[Bill Cummings]

Edit
Let me get back to you all on this/

I ran out of time to edit this post so all I can do is quote it now.

I just got off the phone with Bob and he assures me that my concerns about me being too “knit picky” to be and effective (experimental) Trial Board Member hasn’t, in effect, shown up on his radar yet. (oh yeah well just wait a little bit.
He should talk to my wife.)


I was thinking of retiring from the Trial Board so that I wouldn’t be holding up progress within the Trial Board but Bob suggested I give my decision some more thought.

I’ve never sat on any type of board before so I don’t have much confidence that won’t muck things up.

Any way I’ll try and learn from the other Trial Board Members how to do this job and give myself some more time before allowing my insecurities to get the best of me.

[Bob Kuczewski]

Thanks Bill!!

Forums are good for documentation, but they're a notoriously difficult medium for holding discussions.

Someone should do a scientific study with a group of people who are more or less in agreement with one another. Randomly split the group into two subgroups and then have one group hold a personal meeting and have the other group hold a forum meeting. Here's my predicted results on the ability for each group to reach consensus on a topic where they pretty much agree from the beginning:

• Consensus reached by personal meetings: 99%
• Consensus reached by forum meetings: 3%

I know each of our board members reasonably well on a personal basis. I would trust my life to any one of them. They are all good honest people with good sincere intentions. I just hope this **** forum doesn't get in the way of us all working together!!!

If anyone ever feels like they're too "knit picky" or not "knit picky" enough or anything else ... please reach for the phone. This is a team that does hold differing opinions and that's what makes us stronger - if we don't let it drive us apart. A personal phone call can go a long way toward helping us align our compasses on a common objective ... and reaching it.

[Bill Cummings]

:shock:

I've been busy the last few days (since say last Thursday!) and only had a glimmer as to what direction things were headed. This thread is Great as a topic of discussion (for a trial BOD), but Rick's comment about beginning to build a foundation on sand may be seen as more critical to address. But then this topic of discussion gets derailed. ( ? ? ? )

I have suggestions about such formative discussions being done in "public". I feel the result/conclusion of intelligent (trial BOD) discussions MUST be made public - but the nitty gritty back and forth details?

And here's one that strikes me in the immediate case: I truly want to participate in the trial BOD or else I wouldn't have volunteered. But, I sometimes become involved in other activities and, as a result, am "blind" to the fact that a trial BOD meeting is taking place here. I would therefore suggest that there be a set time during which discussions are held. In other words, an online Trial BOD Meeting time.

I'm also reminded of Robert's Rules of Order [ http://www.rulesonline.com/ ]. I'm only somewhat familiar with them but also have no IDEA how they may be adapted to an online discussion (in a forum format). I do know that in "real life meetings" they can be very useful.

Finally, I've talked with Bob about doing online "conference calls" where we can all see and talk with each other - and hold much-closer-to-real meetings.

Enough of my two cents. Now, . . . talk among yourselves. . . ; - )

PS - I do want to talk about the moderating issue and how abuse is dealt with. But it's 1:30 am east coast time and I'm tired (this afternoon I drove 80 miles to a 3 1/2 hour dental appointment then back home 80 miles in a (mild?) snow storm).

Found this on Youtube concerning The Robert's Rules of Order.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Robert%27s+Rules+of+Order