Comments on: RSA Fellowship Council: live blog

By: Jemima Gibbons

Jemima Gibbons — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:44:44 +0000

@Greg - thanks so much for your comment. Connecting with people in ‘the sticks’ (metaphorically as well as literally) is a key aim of the blog so it’s great to have RSA Fellows in Chichester and Portsmouth on board. And I’m sorry if any offence was taken at the remark about regional committees “blocking” progress - sadly any type of group seems to incorporate both good and bad elements, and the Fellowship Council needs to remind itself that it is by no means immune!

By: Jemima Gibbons

Jemima Gibbons — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:26:07 +0000

@Jackie - that would be great, thank you!

@Mike - thanks, a valuable point and I hope you won’t mind if I quote you at the next meeting!

By: Greg Slay

Greg Slay — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:28:41 +0000

Well done Jemimafor a really informative account of the recent Fellowship Council meeting. Through your new chair, Tessy, we have added this blog as a link to our RSA Chichester and Portsmouth ning so that Fellows out in the sticks so to speak can reflect on what is going on at the Council. I am pleased to read that the Council members are working effectively and constructively to sort out the modus operandi. And I look forward to a future dialogue with regional committees (I am deputy chair of South Central)about linkages - it would be unfair to label all the regional committees as ‘blockers of progress’ and I will resign as soon as that happens in this region!

By: mas

mas — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:11:22 +0000

Hi Jemima - quite right to point out the other side of the coin and fear of the unknown or the new is understandable - that said personally I’d be keen to stress the importance of being as open as possible, not least because I think those on the periphery are far more liker to better engage if they feel informed than they are to become involved with something they know little of and while not high up on the priorities at this early stage it will be come the time the council seeks to recruit again.

Seemingly a mute point though as you appear to have proven the point by getting on and doing it which is often the best way :-)

By: Socialreporter | Rethinking networks as passionate human clouds

Socialreporter | Rethinking networks as passionate human clouds — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:07:12 +0000

[...] developed by staff. Anyway, the good news there is that the new Fellowship Council is going well - as live-blogged here by Jemima Gibbons - and Tessy Britton has been elected chair. Tessy is very positive, and there are [...]

By: Jackie Elliman

Jackie Elliman — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:39:05 +0000

Thanks for this report Jemima, covers it all wonderfully well so shall refer London Region Committee to it!

By: Jemima Gibbons

Jemima Gibbons — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:27:13 +0000

Thanks Tessy. Let’s hope not. In the future all meetings worth their salt will be live blogged!

By: Tessy Britton

Tessy Britton — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:36:14 +0000

Jemima you have done such a terrific job with this live blog. Judging from all the positive comments about it since the meeting from Fellowship Council members, I doubt that this particular decision is likely to be revisited … !

By: Jemima Gibbons

Jemima Gibbons — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:53:15 +0000

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your comments.

I completely agree with you in that “if the fellowship council is towards better involvement of fellows just what is it that would need to be kept confidential?” but, as you also say, there’s also an awful lot of “baggage” (not surprising in a 255 year old organisation) and dealing with this is going to take time.

Not everyone sees the need for dramatic change as clearly as you or I might (and hey, who’s to say we’re “right” any way? Forcing “our” way of doing things on others who aren’t ready is just as bad as them insisting that we do things in more traditional ways)?

I guess you could argue that part of a “social” approach involves listening and trying to be inclusive/ accommodating of other people’s views, and I think that’s what we’re trying to do at the moment: moving forward with everyone on board rather than doing something that seems disruptive and abrasive.

The fact that council has agreed to allow live blogging and tweeting of meetings to go ahead is a massive step forward. I’m sure we will see more openness as people who are resistant slowly get used to the idea.

By: mas

mas — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:09:26 +0000

that uncomfortableness seems apparent - and to me confusing. I’m only dipping in and out of developments so maybe I have it all wrong but if the fellowship council is towards better involvement of fellows just what is it that would need to be kept “confidential”? I don’t mean that as a simple dig by the way it would be good to understand what the concerns are.

You can add my thanks as evidence too - not an easy task to do I’m sure and yet arguably a good alternative to minutes.

I can’t help but add that there seems to be an awful lot of baggage attached to RSA activities and I sympathise with those of you patient enough to try and make change.