Pan-fighting

The 'pan-species-listing family' has had a big argument, a trial separation and gone through a messy divorce all in the space of 48 hours - and I thought that it was only birders that squabbled and fell out! Without naming names and reasons, a public spat on the Facebook Group page has led to the FB group being disbanded, then started up again by the two warring factions - so we now have two different places on which to post, natter and share. One is called 'pan-species recording' and the other 'pan-species listing'. Confused? Well, just to confuse us even more, as I type this post there has been a name change. The 'recording' group is now called the 'Biological recording in the British Isles' group.

I am a member of both, not wanting to take sides or get involved with the internal politics. My  willingness to get involved in such shenanigans has been whittled away down the years and I know to my own cost that these situations are rarely fully resolved and can leave a bad taste in the mouth for months, if not years. I haven't posted on either group yet and most probably won't for a while. I read the feeds on both of them and can only be reminded of a recently separated parent trying desperately hard to convince the kids that everything is normal and will be alright. It's sad all round...

This does go to prove just how savvy long-term club chairmen/women, secretaries, recorders and the like are. Almost 100% are voluntary, and all will come across dissatisfaction and unreasonable behaviour from a number of their members because that's just what human beings are like. To keep one's calm, to stay level-headed and to bring into play diplomatic skills are not, as far as I am concerned, appreciated enough. It's easy to shout, to whine, to take umbrage, to point fingers, to sulk - it's not so easy to reign in the desire to do these things and then act rationally.

That's why I am not a server of committees or clubs. I've tried, but I do not have the character needed to be successful at it. If I wore a cap I would doff it towards those that can, and do.

Comments

Gibster said…
Aah - I wondered what had happened. A certain somebody threw the toys out of her pram again did they?
1 March 2015 at 05:49
Steve Gale said…
Seth! Great to have you back. How was NZ?
1 March 2015 at 08:36
Gibster said…
Still in NZ mate! Out here until start of May. I'd like to go on about the albatrosses, the kiwis, the Takahe attack, the dolphins, the mountains, the stars, the forests, the rivers (the bikini clad ladies I was chatting to on the beach the other day...) but now isn't the time or place. We'll find a pub when I get back.
1 March 2015 at 08:51
Steve Gale said…
Make sure we do Seth. Looking forward to it.
1 March 2015 at 08:54
Unknown said…
Aww, not being one for Twitterbookery means I have missed out on the fun. Not too surprised really.
2 March 2015 at 21:31
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