Volunteer work and club hierarchy are not necessarily a contradiction

Dear Reader

Like most sports, we, too, are part of a hierarchy that extends from local clubs through regional and national organizations all the way to international ones.¹ Criticism of such organizational behemoths must not be ignored. Many people feel they are not well represented and far removed from the “elite.” It is likely for these reasons, among others, that smaller, directly organized, highly specialized communities are booming. Examples include interest groups of all kinds: IGG, IG Warbird, IGEJS, or the International Jet Model Committee (IJMC), etc.

However, criticism of club or association structures is very often based on a lack of understanding of our federalist organization, which largely mirrors the Swiss political system. Responsibility is shared among the various organizational levels. Anyone who confuses our federation’s hierarchy with chains of command is unlikely to succeed; for the centralism associated with such a system would stand no chance here. This means that no higher-level body can issue orders to a lower-level one—unless within the framework of clear agreements. The “digitalists,” however, never miss an opportunity to push for more centralization. So I’m curious to see when my aviation exploits will one day be accessible in Bonn or Brussels.

The question remains: How can I help good ideas gain traction within an organization? On a formal level, I think first and foremost of performance agreements. For me, these are part of the highest form of democracy. Orders and pressure—with the exceptions of safety and legal regulations—rarely lead to the desired outcome. Even the so-called new media don’t help us here. Rather, the age-old “pedagogical principle” of leading by example, setting the way, and motivating others has proven its worth. Most important of all, however, is showing appreciation for all our volunteers. Our model aviation organization—including this magazine—functions only thanks to countless hours of volunteer work. This deserves our deepest respect and gratitude. Perhaps the coming days—which we hope will be peaceful and reflective—can remind us of this once again.

I wish you all a restful Christmas season and many wonderful flights in the new year.

Warm regards
, your editor
Emil Ch. Giezendanner