A Thought On Sargeantry.

[arontius]

.....This is mainly to put thought to proverbial paper for future retention. But feed-back would be appreciated as well.

.....There is so much to think about when preparing for the Coronets. I probably should learn to stop over-sharing, to be honest. :-) But I like talking things out with people.

.....One of the programs that TBT wanted to concentrate on re-building was the Sargeantry Program. What we have in mind is definitely different than has been in place in the past. So that might make it a challenge from the start. Then there is the fact that we want to approach this with a wider viewpoint than as a Baroness' Guard. So the fact that the Baron would be as much a focus as the Baroness may be a strangeness that will not be tolerated either. We'll see. We intend to build the framework first and present it at a Baronial Town Hall Meeting and see how it goes over. Then it will either progress, go back for re-write, or be shelved all together.

.....All you can do it try something.

.....One of the things that always caused us paused whenever Their Current Excellencies discussed the concept was, what do Sargeants do once they earn the title? No one was ever enamored with the concept of Sargeantry as serving staff or Baronial Labor Pool. Being a Teacher or Leader is expected from anyone who has been playing for a number of years in the branch, so that was not something that really would set a Sargeantry apart. So we had to think of something different.

.....Something that I've been musing over for a while now falls in line with my Arthurian Romance stylistic musings. My thought was that when a Sargeant (or Yoeman or Lancer or Courtier or Gallant or...) is named their final act of the Trials would be to name their 'Quest' for the upcoming year. This Quest would be something that they would work on throughout the year. It should be something that was achievable. But still something that was a challenge to achieve. For a Sargeant this might mean that they fight thirty knights over the course of the year and gain their feed-back and insight. If they are a Gallant, maybe the Quest would be to learn and demonstrate a new and distinct style of weaponry. For a Courtier the Quest might be to research and demonstrate an entire new artistry.

.....Then after a year's time all the members of the Baronial Sargeantry would meet around a proverbial round table and discuss the Quest they performed over the past year. This includes their successes and failures. And how they grew within their discipline by undertaking this Quest. Others witnessing this Quest and listening to them speak at the round table might be inspired to greatness themselves.

.....Then, when all the stories have been spoke. The members all declare their Quest for the upcoming year and what they intend to do to achieve it.

.....This is rather simplistic in explanation and seems more self-centered rather than community building (which is what I would want to do as a member of the Sargeantry). But it is a starting point. My hope is to pull together a group of people to debate this to the nth degree and see what we could do to strain it into something purer.

.....TBT has been receptive, but there is still a lot of debate to happen and thoughts that need to get put down in black-and-white. :-)

.....Aaron / Arontius.

Comments

More Thought - Part I

[derekl1963.livejournal.com]

(Split into two because I'm excessively wordy this morning and LJ does not care much for that.)

I should make clear from the outset that I believe strongly in something very much like the Sergeantry of yore and that they did serve a valuable role and can do so again. I also see that playing Devil's Advocate as a valuable part of that process, though many often mistake it for excessive negativity. Questioning things is in my nature.

If we're to build a foundation upon which we wish to encourage people to build their castles of hopes and dreams upon - it behooves us to exert every effort to ensure that it is as strong as possible. Sure, it'll need some shoring up here and there over time, but we don't want to be jacking it up again in a few years to replace major sections of that foundation.

[Start random/stream of consciousness thoughts, lightly edited (to Arontius's great despair), but unlike some we know I at least try to filter and explain.]

In the past we had the PLQ standard - now we propose replacing that with something potentially even more nebulous.

The key to serving as role models is visibility *as Sergeants*. Around here we don't use titles as much as we might (whether speaking to or writing about inferiors, equals, or superiors in rank) and that tends to obscure that visibility. That's a double edged sword - because behaving so also promotes the feeling of family we have so deeply woven into our (Baronial) culture.

Pondering an alternative to Quests... (Which I don't much care for because of the near certainty of devolving into eye rolling.) I'd invert the Quest and form the Seargentry into something inspired by what the Wyverns have occasionally tried to be (without much success) - a visible Companionship/Company that undertakes tasks to serve as role models. Rather than a Quest announced in advance, they'd be required annually to account for their deeds and behavior 'in the mead hall'. (Sigh, on reflection, there's a near certainty of eye rolling in this system too...)

Encouraging growth is a good thing, but it does not come without great potential downsides.