Re: STC blog discussing how to transform STC?

Subject: Re: STC blog discussing how to transform STC?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 12:09:54 -0800


Quoting "Hart, Geoff" <Geoff-H -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>:


> I fail to see how sending a note to the entire membership and allowing
> anyone, even nonmembers like yourself, to inspect the blog and provide
> comments, represents a lack of grassroots involvement. Seems to me like a
> fairly open approach, n'est-ce pas?

My apologies: I should have said among the organizers.

> Assumptions make an ass of you and me, so I prefer not to assume, thanks
> very much. I'll wait and see whether they actually take any action. If they
> don't, I'll freely concede your points.

Fair enough. I could easily be wrong, and further developments could make that
obvious. However, I was observing what is there so far.

> I take as a given that using buzzwords doesn't inherently disqualify them
> from fair consideration.

Not in a theoretical sense, maybe, but, practically speaking, buzzwords and
sincerity don't often go together. I find it's a general rule.

> Any organization of ca. 20 thousand members is going to have a large number
> of people with complaints. Even if only 1 in 1000 people have an axe to
> grind (justified or not), that's still 20 complaints. I doubt any
> organization has that high a satisfaction rate, but that's beside the point.

And, aside from apologizing for an organization that's important to you, your
point is?

If the level of complaints was constant, then why would any action, cosmetic or
real, be taken? The move could have just happened, but, generally, a large
organization is more likely to respond to events than take the initiative.

> And it's been how many years now since you were last a member of STC and
> actually participated in or tried to shape any of their activities? And this
> qualifies you _how_ to pronounce on their motives and their current state?

It's called observation and analysis. You might re-read the Sherlock Holmes
stories for a fictionalized account of the methodology. I am very far from the
Consulting Detective, but my qualifications are raw ability and practice - to
say nothing of a steady stream of data from those I know who are in the STC.

>I doubly encourage you to participate if you've got a strong
> reason for not belonging to the organization.

While what you say sounds reasonable enough, it assumes that the organization
has value. Unsurprisingly, I disagree. I also have the historical sense to know
that organizations are rarely able to transform themselves. Consequently, I,
for one, won't be taking up your invitation. Thanks anyway. ;->

--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604-421.7177

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References:
STC blog discussing how to transform STC?: From: Hart, Geoff

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