[MR] thoughts on the "bar" in Orders

[Barbara Bilodeau]

Somewhere in all this mail about the new orders, it has been implied (if
not stated) that the level of work necessary to get into Orders is
rising.  Having conducted a meeting of the Pearls this past weekend,
this was clearly a concern and topic of much discussion both inside and
outside of the meeting.

I've decided to share some information on how Order of the Pearl has
been working and provide a few numbers that may be of interest.  While
I'm sharing information I have easy access to because of being Principal
of this fine Order, any opinions are mine.  You'll see my real motive
for this message at the end of the email!   This is kind of long, and I
hope you'll bear with me.

I personally have concluded that there is no "standard" that is used by
any order as an entity.  All that exists are standards used by the
individual members.  Each member who responds to a polling will use
their own personal convictions and means of judgment.   The current
Pearl roster has 157 "active" members, which means we could have 157
different standards on which the recommendations are based.  But it gets
more complicated, because it is our Monarchs who take the words of these
pollings and make a decision (since this is a polling of the order, and
not a vote!), and naturally Their standards come into play also.

About once every year or two, a discussion develops on our email lists
about "what does it mean to be a Pearl, and what standards do you use?" 
Many members of the order clearly struggle with developing their own
criteria in an attempt to be fair and consistent.  The interaction
becomes lively, and sometimes stressful, as members describe their own
criteria, debate, and critique other criteria.  Yet it still comes down
to each person having their own standard.

But there is one thing I have NOT seen, and that is any question or
debate about us changing to become less open, more stringent, or of
raising the "bar."  If, over the years, a change in level of A&S
activity needed to receive a Pearl has resulted from our combined advice
to the Crowns of Atlantia, it has been neither defined nor conscious. 
It has just resulted from the evolving standards of individuals.

Nor have we Pearls, as a group, work at preventing people from getting
Pearls.  QUITE the contrary. On occasion a name is brought up for
discussion, and a few people point out reasons that the person may not
be ready to be made a member yet. But it is MUCH more common that a name
is proposed and lots of other people chime in with more supporting
evidence.

Indeed, the Pearls seem to be a very "positive" order: 31 people have
been polled for since March of 2000, encompassing a time from the end of
Kyneburh and Ragnar's reign, and the reigns of Anton & Emer and Havorth
and Mary Grace.  From this group, 25 people have been added to our
order. I understand that one didn't happen simply because Their
Majesties couldn't catch the candidate at an event before that person
moved out of kingdom.  16% of our active membership has been added in
the past eighteen months!

So, if we're such a welcoming order, why does it seem to take a long
time for a worthy person to be added to the order?

A little more education:
1. The process of getting some added to the order starts with someone
paying attention enough to recommend a person and getting that
recommendation to the Principal of the order.  The Principal adds the
name and information from the recommendation to a "watch list."

2. The watch list is distributed at least once per reign.  (I'm sending
it out about once per quarter, since using email makes the task easier
and cheaper than it used to be.)  Members use the watch list to try to
become familiar with the person and their work: viewing their work in
A&S displays and competitions, attending their classes, noting their
local contributions, viewing their web pages, or spotting them at
events. This can take some effort in a Kingdom the size of ours.

3. Eventually, Their Majesties want to put out a polling.  Frequently,
They ask the Order "who do you want polled?"  This tends to happen at a
meeting, which must be held once per reign.  Their Majesties also
sometimes add names to the polling, but in my experience most of the
people to be polled for are decided by the members attending the
meeting.  We have conducted pollings in April 2000, October 2000,
November 2000, and April 2001.  (A polling was sent during September
2001, but I have not accounted for that in the statistics I've
provided.)

4. Their Majesties usually give a couple weeks for the polling responses
to be sent back. They compile the results, and act on the
recommendations as They see fit.

So, lets think about time frames.  The time difference between step 1
and 3 could be 3 to 6 months while a person has been on the watch list
until a polling is formed.  Assuming that during that time the person
has had enough name recognition for Their Majesties and/or a consensus
of the Order to want the person on the polling, add a month for polling
results to be sent to Their Majesties and compiled.  Then add the time
of Their Majesties' reign - or even Their Successors - before that
person is at the same event as the Crowns, to be able to receive the
honors.

Thus, it is entirely possible that a year may have come and gone between
the time someone says "hey, this person should be a Pearl!" until it
actually happens.  There are many exceptions - but I think this is
closer to the norm.  (Perhaps some day I'll do a study on what the
"norm" really is!)

How can we fix this?  I believe that as long as the Pearls are a polling
order, time frames like this will exist.  But I encourage everyone to
make the first step shorter: don't wait until a person is due (or
overdue) for recognition before bringing them to the attention of the
Order.  Our watch list states: "You are encouraged to add people to the
watch list as soon as they seem promising, not when they seem ready to
be inducted.  It takes time to develop name recognition."  

Recommendations don't have to come from only within the Order.  Alas, so
far during my tenure, I have received only three recommendations from
outside the order. (That is, only two recommendations that were not
solicited.  I've had a couple of cases where I solicited the
recommendation such as "HRM says this person is really good at x, and
you could give me some details.")  I suppose this speaks well of our
Order that we HAVE added so many Pearls and we have so many people on
our watch list (45!!).  These numbers tell me that the Order must be
paying attention to the artisans of the Kingdom!  (hey, guys, I'm proud
of you!)

But I encourage non-pearls to make recommendations also, particularly in
those parts of the kingdom where other members of the Order are few and
far between. We WANT recommendations!! Send recommendations to Their
Majesties, of course - but please send a copy to the Principal of the
Order, so that the Order can become aware of the person.  And I will be
VERY happy to receive info by email.  That makes a cut&paste into a
watch list document much easier! 

It is my hope that this message will have shed some light on the
processes of a polling order, to those not in such an order.  It is my
greater hope that others will aid us in doing the right things by
bringing artisans to our attention by writing recommendations!

Best wishes,
Anne of Carthew
Principal of the Order of the Pearl