IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
Maybe it's time for a little bit of reflection on how we treat each other here on the forum. Joelthebiker picked up his marbles and went home. Deleted every one of his posts. So, were some of us a bit more harsh toward him than we ought to have been? Or did we just refuse to take him 100% at face value and it ticked him off? It's sad to see someone like him leave because it did look like he was going to be a valuable contributor. But some of us challenged him and some of his assertions. Were we unfair, or is he just too sensitive?
I spent 22 years with Uncle Sam doing quality system audits and contract provision enforcement of Federal contractors. Questioning people and their policies and practices was a big part of my job. I didn't care how high or how low in the corporate structure the person was, I was not afraid to question them. I learned two things from that experience. One, sometimes people would acknowledge there was a better way or answer, or that they were mistaken, or, if they successfully defended their position that reinforced the validity of their position. At the very least, I usually learned something new or different. The second thing I learned is that experts don't always have the answer, and sometimes they are just plain wrong. I used to have a sign that said, "QA, QA, QA. The Questioning Approach of Quality Assurance leads to the Quintessential Answer."
Questioning someone, if done in a civil fashion, is never wrong, IMO. We all can benefit from a healthy disagreeable discussion, if we are willing to have an open mind.
I try to live by the philosophy, "If a fence is going to be built between you and me, you are going to have to do the building." I'm afraid Joel built his own fence, and now does he not only not see what's on our side, but we can't see what's on his side. We're all losers.
I spent 22 years with Uncle Sam doing quality system audits and contract provision enforcement of Federal contractors. Questioning people and their policies and practices was a big part of my job. I didn't care how high or how low in the corporate structure the person was, I was not afraid to question them. I learned two things from that experience. One, sometimes people would acknowledge there was a better way or answer, or that they were mistaken, or, if they successfully defended their position that reinforced the validity of their position. At the very least, I usually learned something new or different. The second thing I learned is that experts don't always have the answer, and sometimes they are just plain wrong. I used to have a sign that said, "QA, QA, QA. The Questioning Approach of Quality Assurance leads to the Quintessential Answer."
Questioning someone, if done in a civil fashion, is never wrong, IMO. We all can benefit from a healthy disagreeable discussion, if we are willing to have an open mind.
I try to live by the philosophy, "If a fence is going to be built between you and me, you are going to have to do the building." I'm afraid Joel built his own fence, and now does he not only not see what's on our side, but we can't see what's on his side. We're all losers.
