Carl's Corner
Carl's Corner
Winter 2023
The holidays are over, and as Elks we now enter into some of the busiest months of the year, not only in the lodge but also throughout the state, for those who wish to extend their participation and camaraderie beyond just their local lodge. A statement I hear often, and one that couldn’t be further from the truth, is that participation in state events is just for the “state people.” State people, they say. So just who are these so-called “state people?” It’s not a term we commonly use, but let me venture a guess.
Perhaps a “state person” is a member who wishes to grow their leadership skills and agrees to work on one of the many district or state association committees or boards of directors or who agrees to become a state officer. Yes, these are “state people,” and we see them at almost every state meeting:
February Quarterly — Feb. 8-10, 2024 — Florida Elks Youth Camp
State Convention — May 23-25, 2024 — Rosen Centre, Orlando
Midyear Convention — Nov. 14-16, 2024 — Hilton St. Pete Bayfront
These dedicated and hardworking Elks are the brains and the brawn that keep our organization operating, and without them we would not have an association. They thrive on Elkdom and the great work we do throughout our state for children, veterans and those less fortunate than ourselves. It is at these state meetings that we oversee the work of our major projects, hear reports on our projects, build pride in our membership and often meet some of the people we support and help!
Another “state person” might be a member of a lodge’s Ladies organization. Our state organization, the Florida Ladies of Elks (FLOE), holds an annual state conference each year:
FLOE Conference — Sep. 19-21, 2024 — Shores Resort — Daytona
Many ladies and their spouses from across the state attend this conference to represent their local auxiliaries. While attending, they sharpen their fundraising skills, and they work to coordinate their statewide efforts to support our lodges and our state major projects. So yes, these members too are indeed “state people!”
How about the golfers, RVers, MLB fans and NHL fans? Can’t these be “state people?”
Elks Night at the Lightning — Feb. 19, 2024 vs Senators — Tampa
Elks State Golf Tournament — Apr. 6-7, 2024 — Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club — Sebring
FLOE RV Rally — May 31-Jun. 2, 2024 — Ocala North RV Resort
Elks Day at the Rays — Aug. 18, 2024 vs. AZ — St. Petersburg
These Elks-faithful travel the state to make and renew friendships with their fellow Elks. They enjoy friendly competitions and on occasion get to see a pretty decent professional sports matchup. Always with these types of events there is something in it for our major projects, but isn’t that almost everything Elks? Without a doubt, these members too are “state people.”
And finally, what about EVERY individual Florida Elk, the nearly 55,000 of us?! We, who each year pay $3 through our lodge dues to support the Florida State Elks Association, aren’t each of us tried and true “state people?”
So, I guess the members are right. Our state events are just for “state people,” and when you rationalize it, we ARE all “state people,” and our statewide events ARE just for “state people!” Take a look at what you are missing if you do not consider yourself a “state person.” Go on our website at floridaelks.org and explore the many opportunities that exist for “state people.” Stand up and be proud to be a “state person” and enjoy the benefits of membership that exist outside of the lodge’s four walls! There is a whole Elks world out there just waiting to be discovered! Attend a state function and be proud to be a “state person.”
Now, on a more somewhat somber note, next month we will hold elections for our lodge leaders for the coming year. So much has been written about what to look for in an officer and what leadership qualities they should possess, but let’s face it, sometimes we do not have the luxury of a deep bench to choose from, or, more often than not, it is sad to say, we have no one at all! About the only thing I can say, and I say it every year, is our state association puts on a very good officer training seminar each year.
Officer Training Seminar — Mar. 15-17, 2024 — Rosen Centre, Orlando
Do your lodge a favor and send your new officers (at least the Exalted Ruler, Leading Knight, Secretary and Treasurer) to this all-important training. Have a spaghetti dinner to raise the funds if you have to and show your faith in the newly elected. Encourage them to attend and help them be the best they can be! Registration opens on our website Feb. 1. Best of luck in your elections and let’s fill those chairs! Here’s to an election process that is held to the highest of standards and one that attracts the best of the best! Our lodges provide members a unique environment within which members can perfect and polish their leadership skills, all while serving our members and our communities.
I want to hear from our “state people.” What do you consider to be your favorite state activity? What do you most enjoy about our state activities? If you are new and haven’t ventured too far from your lodge yet, what is keeping you from becoming a “state person?” Email me at
carl@floridaelks.org and share! I look forward to hearing from you!
Carl Seibert, COO
State Secretary
State Secretary
Florida State Elks Association
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Fall 2023
Did you know that since 2000, the average attention span of a person dropped from 12 seconds to 8 seconds? Now it probably took you about 5 seconds to read this first sentence, so that means I have only 3 seconds left to “hook” you into reading the rest of this article!
Let’s face it. If you’re like me, you are tethered to your computer and smartphone. They have become an unending source of distraction and have led to our ever-shrinking attention spans. So, we should keep this in mind in our day-to-day communications and use it to our advantage whenever possible.
In the last issue of this magazine, I wrote about the chain of command for an Elks lodge and about getting your concerns to the right person for them to be heard. As a recipient of many member communications, I see the good, the bad and the ugly. So in this issue, I thought I would share some thoughts on what I see and offer some assistance on how to structure the message itself so it has a better chance of not only getting heard but also acted upon.
The very first sentence of this article was my attention grabber. It was a question that made you think for a second, and it was a sort of mind-boggling statistic that hopefully made you wonder where I was going. My aim was to entice you into continuing to read on and is suggestion No. 1 when trying to capture attention, especially in today’s world where impatience and distraction are center stage. You have done your homework and have hopefully gotten your message to the person who can do something with it. Don’t lose them with smoke and mirrors, fluff, and incoherent babble. Tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, then tell them what you told them.
Technology has enabled us to become champions of communications. We now can type our message and retype it quickly and easily. We have spell check and grammar check at our disposal to ensure that our message is coherent. This allows us to follow suggestion No. 2:
- Keep it simple.
- Make it easy to follow and understand.
- Read and reread it to make sure it is concise and clear.
My use of a bulleted list above reads so much better than: keep it simple, make it easy to follow and understand, and read and reread it to make sure it is concise and clear.
Appearance is everything. Take a look at the before and after images below. Which of these would you rather receive?
Is anyone going to even take the time to read the before version? It’s doubtful!
Suggestion No. 3
Note the use of line breaks in the “after” version above. They make the message so much more visually appealing and much easier to read. You can also use subheadings as I have above with “Suggestion No. 3,” adding visual emphasis and allowing the reader to pause a moment before having to entertain a new thought.
We should always try to avoid using flowery language, curse words or phrases from the latest urban slang. Make it catchy without being crude. If you were speaking to someone and they had to ask you to use plain English, they will not understand your jargon. If it’s gibberish in, don’t be surprised if you get gibberish out. The average email today is about 434 words. Experts suggest that if you want an email to be read, keep it between 50 and 125 words. Incidentally, this paragraph is exactly 91 words.
In the above, I used another example of effective communication; we will call it suggestion No. 4. We have all probably heard or even used the phrase, “garbage in garbage out.” This is an example of a blurb or sound bite. They are usually less than 10 words and because they are easily remembered and often catchy, they are used over and over. Time for a little experiment. I will have a small gift for the first 10 people this year at the midyear convention in St. Petersburg who repeat my new catchphrase — “make it catchy without being crude.” Let’s really see how many people actually read these articles!
Suggestion No. 5 — While composing your message, always stay focused on the reason you are writing it. Are you writing to inform, instruct, persuade or direct? Let your reader know quickly and nicely what your intent is. Use lead lines such as these:
- Please be informed or I am writing to let you know…
- Allow me to guide you on the steps for our registration...
- When you have a moment, I’d appreciate your help…
- I am writing today to explain more about our upcoming veterans project…
This is not the time for a teaser or clickbait lead-in, especially if you are asking the recipient to do something or act. Fool them and they will ask you, and not always nicely, to remove them from your mailing list!
And, while we are on it, always keep in mind the tone you are using. Regardless of how upset you are, it is easier to persuade others with polite requests and a positive attitude rather than with rude demands and negativity. Note the tone difference between “you are hereby directed” versus “I am respectfully asking you.”
Finally, and possibly the most important suggestion — context, suggestion No. six. Give your reader information that helps them accurately understand and interpret the meaning of your message, such as background information, timeframe or details about circumstances. Read and reread your message as if you are the recipient and make sure you have given them everything they will need. Anticipate their questions and provide them answers. If you ask them to become a referee, give them some context on how both sides feel, not just your own. If conveying information, arrange it in a meaningful way, maybe in the order of the steps to take. Read it as if you are the recipient and think how you would act if you received your message.
In summary, here are six suggestions I feel will go a long way to improve any message or communication and elicit a response:
Suggestion 1 — Grab their attention.
Suggestion 2 — Keep it simple.
Suggestion 3 — Make it visually appealing and easy to read.
Suggestion 4 — Say more with less words.
Suggestion 5 — Stay focused on the reason for the message.
Suggestion 6 — Give your reader context.
We live in a world dominated by headlines and sound bites. If we wish to be heard, we must tailor our communications so as to have the best possible opportunity for them to be read and replied to.
No one wants their communication to go unread. Take the time to compose your message properly and your chances for success are much improved.
Share with me your ideas on improving lodge participation! Email me at carl@floridaelks.org. I look forward to hearing from you!
Carl Seibert, COO
State Secretary
State Secretary
Florida State Elks Association
Summer 2023
There’s a Right Way and a Wrong Way to do Just About Everything
No different than the Secretary of a lodge, I as the state association’s Secretary become the go-to person for the state on an assortment of questions and matters. Many I can assist with but some I cannot. I try very hard to be a reliable resource for our members, yet when it comes to disgruntled lodge members, I become just another frustration for them. More often than not, a member has reached out to me because their letters to the Grand Exalted Ruler or the Chicago headquarters office have gone unanswered. Many even write in their letters to me that they already know theirs to me, too, will go unanswered, and to me that just reinforces their level of frustration and their desperation to get someone to listen to them. And listen is usually the key. Most times they are just looking for someone to listen! In resolving conflict, we are taught that often when a person complains, they are really just looking for someone to listen to them and their dilemma. They may not be looking for you to solve their problem. They are probably just looking for someone to acknowledge the legitimacy of their concern or provide clarity on how better to present it. Listen long enough and they will probably even tell you they aren’t looking for a resolution. Sometimes just letting them get it off their chest is resolution enough! However, for those truly seeking resolve, the aim of this article is to help you avoid frustration in your quest. Read on and you will get some of my suggestions on the right way and the wrong way to get someone to listen!
Spring 2023
It’s Time to Rededicate Yourself to Your Lodge
Over the years, as I have penned my messages, I have tended to focus much of my encouragement and support on the active members of our lodges — namely those members operating our lodges, hosting the events, supporting the events, and doing most of the work. In this message, however, I would like to speak openly to another important constituency in our lodges, an often overlooked constituency, a group of members we know exist but whom we tend to write off, and a contingency we obviously need but one we make it all too easy to ignore. Those members are our CCMs, also known as our card-carrying members!
This special group is due our respect and has a rightful place in our organization, regardless of their reasons for belonging to this esteemed group. In fact, when you think about it, we all became members of this elite group the night we became Elks! The question we must ask, then, is why someone remains a member of this group when we have so much more to offer!