SB Report Card: Part 2

[gcarter]

I don't mind admitting to that being my email, but couldn't you have fixed the typo for me? Embarrassing!

I also want to add that it can be like a big family for those who have been here awhile and know people well either online or personally. But for newcomers it's a bit like standing outside on the veranda, hoping someone will notice you, open the door, allow you to speak and have an opinion, and reply to you politely.



I don't think argument is good at any time. Informed debate for me is far better all round as it promotes a more positive learning environment too. So gcarter, I'm afraid I'm in the camp that does expect better, especially from people who call themselves adults! If some people on here can reply politely, we all can don't you think?

Although that sounds like a reasonable and logical position, it is my opinion that it is an idealistic one that ignores human nature. We are all fallible, and none of us are always at our best. It is the human condition, and wishing it were different does not make it so. Let’s also remember that different communication styles can be misinterpreted - this does not mean they are wrong, just misinterpreted.

The mods do great job of smacking down egregious incidents of willful rudeness and nastiness. Part of being an adult is owning your own reaction to what others say and do. One of my favorite quotes was from Indra Nooyi, CEO of Pepsico, and is found here: The best advice I ever got - Indra Nooyi (7) - FORTUNE

This is what adults do - they assume positive intent. Sometimes the packaging is left wanting, but the intent is the important thought. Just like a gift - it really is the thought that counts even if you don't like the way it is wrapped.

My father was an absolutely wonderful human being. From him I learned to always
assume positive intent. Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent.
You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes
very different. When you assume negative intent, you're angry. If you take away
that anger and assume positive intent, you will be amazed. Your emotional
quotient goes up because you are no longer almost random in your response. You
don't get defensive. You don't scream. You are trying to understand and listen
because at your basic core you are saying, "Maybe they are saying something to
me that I'm not hearing." So "assume positive intent" has been a huge piece of
advice for me.

In business, sometimes in the heat of the moment, people
say things. You can either misconstrue what they're saying and assume they are
trying to put you down, or you can say, "Wait a minute. Let me really get behind
what they are saying to understand whether they're reacting because they're
hurt, upset, confused, or they don't understand what it is I've asked them to
do." If you react from a negative perspective - because you didn't like the way
they reacted - then it just becomes two negatives fighting each other. But when
you assume positive intent, I think often what happens is the other person says,
"Hey, wait a minute, maybe I'm wrong in reacting the way I do because this
person is really making an effort."

 

[~zeroed~]

I was allowing for misinterpretation, which happens I agree with the written word.

It seems I have a different perspective from others, having just started posting here. But it worried me to see another new member saying they didn't feel they could post because of the argumentative attitude they'd encountered. Surely that's not what Scubaboard wants to be about. As I said, there's a great deal of difference between debate and argument, and if something is said in the "heat of the moment" then shouldn't you go back and retract it? That's what being an adult also means to me.

I think generally the moderators do a good job in difficult circumstances on a busy board. I see there a few names which always seem be in the thick of an argument though. But I believe we should all strive to improve, which I think is one reason why these polls were posted here..

 

[~zeroed~]

Admittedly, there are some threads, and some areas of the SB forums, where a bit better job of self moderating would benefit us all.

Name calling, and personally attacking is not a valid form of debating, and is always the attitude of someone who deep down knows their position is weak. I am not a big fan of heavy handed moderating, though, and feel most of us can deal with the occasional flame job, or temper tantrum and go on about our business.

Having said that, I am satisfied that moderating as it is currently administered here, is pretty well balanced and effective. Almost all poster are friendly, some extremely so: helpful, educational and supportive, while only a few well known ones continually take the low road.

So, like others, my vote falls somewhere between #1 and #2




I was not aware of this poll when I posted another SB poll earlier today. There seems to be a bit of introspective discussions going on currently on SB, about the direction and benefits of this forum.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/su...d-mean-you-has-forum-changed-your-diving.html

Question: why can't I access your poll gypsyjim?

 

[RJP]

Why does the second option have two parts? Broke the cardinal rule of market research questionnaire design. Someone believing things can get hostile at times does not necessarily mean that they believe that moderators need to be more proactive. Plus, I guess it depends on what you mean by "more proactive" as well. As written this poll question will tend to artificially skew towards option #2 because options 1 and 3 are very absolute and singular and option 2 covers two separate things, both of which are open to interpretation. In fact the way option #3 is written virtually precludes anyone selecting that answer.

I admire the desire to tap into what the community thinks, but not sure what you expect to learn from the way the questions on Part 1 and Part 2 are worded... but good luck with that!

 

[koozemani]

There seems to be a general concensus that #2 is a poorly written choice. I say we dog pile the op until the mods step in.

 

[adurso]

Do you find Canadians friendly? DO YOU?!?!?!? Well?!?!?!?!?

Eeeeeek!

Of course!

 

[gypsyjim]

Question: why can't I access your poll gypsyjim?

try this link.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/su...d-mean-you-has-forum-changed-your-diving.html

It seems my first link was broken.
You were not the only one who had trouble accessing it. Not sure what I did wrong.

Let me know if you still have problems seeing it.

 

[Bob DBF]

I have found this board to quite friendly, and very friendly compared to a number of other boards where I have spent time. If someone is aggrieved there is a system in place to deal with it and I have seen it work. It seems that the problems do not constantly rise to the level that the report function is used and the moderators take a ruler to someones knuckles, electronicly speaking.

In the forums that I read, the difference between debate and argument is usually what the reader infers from the post, not necessarly what the poster was writing. The posts on the board range from quite literate to almost unreadable, and what one may take as an attack may just be a poorly constructed response. Because of the lack of information you would have in person, an internet conversation needs to be fully read for content (at least once, may be more), because the intent you give the poster usually has more to say about you than him.

In my experience most of the members of this board are try to be friendly and helpfull. There are some d**ks and some so sensitive they take personal offence to honest disagreement, not to say they arn't trying to be friendly and helpfull, in my opinion they just arn't good at it. Sounds like real life to me.




Bob
-----------------------------------
There is no problem that can't be solved with a liberal application of sex, tequila, money, duct tape, or high explosives, not necessarily in that order.

 

[~zeroed~]

try this link.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/su...d-mean-you-has-forum-changed-your-diving.html

It seems my first link was broken.
You were not the only one who had trouble accessing it. Not sure what I did wrong.

Let me know if you still have problems seeing it.

It's saying I "don't have permission to access [that] page."

Thanks anyway!


(*sorry this is off-topic!)

 

[HowardE]

It's because it's in the Surface Interval which is an opt-in forum.