The member asks!

On the right track?

By Eoin Ó Riain

Over all of this, however, is a very striking thing. A real affection for our society and genuine care and anxiety that we come out of this crisis as a stronger society both for ourselves as members and for the automation profession and discipline as a whole.

First the blame game!

By this I mean the negative comment. “ISA has always been in this business for its own gain, screw the punter and collect the money.” “The books, the courses etc are too expensive and anyway who would buy them etc etc.” “It’s no wonder it is in the situation its in when it treats the member the way it does.” Every effort made by those charged to bring the society forward is attacked and quickly a “them and us” mentality is fostered.

Now the defensive game!

This is seen in many organisations. We can see it in virtually every government in the world. Even in Churches! It is seen for instance in a report I read recently that the current administration in the US is reportadly excluding a television news service from access to the sources of information because they perceive their reporting as inimical to their aims. That may or may not be true but this overt attempt to control the media is no longer possible.

Another one is one that appears to be used on people like Jim Pinto. Now Jim is an articulate, thinking automation person. He is a fellow of the society, he is a published author and a proven entrepreneur. He has published many commentaries and ideas, with some of which I agree, with others I do not. His commentaries are by no means limited to ISA and the reactions of some of the commercial entities who do not like what he says are even more drastic and twentieth and even ninteenth century than ISA’s. Though people hear this kind of criticism it appears they are not listened to. Sometimes the reaction is to deflect criticism and/or suggestions by telling them to “get into the game” and “be a leader.” The implication being “If you feel your idea is good then come in and implement it! – otherwise we will proceed as we are no matter what you say!” I think that that sort of response is disrespectful and worse is stultifying to progress. And we are assured that “…ISA is on the right track.”

Reactions from some of the commercial entities include an instruction not to engage with him at all.

The vibrant Cleveland (OH) section made a wonderful and perceptive presentation to the ISA Executive Board in pre-crash 2006. Were any actions taken? The Cleveland guys think not. It was an interesting meeting, they were thanked and things proceeded on their merry way while membership continued to stagnate. “…ISA is on the right track.”

Many others in private like Cleveland, and in public on various blogs and internet-groups, have commented, suggested, cajoled but still the impression given is of a brick wall or worse a soaked sponge!  “I accept what you say, within reason,” but “…ISA is on the right track!”

The old school is ended!

Up to the last few years it was possible to manipulate, in one way or another, public opinion through control of the means of mass-communication. Many countries still operate “state” radio and television stations for instance. That was true of the old “eastern-bloc” countries in Europe and it worked for about eighty years but it was bound to fail as access to other resources became more and more possible, radio and television stations accross the frontiers. And so it did, spectacularly in 1998 with the downing of the Berlin Wall or the fall of Ceauşescu.

The new school

Remember Tiananmen Square? The orange revolution in Kiev? Indeed I remember myself in the early years of “the troubles”, being in Belfast – this was the early seventies. The two communities of the Shankill and the Falls taken over by elements who set up rival raidio stations. There was a slight problem on a small street (Percy Street) between them and a call went out on the Raidio Stations looking for people to go to the site. Within about 15 minutes two large and hostile crowds had assembled with a bewildered British army presence between them.

More recently the election of the current US president used the “social medis”, really for the first time. But it wasn’t always favourable to the man who won the election but one thing that was noticeable that dissent was not quashed on his campaign cyber-presence platforms. People were engaged and responded where they were!

Nowadays news is instant. Whether it is an earthquake in China, a corrupt election in Iraq, the death of a popstar, or the nomination of a new president-elect secretary, we know about it instantly.

The world has changed!

So how does this effect ISA in its current difficulties?

On occasion I have made comments or responded to comments on various blogs and forums. I have been approached in private to suggest that some of these comments be made “through the established channels!”

But what are these channels? Section meetings? The ideal place is of course the leaders’ meetings. But these are at best three a year. One district Meeting and two “society” meetings, usually in far-away places. I have attended these in Houston, Anaheim, New Orleans, Vancouver, Phiadelphia, Orlando as well as in many Europen venues. Yes, one can learn a lot at these but it requires your presence there!

What are these channels? Lift up a telephone? send an e-mail? To whom? Not everybody has that information. And in any case the reply may answer MY query but what about the other thousand members who may have the same query?

I remember once in the early days of the internet when, at a conference, the speaker asked how many had a website? A few hands went up. Then he asked, “How many of you have your prices on your site?” Nobody had. Why? Mostly because the site owners feared their rivals would get the prices. In fact they forgot that if these people really wanted their prices they would get them whether or not theu were on the website. For me that was one of those great moments of clarity, when I realised that this media was different. Another was when I showed the web to a printer. I could actually feel his fear as he realised the power of this medium and how it might effect his business.

I have been told that the value for discussions such as this on groups such as LinkedIn is limited because the misinformation can quickly generate a negative herd mentality and take on a life of its own. This may be very true but there is a remedy staring us in the face. PARTICIPATE!

When a comment is made on a LinkedIn group which is false, correct it! Not by a private e-mail to person who made the comment but there, in public, where the original comment was made.

How many comments have been made in public that have not been answered? Participate in the debate.

That is not happening to any large extent now. There are a number of places for this to happen and this site is just one more. We have had some excellent talks and debates about the ISA’s web presence for instance. Suggestions have been made that ISA have Ning-like functionality “baked in” for its departments, committees, sections, etc… There are free open source frameworks that would make it easy to provide this functionality. In other words there is little or no cost element.

Some effort has been made to do this but only by the volunteers and not in an integrated way. Image and Membership Department have used it and the Publication Department are also trying to see how they can use systems like this. But really no input from staff (that I can see) other than criticism “as far-from-perfect resource typical of these free systems” or the not invalid “we are too busy.” And of course they are busy, but what with? (As I write this I learn, but through the grapevine, that some attention is being paid to this at RTP, but it is only a rumour but “through usually reliable sources!” A response to this blog would be a usefulw to confirm this?)

Recently they (Senior Officers/Staff) attended the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives leadership forum in Florida.  I never knew there was such a body but then I suppose I don’t need to!  Based on data quoted there from Tecker Consultants and conversations with the other attendees we are assured that “…ISA is on the right track!”. One comment I saw on this said caustically “The ‘Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives Leadership’ forum was attended by people who are all in the same sinking ship.” I suspect that comments with the same general meaning have been voiced by others though maybe less colourfully!

I have emphasised the “web presence” of ISA. Why? Because that is the most visible way of showing, that ISA, as a body, IS up for, and to, the challenge. It is also the least expensive. But I see nothing happening there. Do a Google search for “Automation.” Where is ISA? Down near the bottom of page three (as Instrumentation, Systems & Automation Society, a year after the name change!) Search “Instrumentation” and it’s on page two. Am I wrong to expect it not only on page one but at the top of page one?

Incidentally it is very useful to see what other entities (not only other societies) are doing. We have good examples in the leading automation companies. For instance National Instruments have a Community and Social Media Manager (actually they say Geek! She is Deirdre Walsh). Why? Emerson have done a survey on the big (and paradoxical) changes occurring in the automation world and are acting accordingly. (See my own blog last month on conquering-complexity!). I came across an interesting book on the extraordinary changes that are occurring in our world today. Seth Godin in his book “Meatball sundae” talks about the tinkering that many entities are doing. They are missing the big picture. When the penny drops the realisation is truly revolutionary, a paradigm shift:

“So, if we embrace this approach, we don’t have to just change our website – we are going to have to change everything about our organisation. our mission, our structure, our decision making…”

ISA is on the right track? Tell the members how? Show the members how membership benefits them more than non-membership!

Leaders, please engage! Please respond where the members are! Come out from the ivory tower! Lead!

Members, participate! Participate where the leaders can lead!

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