Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:47:10 -0400
From: "Mike B." <yahoo at omniphile.com>
To: wsfa-forum at yahoogroups.com
CC: WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net
Subject: [WSFA] Re: [wsfa-forum] WSFA:  Alive and Well
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

lees103 at verizon.net wrote:
> Dear Elspeth,
>     Thank you for your third lesson....  The reason why I refer to your
> messages as "lessons" is that you are coming across as a 19th Century
> schoolmarm lecturing a student whom she considers to be not very
> bright.  One of the most important lessons that we teach in Toastmasters
> is "Always consider what your audience already knows."

A good idea, however it's also reasonable when reading messages in a
medium such as this to try to find a way to read the message so that it
isn't insulting/offensive, rather than going with a first impression.
Doing so cuts down on the flame wars, and unless you have very good
reason to think that the writer wants to be insulting/offensive (which I
don't think is the case here), it's more likely that it's a writing
style thing, or different connotations on the words, or just the sort of
day the reader had that is giving the impression.  Remember that what is
read may or may not be what was written...there are two parties involved
in communication, not just one.

>     If you wish to continue with your lecture series, please address the
> question of why Keith Lynch is so worried about the website of a club
> that he stormed out of more than 2 years ago and promised never to
> return to.

He didn't promise never to return.  He said he wouldn't be back until
certain conditions were met...such as the Gillilands not being members
of the club.  I think that events since then may have added to the list
of requirements, but I don't think he's ever said "never".

>     I did not say that you have referred to the Minard chart multiple
> times.  I said that I had seen it multiple times at my place of
> business.  We also teach listening in Toastmasters.

See?  That's the sort of thing that could easily be read as insulting,
offensive, or preachy...or just as a comment about Toastmasters
practices.  Which way of reading that is least likely to result in flames?

-- Mike B.
--
I don't have an attitude problem.  You have a perception problem!