Please don't shoot me. This idea may trigger a shyt storm...
.....but it shoudn't

Let me preface this with the following.

The idea I'm going to propose is NOT intended to anger, insult, impugn, infuriate, disrespect, malign, make people incredibly defensive, or lash out angrily, attack font selection, or....... violate IRS tax code.

No personal attacks, ether, please.

I'm "hoping" for a calm, measured, intelligent consideration of this idea or some variation of it. Just consideration!

Please resist the temptation to immediately condemn/proclaim the idea as it might still have "life " in some slightly different form.

It's an idea I've used myself as a sales manager and it was amazing productive for me.

And , some of you may have experienced this in business and/or...... maybe marriage counseling!

It's an idea that's not mine nor particularly original.
But, too too rarely used by organizations because they have a natural resistance to change or constructive criticism, as ALL human beings do from time to time.

OK, ready? Daggers put away? Shotguns uncocked? Car bomb makers staying away from my car? I'm kidding, too!!!


Here's the idea(and it ain't rocket science):


SDMBA askes for 360 feedback from within AND without(right use of word?) the SDMBA.

Why:
After my disaster of a post on the Sycamore/MTRP campaign to connect ala what IMBA is doing here:

http://www.imba.com/alert/southern-california-forests

Despite the disastrous reception online, I received a fair number or PMs and letters of support form SDMBA members and non SDMBA members who visit the site and are dissapointed in certain ways. They didn't feel comfortable posting their opinions on the forum for reasons I can understand to some degree.
That's par for the course for any organization and is, again, no provocation to go defcon 4 on me/this.

Stay calm.

In a perfect world, would we not want to know two things:

1. What does our constituency want us to focus on?
2. What our constituency wamnts us to improve on?
3. What our non non-member(future SDMBA member) thinks?

Couldn't be bad info, right?


So, we can't email a Survey monkey poll because we don't email our people as I understand it.
Or, maybe we could??

The three questions to ask.

What are three things SDMBA does well and should contiunue doing? We love this work that SDMBA is doing!

1.
2.
3.

What are three areas where SDMBA could improve it or increase its efforts now and in the future. Please include a CONSTRUCTIVE solution, too.

1.
2.
3.

Finally, general comments on SDMBA, suggestions, rad ideas, etc. Maybe there's a pearl of wisdom that a16 year old will share with us that none of the "adults would ever have thought of.


Post this thread below our forum mission statment and leave it there for 90 days.

Provide a survey template(survey monkey??) that can easily by used by SDMBA.
Make it postable to facebook.

Then, here's the radical part.
Enable and ENCOURAGE outsiders(dirtreaders, downhillers, roadies,racers and chasers, women riders groups, Police Athletic leagues, shop owners, EVERBODY in the cycling world of San Diego to respond/share the survey.
The more data the better.

We, as SDMBA members can spread the word about the survey amongst current non believers or skeptics.
WE have 90 days to convince our skeptical friends that they should take the time to do it

These "outsiders" just night have ideas and feedback that we may not have never considered.
Perhaps we find a few converts. along the way, too!


-Proves that we're "in touch" with the community that rides in the dirt.
-WE learn something. Maybe a few things.

At the end of the 90 day period we compile the results.

And, because we're a transparent, egalitarian, democratically elected organization.......EVERYONE has complete access to the results. Non negotiable.
No secrets, no deletions, no edits. Non negotiable.
Why non negotiable? We all need a clear picture of what the reality is out there.
Scrub any information that would identify a respondent but otherwise show ALL of us the feedback.

Fair request?

Give us the raw feedback to review, consider and perhaps use as catalysts for new ideas , fresh thinking, fresh approaches.


With the next 30-60 days SDMBA anlayzes the data and provides THANKS, clarification where needed, corrected misinformation, celebrates good new ideas, and if appropriate REDIRECT resources to areas where it is clear the SDMBA and the larger dirt riding populations wants/hope for action.




Have at it!

Peace.

Campbell

Good luck, I believe others have suggested similar to SDMBA only to receive basic defensive mechanisms like anger, denial and deflection.
It appears most members feel the same way about SDMBA but are afraid to publicly speak out because of the emminent onslaught of the cyber bashing which ultimately includes the same old tired "well what do you do for the 100s of thousands of mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians or what have you done for multi-use trails advocacy in San Diego!? If you think you can do better join SDMBA and then we'll receive your input". Or something to that effect.

Good luck, I sincerely hope SDMBA, if they receive this input anonymously or not will actually use it and maybe step down off their high horses and realize that the majority of mountain bikers that know about them appreciate the hard work they do but also dont appreciate the elitist attitude or vibe they put off. I know plenty of people who feel the same way but dont want to suffer through the their little social attacks.

^^Yes you do. No, I didn't. Was it actually on TV, or on the internet? I wish they'd show more MTB on TV. Getting bored by only road cycling coverage.

Very interesting. I read the whole thing and I don't mean to be an asshole, but did you guy see Aaron Gwin whoop some ass today!?

Very interesting. I read the whole thing and I don't mean to be an asshole, but did you guy see Aaron Gwin whoop some ass today!?

hell yeah! frustrated with the outcome of Pacquiao/Bradley fight but I had fun watching Gwin's run and being on the hot seat for a while.

hell yeah! frustrated with the outcome of Pacquiao/Bradley fight but I had fun watching Gwin's run and being on the hot seat for a while.

Kinda pissed that Pac had to make everybody (including the judges) wait for over an hour pass the start of the fight so he could watch the Celtics-Heat game and (!) warm up on the treadmill after that. DVR it mother%@$$#, such a bonehead diva move. Boxing should really do away with guaranteed price money for win or lose and make fighters fight over a pool (i.e. 40-20). I'd dance and play defense too for 8-9 rounds if I want to enjoy that guaranteed $24million. Just saying.

Gwin -check up from the neck up. Brendog bandwagon is coming back to earth from the cloud9 hype.

What was this thread about?

........how was the Kern trip?

Do you even have to ask someone who went to Six Flags if they had fun?
F*&^ GoPro so now I have to go back there and get the angle to stay upright and hit stuff faster.


Go Marvelous Hagler.

never been to Six Flags, is that a trail?