"two nations divided by a common language"....ain't it true?
I agree with the increasing tendency to speak directly, Bill. I'm 60 and senior enough now that I increasingly call 'em as I see 'em.
However, I have also learned about that honey/vinegar thing...since persuasion is still needed. I've worked into a position where I'm one of the primary influencers setting the agenda for instructional technology for our entire campus. It's interesting to try and keep my crystal ball accurate as to where we need to be three to five years from now in terms of web conferencing, lecture capture, video and audio podcasts, RSS feeds and those kinds of things. Seems like most of the calls in the last year have been good ones, and I try to keep all the players involved so we can make joint recommendations. I don't have a title that indicates this is my job with any scope larger than Continuing Education...but it turns out that we're the only ones with a need to drive the technology forward, so the campus folks are cooperating and the result benefits all 24,000 students.
And then I get to play with bright, shiny new toys on campus!
I hear you Al. We are in a new era of team work and cooperation. I have a pot of honey I keep handy for the various flies that buzz around my part of the planet. However, the greatest compliment paid to me recently was "Wow, you really are so nice when your kicking someone's ass! It doesn't seem negative at all."
