Posted by Dinah on July 27, 2005, at 14:30:40
In reply to Re: stated purpose, posted by Dinah on July 27, 2005, at 12:57:08
Although I should really be working.
> Perhaps there could be ways in which impact on the community is minimized when someone wishes to ummm... expose problems with the administration. Perhaps we could all give it some thought?
How about in times like this, in the future, if you address the board, or respond to distressed posters, reassuring them that you are ok, the board is in no danger, and that you would prefer to handle things yourself. Or something validating how frustrating it is to feel (xxx - insert appropriate feeling), but telling them something reassuring or warning or whatever. Or whatever it is that you actually are thinking. (That would be helpful. No need to share the unhelpful thoughts.)
As moderator, and leader, of the forum, mightn't it be a good idea, in the interests of finding a way to peacefully coexist, to address these sort of things? And certainly to reassure people that the act of exposing problems with the administration actually caused no real threat to the existence of Babble, something important to many people here, or to you, someone important to many people here.
Or maybe to remind people that certain feelings can be contained in different ways. For example, if someone feels like the mouse tied to the end of those sticks they sell in toy stores, one way to regain control is to refuse to play and walk away. Or if someone is feeling protective, one way to respond is to support the person they feel protective of, without actually mentioning anyone else or the behavior of anyone else. In other words, a good leader (as opposed to a civility automaton that some would propose) could forestall problems by validating feelings and proposing alternatives.
And by reassuring posters of the overall state of the board, as it were, and the ability of the leader to maintain it and himself in good health in the face of exposition of problems.
poster:Dinah
thread:531449
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050716/msgs/534270.html