<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jun 27, 2007, at 6:31 AM, Mike Spalding wrote:</DIV><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica">So one or two folks planned and produce an event, calling it "Pianotech Live", presenting it to the Pianotech community as a surprise gift.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Many did not attend, others attended and were disappointed.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>What could account for such a response?<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Maybe the listers wanted something other than what they were given, which the presenters didn't understand because they never asked.</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="5" style="font: 16.0px Helvetica">For future Pianotech events, I suggest a collaborative planning process.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Post and discuss the plans on list, let it become a product of Pianotech.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>It is rarely possible to please all the people all of the time, but if we're willing to plan the event openly,<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>the odds improve<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>significantly.</FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>Thanks for the insight and wisdom, Mike. This is exactly the problem and the solution. Despite Kent's absolutely best of intentions, the key issue here is communication---of which there was none re the format of the event. In my life, this is again and again the lesson---communication with respect brings clarity; decisions made without communication bring speculative fantasy, disappointment, and resentment.</DIV><DIV>This list is an awesome resource, a pool of knowledge unlike any other. It should be honored as such, and the regular participants, the blood and bones of the list, should be honored and thanked for their time and efforts.</DIV><DIV>One way to to this would be for PTG to pay for a great lunch, in a great room; for us to be more intentional about </DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-style-span">what we're gonna do and say when we get there, and for it to be, primarily and overwhelmingly, <B>a fun social event,</B></SPAN></DIV><DIV><B>with a very loose structure and the minimum "from the podium." </B>How's that sound?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>xoDA</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>