Tradicat

+ JMJ A few weeks ago I witnessed the evolution of a confrontation, in real-time. The speaker had just finished a 2+ hour session including presentations / exercises (yes there were some breaks) and opened the floor to questions. The first question from the floor pointed out (obliquely) a potential way to improve the system that was presented. While the question could have been presented better, it is the response that set the stage for the confrontation. The presenter immediately became defensive and continued in 'tell' mode. Telling his interlocutor that decisions had been made. ... and he missed both the point and the opportunity. The point was that the person posing the question was uncomfortable with the means being employed to achieve an end. Everyone in the room seemed to be in full agreement that the ends were worth achieving. It was some elements of the means being used to achieve those ends that rubbed some people the wrong way. Sorry for being ...