[Robotgroup] Hey Guys! And a comment about the Robot Challenge

[Def Egge]

At 14:22  2008-01-08, you wrote:
-=-=-=-=-= begin quoted message =-=-=-=-=-
 >Hey guys it's me again!  I sort of got caught up in some other
 >business and haven't been active in the group since the Maker Faire 

 >but I'd like to get back in it.
 >
 >  I like the Robot Challenge -- here's my suggestion:  Why not make 
it
 >a "Team" competition.  You know, to foster intra-personal
 >relationships and stuff.  Don't take this as a criticism or 
anything
 >but sometimes it's a bit testy for a new guy to get technical
 >information out of TRG members.  Or any sort of information.  Or
 >casual small talk.  I know it's just Nerds being Nerds but still... 

 >some of us don't really know a lot about robots.
 >
 >  So how bout it?  Who wants to help me win this Robot Challenge?
 >
 >  Scott
 >
 >
 >L. Scott Hudson
 >
 >  If I were certain that the World would end tomorrow, I would 
plant a
 >tree...
 >
 >
 >---------------------------------
 >Looking for last minute shopping deals?  Find them fast with Yahoo! 

 >Search.
 >_______________________________________________
 >Robotgroup mailing list
 >Robotgroup at puremagic.com
 >http://lists.puremagic.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/robotgroup
-=-=-=-=-= end quoted message =-=-=-=-=-

Scott,

Welcome back.  Happy New Year to you and the family.

As you note in your comment to the group, please, don't take my words 
personally (but do take them to heart) [0].  In fact, whenever you 
see reference to YOU here, read it as the generic or papal you.

1) Rick Abbott gave me some excellent advice when I was very new to 
the group:

Each week try to meet one other member.  Get to know their interests, 
their skills, and what makes them tick.

It took a while to get to know who was who(m) but, some 6 years 
later, I still owe Rick a debt of thanks for that great insight.  I 
still don't know much about robots but I'll be damned if I don't 
learn something each and every week from these fine folks.

2) In my brief time with the group, I have seen quite a number of 
folks that came to visit (agendas in-hand).  Some have been 
satisfied, others not.  To my way of thinking, The Robot Group, Inc. 
does not exist as a consultancy.  We are not here to solely (or even 
mostly) solve others' problems on-demand.  We certainly do some of 
that but that fact does not alter the group's mission.  You will find 
that many of the members are very generous with their time and 
advice.  Be very appreciative and remember that you can never say, 
"Thank you!" enough.

3) We have had visitors that have sucked up considerable amounts of 
members' time seeking answers to their dilemmas.  Some of those folks 
came with commercial / industrial prospects and proprietary 
technology and were miffed when TRG members elected not to 
reprioritize their lives to help with the cause.

If you want help with the development of your patent, then offer a 
percentage of what you envision as its worth.  Or cough up some 
serious R&D money.

4) We occasionally receive feedback that we are not as 'friendly' as 
some might hope.  Sorry, we are not all blessed with the same degree 
of social skills.  Accept that.  Work around that.  After all, you 
sought us out, not vice versa.

Come out to visit.  Introduce yourself.  Sell us on the worth of your 
project [1].  If you like what you see, join in our mission.  Don't 
attempt to subvert the group to your own needs, desires, and 
will.  If you convince someone with the skills and interests to help 
you, consider yourself better off than when you arrived.

5) We are not your personal advocacy group.  We your personal support 
(or tech support) group, nor your personal cheerleading 
squad.  Individuals may choose to help.  Or not.  Such help, as 
desirable as it might seem to you, is not your due.

If you don't get the support or help you seek, rethink the idea that 
we bear the blame [2].  Look to yourself and see how you might sell 
your ideas / proposals better (or to a more appropriate group) the 
next time around.

6) Last rambling thought....  One of my old mentors always advised, 
"Give first.  Prove your worth."

Get involved with the groups efforts - dig in and help with the dirty 
work ... "death by meeting", the unglamorous jobs of packing up, 
packing out (in both directions), setting up, tearing down, 
etc.  It's not all glamor shots in the newspapers and magazines or 
your pearly whites on the evening news.  Most of our effort is in the 
following not the leading [3].

Don't wait to be invited to help.  Cowboy up and volunteer.  As you 
note, working together helps folks to get to know each other better.

Notes:

[0] Maybe Glenn Currie, one of our founding fathers and charter 
members will have time to chime in here.  Glenn, if you have your 
ears on, feel free to offer some of your hard-earned advice.  Glenn's 
advice is much less cynical and much better reasoned than my own.

[1] How can so many well-educated, intelligent, and professional 
individuals overlook the courtesy of an ADVANCE copy of a 
proposal.  Be certain to include the mandatory non-disclosure 
paperwork.  Did you know that mandatory is from the Latin root, 
mandatum, meaning "to be ignored"? [4]

[2] Look at that extended hand you use while pointing the bony finger 
of blame at someone ... there are more fingers pointing in your 
direction than in the other direction.

[3] Instead of asking, "Who will join me in this task?", consider a 
subtle rephrasing of the question, "Who(m) might I join in this 
task?"  As some comic one pointed out, it's all in the delivery.

I cannot imagine membership in a group that does not require the 
surrender of, at least, a modicum of individuality.

[4] ;-)


-- 

All the best....

Mike