A Post Mortem review of a recent project:
I was on the planning board for an organization’s state convention. My assignment was to plan gifts for special honorees at a pre-convention dinner, as well as decorations and centerpieces. The artifact that I was given was an elaborate book showing what committee members of past conventions had done, including photographs, receipts, etc.
Previous committees for this pre-convention affair had, in the past, helped create elaborate invitations, menus, RSVP cards and envelopes, and then mailed these to the participants. The executive committee for this organization was determined to keep the costs down and instructed me that the hostess, a past state president, would email invitations to people and choose the menu herself.
The chair of the dinner called me, as did her secretary, asking about the invitations, etc. Fortunately for me the executive committee required everything be vetted and approved by them, including e-mails. I sent her inquiry and my response to them, they contacted the woman, and I was “off the hook.” However, I also think that one of the committee members forgot to inform the chair of their decision, which we’d discussed several months before the event.
Prior planning contributed to the success of the dinner. I observed the preparations for the dinner at the previous convention and from the visit learned what was expected of me at this year’s soiree. A friend had ideas for the gifts and created them early in the planning process. Other friends helped me create the centerpieces. The preparations for the dinner were a success, according to the executive committee, who also attended it. (I decorated the tables and was done an hour before the dinner began. I didn’t have to meet the “miffed” hostess, at all.)
The affair would have gone more smoothly for me if I had checked with one of the executive committee members about whether or not she had “gotten the word” to the hostess. I was intimidated by the process of having to have everything approved by the committee and didn’t ask that crucial question. When the hostess contacted me I had a moment’s panic, hoping I had not misunderstood the committee’s wishes. I forgot that these ladies are just people and that their mission was to keep 25 committees on target to insure a successful convention for everyone. I made the mistake of assuming instead of checking.
