Where to Now?
Firstly we need
to be consistent in our dealings with the people we work around, and support
each other by selling accredited technical communicators. We need to work towards
helping each other and recommending the people we know who might be better at
a particular job than us. We need to demonstrate integrity, honesty and a sense
of common good.
We are all going
to have to contribute to the program. It is "annoying" when a small
group of people participate, plan, do, and all voluntarily while the vast majority
sit on the fence, do nothing and reap rewards. Frankly, we should be paying
for the process, and those working on it get paid from that resource base.
Someone needs to
be driving the process and it would also seem that some ground rules about:
- Consultation
- Collective collaboration
- And the delivery
of constructive criticism; is required.
I'll start with some ground rules:
- No criticism
that goes personal. Don't put anyone else down, even if you genuinely believe
you are above them. Keep criticism constructive, base it on some empirical
evidence. If you can't do that, keep quiet.
- Put ideas forward
publicly. Make them concise and constructive.
- Be accepting
of criticism, see points put forward against your suggestions as brainstorming
towards a common goal, that's what they are.
- Don't push agendas,
think collectively for everyone.
- Think for our
futures, if our accreditation system isn't forward thinking and flexible,
the system will fall over.
- Be committed;
there is no easy way here, and we are talking years.
The person driving the process should
be:
- Strong enough
to take the process through enormous obstacles.
- Empathetic to
different view points, and willing to see all view points.
- Not so arrogant
that the fraternity are scared away or railroaded into obedience.
- Able to stand
up to powerful corporate agendas.
- Wizened enough
to negotiate sensible compromises, or push principles through that offer the
best opportunity for everyone, especially minorities.
- Experienced
enough to know how little they know, and able to reliably defer to someone
who does know.
Who should lead it?
I would propose:
- Michael Lewis
- Janet Taylor
- Roslyn Abela
- Allan Charlton
Back
to home.