Great post Robert. Being in my own firestorm recently, it does pay to actually understand why the fire is so hot and where it's coming from. My thoughts are that Loic is listening, but since he may not agree with the criticism his thought is be silent. The saw about not saying anything if you have nothing nice to say. That of course is the wrong approach. My advice would be to have someone else not emotionally charged with the criticism tell us what is on the mind of Loic and the company. I have done this before when I have felt too connected to something where I might not be focused on the task but perhaps more focused on calling people names.
Hi Robert Great post but thats not why I am commenting. In my feed reader (google reader) you bolg still has the title line " from Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger". Just thought you would want to know.
Sorry for being so dull.
Irelandshope
Yoav
· 3 years ago
Hi Robert,
Lately I commented on one of my favorite blogs. The Blogger asked his readership to critisize a part of his work. I was very happy to share my thoughts on the subject since this was something I wanted to say to him for a long time, but I was a bit shy about it. I wrote my comment and eagrly waited for a response. And waited...and waited...and waited (you get the point). I was very disappointed and will probably not comment on that blog again for a while.
The bottom line...if you get critisized on your blog...Respond! that why you keep your readership.
Irelandshope: Hmmm, you might unsubscribe and subscribe again. In Google Reader my feed shows the correct name which doesn't include the word Microsoft in it.
Irelandshope
· 3 years ago
That did the trick Robert. Sorry for being an a**hole.
Hey are you going to put a video up of the ScreencastsOnline Guy from the UK. He had it all over his site and then it didnt show and he is a little embarrassed.
When I worked at Intel the mindset was one of such arrogance that the corporation didn't listen to ANYONE. It regularly took production lines down in the auto industry by shipping late, and didn't even seem to care. This mindset, which freaked me out and which was why I didn't fit in and left probably moments before they fired me, is responsible for Intel's current problems. I'm sure the individuals you spoke to weren't there when I was (ten years ago), or have learned something since then. I was stunned by the unwillingness of Intel to engage in real dialogue with customers: I was in the PR world, and we "managed" the press. I'm delighted to hear that has changed.
Worth pointing out that Loic has (kind of) responded, although it's unhealthily defensive. His co-organising pal Ouriel has also posted but has done so in an way which only panders to the kind of "you say tomato" debate that gets things nowhere:
(though he has also accepted that 'two stars and a wish' is sometimes better than feeling you have to take a stance).
Interesting case study for the next book, Robert ;-)
Robert Scoble
· 3 years ago
Rachel and Ewan: thanks. I updated the post to link to Loic's post.
Tom Morris
· 3 years ago
The irony of the situation is multiplied an infinite amount when you consider the fact that Loïc Le Meur is an executive at Six Apart. Sorry, but this only proves that Loïc and friends don't eat their own dogfood. They're perfectly happy to sell conversational media to other companies in the form of blogging software like Movable Type, but aren't willing to take part in the conversation they are selling to their customers.
alex
· 3 years ago
I think it's actually more than mere listening: it is the ability to receive feedback and act on it. IMHO the main issue is one of consistency: the "online community" has values, rules and codes of behavior that it does not like to see violated. As Tom's comment shows, Loic's main mistake is one of lack of consistency: claiming one thing (conversations, openness, fairness, participation, inclusive approach, meritocracy...) and doing or allowing almost the extreme opposite (monologue, manipulation, exclusion...)
I guess the key question is how do we make sure a conference of this type continues to be organized in Europe with a better level of quality.
Don
· 3 years ago
Hey Robert, It's that ScreenCastsOnline guy from the UK! I was going to email your directly but heck, I thought I'd post the comment.
It's with respect to Irelandshopes recent comment about the no-show (yet!) of the ScreenCastsOnline segment we recorded when you were over in London.
I'm sure he was acting with the best of intentions but just to put the record straight:
1 - It's not all over my site :-) I made a reference to the interview in my blog
2 - I'm not embarrassed in the slightest in the no-show as yet! The posts I made have attracted a lot of interest from my regular viewers who probably just want to see my ugly mug in front of the camera for a change. The usual ScreenCastsOnline show is most definitely just the Mac Desktop (strictly screencasts only!) and I have managed to remain off screen for the best part of 80 shows.
I've just been telling people it's not been posted yet with assorted comments about hopefully not been left on the virtual cutting room floor, breaking the camera!, etc.
I fully appreciate that you have a full and busy schedule and that you'd slot in the segment, whenever you could. So no worries from my end!
One of the benefits of having a show like the Scoble Show (and in fact ScreenCastsOnline) is that the flexibility and total control you have over what is shown and when. It allows you to be responsive and release material when it's appropriate ensuring that you're not constrained by any future schedule. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Looking forward to seeing the final results.
Cheers Don
Antoin O Lachtnain
· 2 years ago
I'm sure the Intel guys mentioned the Pentium Bug debacle. I often tell people about this when I'm explaining about blogs and communities. In short, the issue with the Pentium bug was that Intel wouldn't acknowledge there was a possible problem. The community got pretty annoyed with this, to the point where it was doing damage to Intel's sales and reputation. Then Intel acknowledged the bug and offered to replace chips for anyone who had an issue. The community was happy and hardly anybody sent back their chip for replacement (although they knew they could if they needed to).
All Comments
Great post but thats not why I am commenting. In my feed reader (google reader) you bolg still has the title line " from Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger".
Just thought you would want to know.
Sorry for being so dull.
Irelandshope
Lately I commented on one of my favorite blogs. The Blogger asked his readership to critisize a part of his work. I was very happy to share my thoughts on the subject since this was something I wanted to say to him for a long time, but I was a bit shy about it. I wrote my comment and eagrly waited for a response. And waited...and waited...and waited (you get the point). I was very disappointed and will probably not comment on that blog again for a while.
The bottom line...if you get critisized on your blog...Respond! that why you keep your readership.
Irelandshope: Hmmm, you might unsubscribe and subscribe again. In Google Reader my feed shows the correct name which doesn't include the word Microsoft in it.
Sorry for being an a**hole.
Hey are you going to put a video up of the ScreencastsOnline Guy from the UK. He had it all over his site and then it didnt show and he is a little embarrassed.
Here is how I responded to my numerous and outspoke critics. I posted all their comments with links back to their blogs where I could find them. http://peoplegeek.wordpress.com/2006/11/14/rave...
Is that mean or nice?
I'm sure the individuals you spoke to weren't there when I was (ten years ago), or have learned something since then. I was stunned by the unwillingness of Intel to engage in real dialogue with customers: I was in the PR world, and we "managed" the press. I'm delighted to hear that has changed.
http://ouriel.typepad.com/myblog/2006/12/leweb3...
(though he has also accepted that 'two stars and a wish' is sometimes better than feeling you have to take a stance).
Interesting case study for the next book, Robert ;-)
I guess the key question is how do we make sure a conference of this type continues to be organized in Europe with a better level of quality.
It's with respect to Irelandshopes recent comment about the no-show (yet!) of the ScreenCastsOnline segment we recorded when you were over in London.
I'm sure he was acting with the best of intentions but just to put the record straight:
1 - It's not all over my site :-) I made a reference to the interview in my blog
http://blog.screencastsonline.com/scoblog/?p=139
and also in the ScreenCastsOnline Forum
2 - I'm not embarrassed in the slightest in the no-show as yet! The posts I made have attracted a lot of interest from my regular viewers who probably just want to see my ugly mug in front of the camera for a change. The usual ScreenCastsOnline show is most definitely just the Mac Desktop (strictly screencasts only!) and I have managed to remain off screen for the best part of 80 shows.
I've just been telling people it's not been posted yet with assorted comments about hopefully not been left on the virtual cutting room floor, breaking the camera!, etc.
I fully appreciate that you have a full and busy schedule and that you'd slot in the segment, whenever you could. So no worries from my end!
One of the benefits of having a show like the Scoble Show (and in fact ScreenCastsOnline) is that the flexibility and total control you have over what is shown and when. It allows you to be responsive and release material when it's appropriate ensuring that you're not constrained by any future schedule. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Looking forward to seeing the final results.
Cheers
Don
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Cheers
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