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I am looking at starting a Member Advisory committee. Would like to know what some of you do and how do you structure yours. Any help or ideas would be great.

(My answer applies to a previous place of employment, not my current one) We met once a quarter at night and the group was made of of people we were familiar with. Loyal, long time customers, preferably not all the same age range. It worked well for a while, but then it got dissolved. Participants had their own agenda and were not thinking big picture (sounds familiar??) We also did not implement enough of their ideas, which caused some friction. Afterwords we just asked for input through comment cards.

A member advisory committee is kind of like a working board. The people are those who regularly attend, passionate, and don't mind sharing values and opinions. Sometimes too much so be careful who you finally select. They may also volunteer in leadership roles as well. I might suggest you create a series of areas you want the input in, and discuss openly with a group of members overall goals for the group, best methods for feedback. Members can then either subdivide into areas of concentration such as facility cleanliness, safety and risk management, programming, marketing and communications, membership (new,old and renewal, and attrition issues), staff performance, teacher effectiveness, just to name a few, or maybe assign one area to each member to get the process started. The members can look at a variety of methods to obtain feedback from on-site surveys, to passive surveys, to on-line contests to more active information blitzs. If you search the internet, you will find FREE survey instrument services and can utilize to create on-line surveys. Bottom line if they aren't involved, it will fade away shortly. It is true to not meet too often and be flexible with meeting times. At any rate, hope this is helpful and good luck. Chris

In addition to the great suggestions already offered I would add the following: Do be very careful upfront to establish, in detail, what the advisory committee is being asked to do and who they report to. There is a world of difference in advisory committees that report to staff (my preference) and those reporting to elected officials. Also, be aware that an advisory committee will expect that their advice be used. As a suggestion, it is helpful to include in the topics you ask then to consider, some items that you know you will be able to implement some portions of their suggestions (and be sure to report back to them on the actions you take in regard to their input).

I have used advisory committees in specialized promotions. They bring a world of ideas and their support goes along way in helping to make events successful. Presently, we are building a new 10,000 square foot fitness center. We have an advisory committee helping us in putting together what equipment and programs that they would like to have in this facility. Having their buy in, again will make this new facility and expenditure to be well recevied by our other residents. After sharing with this committee and all committees the purpose and direction they usually come to a agree. With any advisory committee, they have a purpose and direction, a time they begin working and a time when the committee is no longer needed. It is not an ongoing committee.

I do this with kids. This committee does everything from help make changes (additions or deletions) to our athletic handbook to sit on a review board to asssist with eligibility questions pertaining to team rule violations. It works Great!!

Staff elect about 50 members. Management team reviews names in an effort to have a mix of ages, sex, and membership types. Final list contacted. Advisory group is a one year commitment, they meet once a month for one hour. Each meeting has a brief business update (memberships, cancels, next promotion), review of action plan (items identified by committee in last meeting and where management is in resolving), area manager presents (each departments manager attends one meeting and discuss the scope of service in their area and fields questions from the committee related to their department), end with open discussion time (this is usually just 10 minutes). Everyone committee member is told that the meeting will run exactly on schedule, if anyone wants to stay after and continue the discussion staff will stick around. Regardless of what point the discussion is in we end on time. This is important to keeping that open discussion time focused and not allowing it to degrade into an unproductive gripe session.

An advisory group is a good idea. However, committee members must understand they are part of a group that represents thousands of other members. Of course, they should also understand they do NOT have broad authority to give directions/orders to staff, make new rules, overrule decisions, change schedules, or revise policies or procedures. However, discussions with the Committee Advisor (or Manager), who is responsible for the day-to-day operations, including all personnel matters, will go a long way. They should be free to talk to staff - anytime - as they go about their workouts in the various facilities. They should speak freely to staff on how things are going, how members like the facilities and programs, etc. The only no-no is giving employees a direct instruction; that’s not their job. Ask them to tell the Committee Advisor (or Manager) what they saw and what are their thoughts because he or she wants to know.

You may want to try "sounding board" meetings every quarter. Each meeting you send out invitations to a select group of members, inviting a different group for each meeting. This will give you a variety of members both new and old , as well as a group of different age people. It gives you a more varied outlook on the thoughts and ideas of your members and doesn't lock you into the ideas of the same people all the time. You can also do invitations based on the topics you are looking to address, pulling members through their area of interest profiles.

As with all the other comments, a member advisory board is a two-edged sword. Initially, the members are/will be excited to see that their is an interest in their ideas/input from the club's perspective. That will endear them to you. However, I too caution you about the duration of the advisory board. Board members tend to feel a little too important as the committee continues to exist. Sometimes they act in their own interests, not in the other member's or the club's. We solved that issue by limiting the existence of the board to the project/task at hand. Also, whenever we engaged a member committee, it could not consist of the same group(s) of people. This way, ideas are fresh, members feel more involved and politics rarely became an issue. I hope this helps you.

I tend to agree with just about everyone else's ideas and advice. One area I have seen in our advisory council is that there are way to many people on the council and lastly, do not allow parents who have children in a program be a part of that council or committee until their children are finished. They tend to have hidden, or not so hidden agenda's. It becomes a me and my meeting versus what the intention should be. Good luck on this.

We have a member advisory board and it has been phenomenal. We started about a year ago. I did set the tone right from day one that this was to improve our processes and systems, gain member feedback and discuss new ideas and any concerns. I provide an agenda in advance for each meeting and provide meeting notes. Our board consists of 15 members and the facility's management team. Our board has really helped in our decision processes. They have provided us with valuable feedback. These members are vested in our club and take great pride.