Question 10: Describe Your Skiils/Qualities
Oct 9, 2005, 3:28 pm
#1
Founder of FlyerTalk
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 6,540
Question 10: Describe Your Skiils/Qualities
This question was submitted by member letiole:
"What skills/qualities make you well-suited to be a TalkBoard member?"
"What skills/qualities make you well-suited to be a TalkBoard member?"
Oct 9, 2005, 4:17 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold, Priority Club RA, Lots of other cards
Posts: 3,099
Hi Fellow members and voters,
Well for starters I am mad! Totally addict to FlyerTalk, travel and collect points in such a fashion that my wife reckons that if I don’t earn a few points each week that shes scared that I go into withdrawl.
Anyway on a more serious note, I have travelled and lived in other countries around the world, working with people from different nationalities. This has given me a great insight into how to deal with various situations and experience in travel.
I have been involved in various other types of forums and I believe that a forum is only as good as what people put into it and I am willing to put 200% (not this figure is being capped just in case anyone else tries to out do me, you can be the same but not over thank you).
If you look at the two main forums I am involved in you will see that I try to help people out as/when I can, also I am not slow in asking for help either when needed.
I hope that’s answered your question.
Regards
RadioMan
Well for starters I am mad! Totally addict to FlyerTalk, travel and collect points in such a fashion that my wife reckons that if I don’t earn a few points each week that shes scared that I go into withdrawl.
Anyway on a more serious note, I have travelled and lived in other countries around the world, working with people from different nationalities. This has given me a great insight into how to deal with various situations and experience in travel.
I have been involved in various other types of forums and I believe that a forum is only as good as what people put into it and I am willing to put 200% (not this figure is being capped just in case anyone else tries to out do me, you can be the same but not over thank you).
If you look at the two main forums I am involved in you will see that I try to help people out as/when I can, also I am not slow in asking for help either when needed.
I hope that’s answered your question.
Regards
RadioMan
Oct 9, 2005, 4:38 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DSM
Programs: NW Plat., HHonors Diamond, DL Reject
Posts: 56
I have been a user for several years now and want to give back to the board that has given me so much. I think bringing a good sense for what is right and keeping the users in mind will result in good decisions.
Oct 9, 2005, 4:47 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: PHL (and sometimes BKK)
Programs: aa/ua gold; mar titanium. SPG till I die.
Posts: 15,648
Originally Posted by Buzzard533
I have been a user for several years now and want to give back to the board that has given me so much. I think bringing a good sense for what is right and keeping the users in mind will result in good decisions.
Oct 9, 2005, 5:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 81
Having worked in the e-commerce industy for nearly 10 years, I feel that I have a good working knowledge of what makes a website successful.
Oct 9, 2005, 5:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SQL
Programs: SPG Platinum; Hyatt Platinum; UA 1K
Posts: 3,170
While I too have been an active member, and also have a strong desire to give back, I'm going to have to disagree with the above posters.
While it is important to have a familiarity with what it is like to be a member, and to be familier with subject of travel in order to make good decisions - you are going to need a lot more to be effective.
I'm going to quore from the post that convinced me to run:
What finally convinced me that I would be an effective candidate is that 1-9 (with minor adjustments) sound exactly like my day job. And I am quite good at my day job (more about that below).
Having the desire to be on the Talkboard isn't enough. You need to have to have experience building concensus. You need to be able to think critically. You need to know how to communitcate ideas effictively using only text. You need to be able to examine someone else's point and understand what they are trying to achieve (even if you disagree - correction:especially if you disagree) and see if you can find a way to bridge the gaps between different parties. You have to know when to dig deeper for a novel solution that everyone will accept, and you need to know how to let go. And you need to know when to switch from digging to letting go.
I have all of these qualities, and practice most of them in my daily job: I am a Development Manager at a large software company. My division is one of the worlds largest producers of enterprise software - the software that large businesses use to run themselves. I manage a small team of people that are responsible for some areas of functionality that benefits most every other team in my division.
There are many projects that need doing (and more that I'd like to do as it would benefit the division), but I am given a very limited number of resources.
To complicate matters, my area of functionality requires buy-in from other groups, either via some set of tasks that they need to do to work with my area, or some enhancement I need in their areas. They of course are also limited in their resources.
I am forced therefore to find ways to convince other managers of my vision and find ways to make life easier for them when asking them to do something. I also need to be receptive to the requirements that they have for me. Finally I have to protect my own team from being overworked. It is a delicate balancing act and I have learned a lot about diplomacy, negotiation, and finding novel solutions in the years that I have been doing it.
Beyond all that, I think it is important for a board member to have a vision. I have one. I have articulated it a number of times in my platform as well as other threads, so I'm not going to repeat it again here - besides the important thing with respect to this question is that I have a vision for FT, not the particulars of it.
Finally I have the drive to use my skills to move FT in the direction of my vision. I can't promise that I will be successful, but I can promise that I will try.
While it is important to have a familiarity with what it is like to be a member, and to be familier with subject of travel in order to make good decisions - you are going to need a lot more to be effective.
I'm going to quore from the post that convinced me to run:
Originally Posted by dhammer53
If you're running for Talk Board...
1. Your heart must be in the right place if you are to succeed.
2. You must believe in your convictions when you're discussing the issues.
3. You must be willing to 'listen' to other opinions.
4. You must be willing to accept defeat on an issue when you're not able to convince the others.
5. You must be willing to accept the 'frustration' factor when others don't see your point of view.
6. You must be able to accept the frustration factor with 'the system.'
7. You must remember that Rome wasn't built in a day.
8. You must recognize that the wheels of government turn very slowly (in spite of everyones good intentions).
9. You must remember that Flyertalk is an online bulletin board (so don't lose any sleep over the 'serious discussions' that may not go as planned).
10. You must remember that in spite of some of the mocking you may receive from a small number of posters; that Randy and the other 99% of us DO care, and appreciate what you're tying to accomplish!
1. Your heart must be in the right place if you are to succeed.
2. You must believe in your convictions when you're discussing the issues.
3. You must be willing to 'listen' to other opinions.
4. You must be willing to accept defeat on an issue when you're not able to convince the others.
5. You must be willing to accept the 'frustration' factor when others don't see your point of view.
6. You must be able to accept the frustration factor with 'the system.'
7. You must remember that Rome wasn't built in a day.
8. You must recognize that the wheels of government turn very slowly (in spite of everyones good intentions).
9. You must remember that Flyertalk is an online bulletin board (so don't lose any sleep over the 'serious discussions' that may not go as planned).
10. You must remember that in spite of some of the mocking you may receive from a small number of posters; that Randy and the other 99% of us DO care, and appreciate what you're tying to accomplish!
Having the desire to be on the Talkboard isn't enough. You need to have to have experience building concensus. You need to be able to think critically. You need to know how to communitcate ideas effictively using only text. You need to be able to examine someone else's point and understand what they are trying to achieve (even if you disagree - correction:especially if you disagree) and see if you can find a way to bridge the gaps between different parties. You have to know when to dig deeper for a novel solution that everyone will accept, and you need to know how to let go. And you need to know when to switch from digging to letting go.
I have all of these qualities, and practice most of them in my daily job: I am a Development Manager at a large software company. My division is one of the worlds largest producers of enterprise software - the software that large businesses use to run themselves. I manage a small team of people that are responsible for some areas of functionality that benefits most every other team in my division.
There are many projects that need doing (and more that I'd like to do as it would benefit the division), but I am given a very limited number of resources.
To complicate matters, my area of functionality requires buy-in from other groups, either via some set of tasks that they need to do to work with my area, or some enhancement I need in their areas. They of course are also limited in their resources.
I am forced therefore to find ways to convince other managers of my vision and find ways to make life easier for them when asking them to do something. I also need to be receptive to the requirements that they have for me. Finally I have to protect my own team from being overworked. It is a delicate balancing act and I have learned a lot about diplomacy, negotiation, and finding novel solutions in the years that I have been doing it.
Beyond all that, I think it is important for a board member to have a vision. I have one. I have articulated it a number of times in my platform as well as other threads, so I'm not going to repeat it again here - besides the important thing with respect to this question is that I have a vision for FT, not the particulars of it.
Finally I have the drive to use my skills to move FT in the direction of my vision. I can't promise that I will be successful, but I can promise that I will try.
Last edited by VPescado; Oct 9, 2005 at 6:17 pm
Oct 9, 2005, 6:09 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Originally Posted by Buzzard533
I have been a user for several years now and want to give back to the board that has given me so much. I think bringing a good sense for what is right and keeping the users in mind will result in good decisions.
Oct 9, 2005, 8:31 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
I have been a member of this Community for six years, posted extensively, attended many FT Dos, and met many dozens of FTers. Like most here, I travel more than most people, and with my late wife, have been to just about every part of the world. None of this personal travel would have been possible without the Frequent Flyer and Frequent Stay programs that have provided the tickets to, and hotel rooms in, these exotic places. But such travel has also been important in broadening my own horizons as well as an understanding of how others live, and see the world we all share.
I currently manage two small businesses, and have been self-employed for over two decades. My entrepreneurial skills provide for the livelihood of several other individuals. Over the years, I have sat on a half-dozen boards of community, human services and arts organizations, chairing a couple of these for several years. At university, I served three terms on the executive of our student council. I have been a journalist, a consultant, a planner, a policy advisor and a public servant. I have managed and implemented, and worked the front lines.
It is the sum of these experiences -- as well as life itself -- that I would bring to the FT board.
I currently manage two small businesses, and have been self-employed for over two decades. My entrepreneurial skills provide for the livelihood of several other individuals. Over the years, I have sat on a half-dozen boards of community, human services and arts organizations, chairing a couple of these for several years. At university, I served three terms on the executive of our student council. I have been a journalist, a consultant, a planner, a policy advisor and a public servant. I have managed and implemented, and worked the front lines.
It is the sum of these experiences -- as well as life itself -- that I would bring to the FT board.
Oct 9, 2005, 8:41 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Greener Pastures
Posts: 10,515
I believe that I would make a good represenative for the TalkBoard because of who I am. I am a leisure traveler (~100K EQMs for leisure this year) and will soon be a business traveler (I just switched positions within my company & will soon be a trainer for my company & will be traveling several times a month for business) - because of this, I am in tune with the needs of the different kinds of members. There are a lot of business travelers & leisure travelers - having experience as both, I can appreciate their needs & interests.
I believe that I have been a very fair moderator and do not play favorites in any way. I have re-opened threads that I had previously closed as I had received input from members on why my decision wasn't necessarily the best course of action & I have recognzied that they may have been correct. Any time I have edited or deleted posts, I have always made it a point to ensure the poster in question is immediately notified and have always welcomed feedback from members.
As a member, I understand the distinction between being a moderator and a member - the only reason I am on FlyerTalk is because of my love for the place. When I first joined FT, I was asked to create a username. In college, my username was given to me - it consisted of a combination of my first, middle, and last name - since I don't have a middle name, I was assigned X. When I joined FT - I never realized how involved in it I would become - and since bhatnasx was a name I had never seen before & probably would never see anywhere else - I figured that it would be a good username for FT. Now, do I regret that? When I go to DO's or DC Happy Hours, no one ever knows how to pronounce my username (hell, I don't know how to pronounce my username!) - had I known that I would be a regular poster, I would have picked something creative (and something people could say!) - how does this help answer the question you asked, letoile? I think it kind of reflects my dedication to this board - I came here with the impression that I wouldn't be staying. I came here with the impression that I wouldn't regularly post. I ended up loving it so much that I not only stayed on - I am now running for an advisory position on it. I am dedicated to FlyerTalk - and given my experiences as a moderator & what I believe to be my strong character as a person, I believe that I possess the qualities to be a fair, open-minded, and strong-willed member of TalkBoard. I know I care about the future of FlyerTalk and I know that those that I will be voting for do as well.
I believe that I have been a very fair moderator and do not play favorites in any way. I have re-opened threads that I had previously closed as I had received input from members on why my decision wasn't necessarily the best course of action & I have recognzied that they may have been correct. Any time I have edited or deleted posts, I have always made it a point to ensure the poster in question is immediately notified and have always welcomed feedback from members.
As a member, I understand the distinction between being a moderator and a member - the only reason I am on FlyerTalk is because of my love for the place. When I first joined FT, I was asked to create a username. In college, my username was given to me - it consisted of a combination of my first, middle, and last name - since I don't have a middle name, I was assigned X. When I joined FT - I never realized how involved in it I would become - and since bhatnasx was a name I had never seen before & probably would never see anywhere else - I figured that it would be a good username for FT. Now, do I regret that? When I go to DO's or DC Happy Hours, no one ever knows how to pronounce my username (hell, I don't know how to pronounce my username!) - had I known that I would be a regular poster, I would have picked something creative (and something people could say!) - how does this help answer the question you asked, letoile? I think it kind of reflects my dedication to this board - I came here with the impression that I wouldn't be staying. I came here with the impression that I wouldn't regularly post. I ended up loving it so much that I not only stayed on - I am now running for an advisory position on it. I am dedicated to FlyerTalk - and given my experiences as a moderator & what I believe to be my strong character as a person, I believe that I possess the qualities to be a fair, open-minded, and strong-willed member of TalkBoard. I know I care about the future of FlyerTalk and I know that those that I will be voting for do as well.
Oct 9, 2005, 8:44 pm
#10
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,597
I lack any discernable tact. I am impatient and impulsive. I find ignorance and intransigence intolerable. I suffer fools poorly. I find it easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Based on what other candidates have written on these election threads I am probably the most ill-suited candidate for the job vis-ŕ-vis dhammer’s above-noted criteria.
Which, imho, is what makes me well-suited to be a TalkBoard member.
Which, imho, is what makes me well-suited to be a TalkBoard member.
Oct 9, 2005, 9:13 pm
#11
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Southern California
Programs: DL: 3.8 MM, Marriott: Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 24,575
Originally Posted by bhatnasx
When I joined FT - I never realized how involved in it I would become - and since bhatnasx was a name I had never seen before & probably would never see anywhere else - I figured that it would be a good username for FT. Now, do I regret that? When I go to DO's or DC Happy Hours, no one ever knows how to pronounce my username (hell, I don't know how to pronounce my username!)
You good-naturedly gave me one of these--->
I think one the qualities I bring to FlyerTalk is a total devotion to this site. I'm almost
to admit that I'm online every day of the year at one time or another. Very little happens around FT of which I'm not aware. That's probably a bad thing from the standpoint of my having a real life. But it's probably a good thing to have in a TalkBoard candidate. I feel I'm pretty much in tune with the sentiment of the members and very aware of the issues that we are all facing here on a daily basis.
Secondly, I get a lot of PM's and e-mails from members and I answer them in a near real-time basis. If you have an issue with FlyerTalk and I'm a TalkBoard member, fire off a message to me and you'll get a prompt answer in return.
And even if I'm not elected, contact me anyway. I know enough of the TalkBoard members that I can most likely funnel your request to somebody who will help.
Oct 9, 2005, 10:04 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Greener Pastures
Posts: 10,515
Originally Posted by Cholula
That explains your reaction when I met you for the first time last week and asked about your FT handle.
You good-naturedly gave me one of these--->
You good-naturedly gave me one of these--->
I have had some interesting discussion about my username - I think its pronounced bhat-na-S-X - where the bhat is similar to the Thai Baht. After I posted about on one of the forums, I remember a user PM'ing me to ask me if it was anything to do with the sex trade industry in Thailand - it's not, in case anyone was wondering! Although I probably shouldn't be campaigning for another member, I will echo Cholula's dedication to this site. As one of the TS/S moderators, he took on one of the forums where there can be a lot of anger & I believe he has been able to take that forum to a new level & has embraced both the anti & the pro-TSA folks in the forum. He is certainly a dedicated FT'er, IMHO.
Oct 9, 2005, 11:45 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,330
Originally Posted by kokonutz
I lack any discernible tact. I am impatient and impulsive. I find ignorance and intransigence intolerable. I suffer fools poorly. I find it easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Based on what other candidates have written on these election threads I am probably the most ill-suited candidate for the job vis-ŕ-vis dhammer’s above-noted criteria.
Which, imho, is what makes me well-suited to be a TalkBoard member.
I agree 100%.
I have been here for 5˝ years and made over 25,000 posts. I call it as I see it, and am a straight shooter. I know what goes on at FT, and that fact will serve me VERY well if elected. IMHO.
If a motion is wishy-washy politically correct nonsense with no redeeming features I will VERY likely oppose it. If it makes good sense for FT, I will vote for it.
If anyone wants to have someone like that on TB they might vote for me.
Or for Koko and me. If he has not been locked up by then for copyright infringement, that is.
Oct 10, 2005, 1:05 am
#14
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
mad skills yo.
Originally Posted by Randy Petersen
This question was submitted by member letiole:
"What skills/qualities make you well-suited to be a TalkBoard member?"
"What skills/qualities make you well-suited to be a TalkBoard member?"
But seriously... I think one of my skills/qualities is that I do play well with others. I've worked in the customer service industry for going on 20 years. In having had to give service to people who weren't always really sure what they wanted themselves, I've learned to ask the right questions, and "listen between the lines". Having good "people skills" has certainly helped me in the various roles I play on FT.
Oct 10, 2005, 1:34 am
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 46,817
Originally Posted by Randy Petersen
This question was submitted by member letiole:
"What skills/qualities make you well-suited to be a TalkBoard member?"
"What skills/qualities make you well-suited to be a TalkBoard member?"
Sheri, you mean other than my ability to tan a bit in the summer?
Actually, strengths include that I'm logical by nature, as well as by training.
Discern facts from opinions.
Listen carefully.
Understand the art of compromise.
And I'm also fair, independent, loyal, trustworthy, straightford, persistent, flexible, and love assisting others.
Oh...and also rigid, btw, but only when it's absolutely necessary.
I should stop here, huh? Can you tell that I'm "Type A?
May I add that I'm very much devoted to FlyerTalk now, just as I've been from from the very beginning.
-Mark