Dear Readers:
Due to some recent and unfortunate comments that took the low road by personally attacking both me and 
one of my readers, instead of our ideas, today, August 17, 2007, you will find commenter guidelines have been implemented. They are in the right sidebar, at the bottom.
I launched this post as a forum to exchange ideas. Those ideas can be on any subject, not just marketing, as we intentionally called this blog bizsolutionsplus to encourage debate wherever it leads us. However, that debate will be respectful to everyone who posts here.
When it is perceived that someone has stepped over the line, they will be banned. Today I took the unhappy step of blocking Geoff Livingston from participating in this forum. The reason behind the action: For the third time, he personally attacked me in his most recent comment. While calling me sanctimonious and saying that I deserved to be attacked may not seem egregious, three insulting and demeaning comments seem to me excessive. Earlier he had personally attacked Cam Beck, for which he later apologized.
The reason for sharing bans with my readers is to remain open and honest with you and to share reasons for a ban. If you disagree and believe I have over-reacted, please say so. I am open to removing bans at readers' requests.
Finally, if anyone who participates in this blog is libeled or slandered on these pages, we will support legal actions that they wish to pursue. Although we discourage settling such matters in court, we cannot deny another's legal rights. Again, we owe it to our readers to feel safe when they visit here.
It is with a sad heart that this seems so necessary. But I want this blog to be a safe place for people and their ideas. Following is our Commenting Policy, followed by an excellent set of guidelines for carrying on civil discourse from the No Place for Hate Steering Committee on Lexington, MA.
Commenting Policy
We encourage, welcome and honor your contributions, whether or not you agree with us. However, we will not permit personal attacks of any kind, and will block all future comments of anyone unable to conduct themselves with civility. We feel strongly about this and will tell our readers why anyone who violates this policy has been blocked.
We also do not permit the following:
- Cussing (mild cussing, such as damn or hell is discouraged but not edited)
- Cursing
- SPAM
- Anonymous comments. Persons real names are required. No hiding behind anonymity.
- Pornography Hateful language of any kind
The attached “Guidelines for Civil Discourse” were developed by the No Place for Hate steering committee. These guidelines were developed in response to citizen concerns about the tone of discussions that have taken place throughout the community and the effect that tone has on both the community and on Lexington’s children. As a concerned citizen pointed out, “We need to model the behavior we teach in our school system.” This can, as the steering committee recognizes, be difficult, especially when people who care deeply about an issue disagree. However, it behooves us all to make an effort to model the behavior we teach our children.
Recognize a person’s right to advocate ideas that are different from your own.
“Democracy is a means of living together despite our differences. Democratic deliberation is an alternative to physical violence. It is predicated on the assumption that it’s possible to disagree agreeably, that it’s better to laugh than cry, that one can vigorously contest the positions of one’s adversary without questioning his or her personal integrity or motivation, and that parties to a debate are entitled to the presumption that their views are legitimate if not correct.”
-Thomas Mann
- Show respect for others. Discuss policies and ideas, not people
- Only one person should be speaking at any given time
- Use helpful, not hurtful language.
Speak as you would like to be spoken to. Use courtesy titles (Mr., Ms., Sir, etc.)
- Restate ideas when asked
- Use a civil tone of voice
Agree to listen.
- Respectfully hear and listen to differing points of view
- When unsure, clarify what you heard
- Realize that what you say and what people understand you to have said may be different
- Recognize that people can agree to disagree
Speak for yourself, not others. Speak from your own experience
- Use “I” statements (“I think that the ideas presented…”)
outer space, and on cameras. Do we care?
she feels personally hurt and targeted. As I said in the original post, that was never the intent. In fact, neither the list nor the originator of the list were meant to be the subject. Instead, my post was designed to discuss the potential harm that labeling using gender, race or ethnicity can cause.
provide value to grow our client's business, and we believe our client's also offer value. But what, if anything, do we do if we discover that we have helped a client to attract customers, and then they cheat their customers by not providing value or they may even be manipulating or cheating their customers? Are we responsible for our client's ethics?
