[ug-glug] Reminder: Next meeting now Feb 7

[David Braun]

  Eric Boutilier   <Eric.Boutilier at Sun.COM> wrote:
     
    I for one think that the co-leaders have actually done a very good 
job   of informing people of the meeting date change. But that's just _my_ 
opinion   and me being one of the co-leaders in question means it's a very 
biased   one.

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    Eric,  I'm stunned at your failure to see the obvious harm in what you've  done, which was not at all sound and might tragically hurt your larger  efforts if anyone shows up tonight.  Further, you defend it?
  
    
  You say putting out a date-change message late in the day one day before the scheduled meeting is "a very good job  of informing people of the date change."   First of all,  regardless of when it comes, such a notice is a Boolean -- i.e., it's  either there or it's not, and it's a mass posting,  for heaven's sake.  The adjectives you use give the impression of  people getting on the phone and feverishly tracking everyone down -- or  at least something more than an almost effortless single posting with a single fact to communicate  -- lest they come to a nonexistent meeting.
  
  The fact is, you can't possibly know who viewed your website prior to  the date change and who is confidently relying on that  information.  No amount of effort can track down people who aren't  on the mailing list.  This is why it is crucial to use an  adjective like "tentative" until you get things pinned down, and then  stick with what you say once that adjective is removed.
  
  Further, the message that was finally posted mentions the fact that the decision to change the date was made last week, starting with the words "in case you missed it."  It was easy to miss, since there was no prior notice.   I've reexamined the archives, alarmed at the thought that I might have  spoken falsely, and there is simply nothing there with a heading even  hinting at a possible date change.
  
    Respectfully,  I do not believe the tone of my prior letter, and certainly not this  one, was harsh.  I consciously chose a measured tone to accurately  communicate the gravity of the matter.  I consider myself lucky,  personally.  If I had the day off today or was especially busy, I  wouldn't have checked your website or my emails -- and I would surely  be at that phantom "meeting" right now -- a long drive from my home in  Crystal Lake.
    
  
  The precise tone I chose was in empathy for others who might not be so fortunate.  (If I was thinking of myself, I would not have bothered to  write.)  Further, although you have taken offense at my letter, I  care what happens to you as well.  You deserve honest criticism  when you inadvertently take an action that has such a high risk of  harming enthusiastic supporters and thus severely damaging your own  hard work.  A blandly written letter could not have communicated  this accurately.
  
  I wrote a mildly critical letter to you privately on another matter about a week ago.  You urged me to say everything publicly, even criticism.   For this I expressed my admiration for your attitude and the value you  placed on building a sense of community.  I agreed to keep my  writing public and explained my original thinking by saying, "I just didn't want to undermine your leadership by being publicly critical..... I figured you were still getting your act together for this new endeavor and needed room to grow."
  
  I still have no desire to undermine your leadership, but this was a  very serious matter with great potential for harm -- and you did urge  me to keep everything public.  Further investigation has only  confirmed the validity of what I have written.  Please don't take  it personally, but please do receive it well, as what I wrote is sound.
  
  Sincerely,
  David H. Braun
  MultiTask ComputerWorks
  
  P.S. -- Good wishes for every success.
  

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