The Reorganization Task Force, under a mandate from the membership, held its first retreat on October 1-3, at the APsaA National Office in New York. Dean K. Stein, APsaA executive director, and Gretchen Anderson, a management consultant with Katzenbach Partners in New York joined us. Niko Canner, also with Katzenbach Partners, facilitated part of the meeting.
During the summer, the task force members prepared for the retreat by reviewing past initiatives and New York State law. The task force members also divided into work groups to prepare 16 “white papers” on a wide variety of topics derived from the task force's mandate. The topics included the structure of the Board of Directors, officers' roles, the Executive Committee, other committees, the Executive Council and Board on Professional Standards, and membership. The work groups' papers examined these topics, explored possible options, raised questions pro and con, and provided information and comparison with other professional organizations. The ultimate authority of the Board of Directors was recognized in all our work.
With the white papers providing the base and structure for the retreat, we worked from the “bottom up.” We focused on each topic, each aspect of the organization as a part, rather than following a progression from principles to structures, believing that this encourages creative thinking, allows for original solutions, and avoids being bound by preconceptions. We wanted to immerse ourselves in the actual functioning of APsaA and the possible new arrangements.
The white paper structure facilitated lively, open discussion and an evolution of thinking that ultimately enabled the committee to focus on severa possible governance models. We began to explore and fill in pictures of each model (for example, possible Board structures, the implications of BOPS being internal or external in relation to APsaA, modes of representation, and routes of influence).
New work groups were formed to gather facts and further explore the following topics: a new mission statement, board composition models, relationship with psychoanalysts outside APsaA, society representation, BOPS, and our relationship with the wider community.
The task force emphasized the importance of communicating with the membership in a continuous and reciprocal manner throughout the process. In addition to the mandated reports, minutes will be published following each meeting and TAP will continue to cover our work. The task force considers membership participation a vital part of the process and has begun to discuss possible forums in which members can offer ideas and react to our ideas. The task force will plan time for an open meeting with the membership at all APsaA January and June meetings.
Our next meeting will take place on Friday and Saturday afternoons at the APsaA Winter Meeting.
Stephanie Smith, M.A., L.I.C.S.W., is vice-chair of the Reorganization Task Force. At the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, she is faculty, vice-chair of the Child Analysis Committee, an associate supervising child and adolescent psychoanalyst and secretary for the society.