[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 01-07-04 AT 12:42PM (CST)[/font][br][br]I swore that I would not put my nose into this issue any more. However, after reading your post I felt the need to clear the air.
I have been visiting the Forum for over 2 years. When I respond to a question, I try to be concise and give the correct information. I never thought it might be taken as berating the person asking the question. There have been times when a question or problem is posed that sounds exactly like a term paper some college student needs to get done. That's the time I will tell the questioner(?)to do his own research. It's not berating. We are not here to do someone's homework. We are here to HELP other professionals with their dilemmas.
As for playing in the sandbox, I think of my colleagues as my fiends and or friends. As for strangers, I do what my mother told me many, many years ago. DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!
Rita, don't know ya', but wasn't referring to you either. Sorry if I offended.
I believe there is a big difference between saying, "Do your homework" and saying or insinuating that someone's question is worthless or a waste of the forum's time. My point is, just don't reply if you think someone has posed a stupid question, rather than telling them what you really think!
Re the stranger issue, didn't know I needed an invitation to the club to post a comment, but I'll ask for permission next time.
Ya know, people who throw stones should not live in glass houses. If the next sentence isn't condescending.... or are you going to tell us its was supposed to be funny??? "Re the stranger issue, didn't know I needed an invitation to the club to post a comment, but I'll ask for permission next time."
I searched the Forum and the achives for your past posts to see what you considered condescending or a reply that indicated you were stupid. I found your 2 posts and my observation is that those who replied gave you excellent information and advise. You were treated cordially and professionally.
Eeeek. Not trying to be funny, and you are right, that did sound a bit sarcastic.
Apologies.
I was not the author of the post where someone said (I'm paraphrasing), "This is just a waste of the forum's time," but I read the comment and thought that it was a bit out of line. It ain't a big deal, I just didn't think it was very thoughtful. Sorry to ruffle feathers, just how I see it.
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 01-07-04 AT 03:22PM (CST)[/font][br][br]Okay, here's my summary:
Love Don, wish forum police had asked for clarification prior to deleting his post (geez, the guy is an asset to the forum - it's the least that could have been done).
We have people that whine on this forum, just as we do in at work.
We have people who fight back (by posting - no actual physical blows) when they feel they've been wrongly challenged/labeled & others that clam up.
We have some folks that are more pointed in their posts than others & it hurts some feelings.
Some think censorship is wrong.
Some think this tool (the forum) is for work & therefore think it should be rigidly structured, just as their jobs are & some think it's a free place to share ideas with other HR professionals.
Some cry that all is not fair on the playground.
Some confuse consideration with condescension when their posts are responded to, and
Just one more post. I have been out for a couple of weeks and missed a lot of this bru ha ha.
Anyway...I DID notice that the Forum has lost its "verve" and the postings are getting to be "plain-vanilla".
Personally, I enjoy hearing different ideas and opinions and experiences of the posters. Maybe I don't take things as personally as some folks, but I never really saw a lot to take offense over. Yeah, sometimes the comments and the bantering got a little spirited. If I didn't want to join in, I just didn't and didn't feel that I had to justify every perceived slight. (I think that's what the private mailboxes are for).
Anyway...I have enjoyed participating and getting to know the Forum members over the past couple of years. I hope we can get past this and regain some of our comradarie!
If I worked in an office with 4 or 5 HR professionals, we would have discussions, bounce ideas off one another, play devil's advocate, and look at issues from all sides. Because of the size of our business, I'm the sole person who has to know the HR laws or who gives a darn about them.
The forum is an invaluable tool for me. It gives me opinions from a panel of professionals as well as those not as well versed in HR matters.
As in any discussion among friends (and I consider you all to be my friends), one expects to have some ideas that are 'way out', some that need toned down, and some that are right on target. It is my responsibility to sift through the data and choose those worthy of consideration.
It is not the responsiblity of the forum police to make those decisions for me. If I am offended by a post, it is up to me to notify the offender.
As in any group, there will be new people who are not comfortable with the group dynamics. Those who care to stick around long enough will learn that it is a l-a-r-g-e group and it's worth putting up with the few who type before they think in order to glean the great wisdom and comraderie that lives within the forum.
Sorry for the long post. ...Just give me a soap box!
Ever notice how every so often you have to reiterate what is and isn't appropriate behavior to your employees? Stuff that you KNOW has been discussed before but you have to remind the more senior staff and advise the newbies because the behavior comes and goes? Don't most of us provide annual reviews on some topics?
Isn't that basically what this is? How long has the Forum been around? If any of us had a few spare minutes (ha) we could do a search and probably find that this topic comes up every so often. That's just the ebb and flow of the "personality" of Forum, as people join and leave.
This thread will die soon, everyone will be happy for a while, then it will be reincarnated in a few months. Watch. x;-)
By the way, I'm still waiting to be offended. (That's NOT an invitation, evil twins...)
Comments
I have been visiting the Forum for over 2 years. When I respond to a question, I try to be concise and give the correct information. I never thought it might be taken as berating the person asking the question. There have been times when a question or problem is posed that sounds exactly like a term paper some college student needs to get done. That's the time I will tell the questioner(?)to do his own research. It's not berating. We are not here to do someone's homework. We are here to HELP other professionals with their dilemmas.
As for playing in the sandbox, I think of my colleagues as my fiends and or friends. As for strangers, I do what my mother told me many, many years ago. DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!
Thanks AJ.
"I think of my colleagues as my fiends"x:-/
That was funny, and truly nothing behind this beyond just saying thanks for giving me a smile!th-up
I believe there is a big difference between saying, "Do your homework" and saying or insinuating that someone's question is worthless or a waste of the forum's time. My point is, just don't reply if you think someone has posed a stupid question, rather than telling them what you really think!
Re the stranger issue, didn't know I needed an invitation to the club to post a comment, but I'll ask for permission next time.
"Re the stranger issue, didn't know I needed an invitation to the club to post a comment, but I'll ask for permission next time."
I searched the Forum and the achives for your past posts to see what you considered condescending or a reply that indicated you were stupid. I found your 2 posts and my observation is that those who replied gave you excellent information and advise. You were treated cordially and professionally.
Am I missing something?
Apologies.
I was not the author of the post where someone said (I'm paraphrasing), "This is just a waste of the forum's time," but I read the comment and thought that it was a bit out of line. It ain't a big deal, I just didn't think it was very thoughtful. Sorry to ruffle feathers, just how I see it.
Love Don, wish forum police had asked for clarification prior to deleting his post (geez, the guy is an asset to the forum - it's the least that could have been done).
We have people that whine on this forum, just as we do in at work.
We have people who fight back (by posting - no actual physical blows) when they feel they've been wrongly challenged/labeled & others that clam up.
We have some folks that are more pointed in their posts than others & it hurts some feelings.
Some think censorship is wrong.
Some think this tool (the forum) is for work & therefore think it should be rigidly structured, just as their jobs are & some think it's a free place to share ideas with other HR professionals.
Some cry that all is not fair on the playground.
Some confuse consideration with condescension when their posts are responded to, and
Someone's trying to make a buck.
Can we stop now?
Anyway...I DID notice that the Forum has lost its "verve" and the postings are getting to be "plain-vanilla".
Personally, I enjoy hearing different ideas and opinions and experiences of the posters. Maybe I don't take things as personally as some folks, but I never really saw a lot to take offense over. Yeah, sometimes the comments and the bantering got a little spirited. If I didn't want to join in, I just didn't and didn't feel that I had to justify every perceived slight. (I think that's what the private mailboxes are for).
Anyway...I have enjoyed participating and getting to know the Forum members over the past couple of years. I hope we can get past this and regain some of our comradarie!
Rockie
If I worked in an office with 4 or 5 HR professionals, we would have discussions, bounce ideas off one another, play devil's advocate, and look at issues from all sides. Because of the size of our business, I'm the sole person who has to know the HR laws or who gives a darn about them.
The forum is an invaluable tool for me. It gives me opinions from a panel of professionals as well as those not as well versed in HR matters.
As in any discussion among friends (and I consider you all to be my friends), one expects to have some ideas that are 'way out', some that need toned down, and some that are right on target. It is my responsibility to sift through the data and choose those worthy of consideration.
It is not the responsiblity of the forum police to make those decisions for me. If I am offended by a post, it is up to me to notify the offender.
As in any group, there will be new people who are not comfortable with the group dynamics. Those who care to stick around long enough will learn that it is a l-a-r-g-e group and it's worth putting up with the few who type before they think in order to glean the great wisdom and comraderie that lives within the forum.
Sorry for the long post. ...Just give me a soap box!
Nell
Isn't that basically what this is? How long has the Forum been around? If any of us had a few spare minutes (ha) we could do a search and probably find that this topic comes up every so often. That's just the ebb and flow of the "personality" of Forum, as people join and leave.
This thread will die soon, everyone will be happy for a while, then it will be reincarnated in a few months. Watch. x;-)
By the way, I'm still waiting to be offended. (That's NOT an invitation, evil twins...)