w A re webhosting and database planning.
• Drafted a motion with NatRep-DE to tidy up the list of documents all Mensas are required to share with MI/ISC.
• Pondered DoD’s topic of how to share info of expelled members with all NMs and requested that it be postponed until Oct ExComm meeting.
• Zoom w A re August planning.
• Pulled together notes and quotes from emails and zoom calls re CRM situation.
• Advised DoA on annual report forms and dealing with expelled members.
• Zoom w A re web planning.
• Drafted my Mensa Renaissance vision. Changed name to Reboot.
• Prepped table for “voting” for Awards Committee.
• Zoom w A re prep for meeting w MM & Team on Wed.
• Advised FB admin re mod removal quandry.
• Forwarded research article about high-ability adolescents to News Team and SoMe folks.
• Long Zoom w M re his meeting with the CRM company.
• Asked Treasurer to include budget for awards.
• Nudged Awards committee.
• Prepped friendly amendments to an IBD motion for approval during ExComm meeting.
• Wrote long response to DSNM’s questions about the CRM.
• Attended SMAC meeting.
• Began drafting ExecDir job description.
• Set up July-Aug Async meeting space and motions.
• Zoom w A re meeting w IT folks later in the week.
• Helped chair of Mensa India with a Hub configuration problem.
• Prepared for ExComm Zoom meeting, including incorporating input from J, who couldn’t attend.
• 2.5 hour ExComm Zoom meeting.
• Posted to Awards Comm my specific thoughts about all the nominees.
• Dealt with yet another request from members in Macau.
• Zoom w A re prep for meeting w website/database team.
  
• Sent motion 25-14 with friendly amendments incorporated and an explanatory preamble to ExDir for posting to IBD.
• Zoom w A re preparing for meeting about CRM options.
• Zoom w M.
• Advised DoD re handling a friendly amendment.
• Packed for EMAG.
• Zoom w A re the CRM/IT meeting I had to miss.

Key Leadership Competencies

 I took a screenshot of this from a TikTok post because it made me go "hmmmm...."

(It's from a site called Brilliancebrief.com)

Space to Unfold

I recently stumbled across an essay by Henrik Karlsson in his blog "Escaping Flatland."

When I meet a person who is truly, profoundly themselves, I sometimes think of a letter Charles Darwin sent to Joseph Hooker in January 1862 after receiving a package of orchids. 

“Good heavens,” Darwin wrote about the Angraecum sesquipedale, an orchid from Madagascar with a nectary as long as his forearm, ”what insect can suck it?” There must exist a pollinator moth with a tongue longer than any that has ever been observed, he conjectured later. The moth and the orchid must have evolved in dialogue.

This is what I infer when I see someone who is comfortable in their unique strangeness, too. There probably exists someone who enabled that evolution of personality. A parent, a friend group, a spouse. It is rare for people to come into themselves if no one is excited and curious about their core, their potential. We need someone who gives us space to unfold.

It occurs to me that in many ways this is what Mensa offers people of high intelligence — space to unfold and be comfortable as their true selves.

June— My Last Month with Two Positions!

 Officer Report June, 2025

Chairman

• Worked to build consensus on next ExComm meeting schedule and venue.
• Zoom w J re many many governance and financial topics.
• Sent ExecDir NM board updates and lists of members in IBD spaces for updating.
• Nudged Awards Comm.
• Clipped and sent relevant bylaws to Awards Comm and advised them that the Aug MWJ deadline was yesterday if they want to put out a call for nominations.
• Spent hours looking through past IBD agendas and minutes to come up with a list of past recipients.
• Worked on Async agenda.
• Zoom w A re website and minutes.
• Zoom w E re motions, Macau, and Hub.
• Zoom w M multiple topics.
• Zoom w User Support re needs and onboarding new person.
• Worked on IVNC motion crafting.
• Directed ExecDir to send two GPAC motions from January to the IBD.
• Welcomed new board of Mensa Malaysia.
• Responded to member in Macau.
• Completely re-formatted and updated the Actions Points page in the ExComm space.
• Drafted some thoughts on how to handle recurring “pending issues” on agendas.
• Responded to MWJ Editor’s request to be invited /reimbursed to IBD.
• Worked on Async agenda.
• Zoom w M re agenda preparations.
• Reviewed and commented on draft of May 29 minutes.
• Responded to Chair of Australia re CRM issues.
• Worked on Async agenda.
• Set up posts and polls for Async meeting.
• Reviewed docs re pitch to fujifilm.
• Initiated some discussion in the Async meeting.
• Discussed a few topics w Awards Comm.
• Zoom w M.
• Added new IBD members to the Hub spaces.
• Alerted ExComm to important proposed amendment of a motion before the IBD.
• Zoom w recruitment company.
• Zoom w A re social media and other topics.
• Participated in Async meeting to keep things going.
• Responded to MWJ editor re future plans and IBD meeting.
• Emailed for help signing up for IBD events.
• Worked on Bylaw 15 revision.
• Discussed GDPR with DSNM.
• Sent several questions to ExDir re GDPR and CRM procedures.
• Prepped and facilitated urgent ExComm motion to remove IBD 25-09 from the table.
• Responded to former Mil chair re awards.
• Moved the secondary motion (to remove 25-09 from the table) along for an IBD vote.
• Organized ExComm motions in spreadsheet recording voting.
• Facilitated more Async discussion and voting prep.
• Zoom w A re database and social media.
• Zoom w HP re database, non-dues revenue, and staffing needs.
• Nudged Async meeting.
• Reviewed Foundation reports and schedules.
• Proposed significant edits to SoMe role titles and descriptions and sent to A.
• Zoom w Treasurer re office needs and costs, marketing issues, and other topics.
• Revisited using contributions from several ExComm members’ discretionary budgets to cover cost of IBD voting tool upgrade.
• Closed Async meeting polls and updated voting records.
• Zoom w A re Social media planning.
• Zoom w M re IBD motion confusion and solutions.
• Zoom w M.
• Alerted DoD re Turkey issues.
• Zoom w A re minutes.
• Sent recruitment documents to J.
• Drafted Survey Monkey application form for social media teams.
• Responded to recruiter and treasurer about next steps.
• Reviewed and comments on draft of minutes for June Async meeting.
• Advised Austria chair of contact information for a member traveling to Boston.
• Call w DoD re ENM/PNM issues.
• Zoom meeting with comms team re social media planning.
• Zoom w A re Social media planning.
• Zoom w A & AT re Social media planning.
• Zoom w M.
• Reviewed flyers for social media teams.
• Emailed new DoA.
• Added new DoA to appropriate Hub spaces.
• Prepped DoA onboarding  list.
• Responded to discussion re IBD meeting tool upgrades.
• Zoom w new DoA for onboarding (2.5 hours!)
• Zoom w DoD re developing NMs’ issues.
• Emailed Macau members.
• Responded to Ombudsman re MY-BE SIG.
• Call w V re board drama.
• Sent applications for Interim CRC to ExComm for consideration.
• Call w DSNM re CRC needs.
• Responded to new DoA’s questions and comments regarding database topics.
• Zoom w M re many topics.
• Tried to help new DoA get into the email account.
• Put up voting poll for approval of June Async meeting minutes.
• Put up voting poll for approval of ExComm motion to thank and dismiss the SEC.
• Forwarded bubbling issues in NZ to the Ombudsman.
• Reviewed SMAC’s draft of a Strategic Plan for 2026–31 and sent many many comments to SMAC chair.
• Drafted message to NMs re CRM/breach status and sent links o M for input.
• Discussed status of CRO with the DSNM.
• Printed 300 flyers for social media open meetings.
• Carefully reviewed and commented on proposed GPAC motions regarding the MSCRs.
• Asked Exec Dir  about composition of IBD-Discussion email list (to make sure it also goes to NM editors, since that’s how the MWJ is being sent).
• Reviewed costs and budgets regarding CRM expenses.
• Pondered and proposed a work-around for a CRC restriction until we can amend it.
• Responded to questions from chair of Mensa India.
• Answered questions from new DoA re communications.
• Responded to several questions from N&L Chair.
• Responded to DoA questions about NM reporting.
• Contributed to ExComm discussion of proposed MSCR changes.

Acting Director of Administration

• Gathered and sent ExComm motions passed between meetings to DoO.
• Tons of work on motions covering social media.
• Sent call for volunteers content for Aug MWJ.
• Responded back and forth several times with disgruntled member regarding why we announced vol openings if the website isn’t updated (she must have gotten hold of the content intended for the July MWJ).
• Posted call for applications for CRC.
• Zoom w A re minutes and action points prep.
• Manually added member from Sweden to the Hub.
• Zoom w A.
• Prepped updated text for several webpages re volunteer openings and applications.
• Tweaked Hub permissions for TL.
• Zoom w A re volunteer pages on web.
• Corresponded w MRJ Editor re expansion ideas.
• Corresponded w TKA re helping User Support.
• Reached out to a recruiter to ask about their services and costs.
• Corresponded with a member asking about consequences of a motion currently before the IBD.
• Discussed w DoD whether or not to pay for additional ticketing agents in FreshDesk.
• Proofed Aug MWJ and sent comments to editor.
• Tried to clear some backlogged tickets. Not much luck.
• Shifted access permissions on some Google Docs I started but will need even as Chair.
• Changed login info for admin-mil account and passed it to the new DoA.
• Sent new DoA promo doc for volunteer season.
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