My ideal of a Listserv is captured in a posting by Jeff O'Brien to the 
Archives List in 2002 ( 
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0203C&L=ARCHIVES&P=R9649&I=-3
or
http://shrinkster.com/gfk )

I recognize, however, that different people look for different things.  Some 
see a List as a room with many corners, where different people congregate, as 
Jeff does.  Others take a narrower view of a List's function.  There is no 
right way to do it, although it is considerate to take into account what the 
majority wants.  While I look for a place where I can take off the mask I wear in 
the office, and let my hair down and chat freely, others look for something 
closer to the impersonal character of their workplace.  And tolerate some 
ritualistic deviations (the Friday postings) but not much beyond that.  Others among 
you seem to welcome a wide variety of styles and personality types.

An off list discussion that I had with someone yesterday left me feeling I 
could follow one of three options:  stop turning to the List with my postings; 
put on a mask and adopt an impersonal business-like style; or continue on the 
course I've followed since joining the List a little over a year ago.  I got a 
hint of what one List subscriber prefers a year ago, when, soon after I 
started posting here, he suggested I look through the List archives to see how 
people post messages.  The implication, of course, was that there was a preferred 
way of speaking up and it was up to newcomers to learn how to conform to that. 

While one usually learns to conform to community standards within an office, 
faking it along the way in order to get along with the powers that be and to 
succeed, I hadn't given much thought to the fact that some Lists, too, might 
require that.  Of course, what is a mask for some is a natural style for others. 
 In reading through List messages, I sometimes seem to sense who among you is 
putting on that mask and adopting styles or rituals and who has them as 
inherent in their nature.  Whether the style is natural or adopted, and I think for 
many of you it is natural, most of you seem comfortable with the List.  Of 
course, there also is the possibility that records management as a profession 
calls for certain aptitudes, while history calls for others.  

I largely think my style doesn't work here.  For the benefit of newer 
listmembers, let me explain why.  I posted to the List a year ago, explaining that I 
saw some latitude in the way people approach the List.  (See
http://www.lists.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0507a&L=recmgmt-l&D=0&T=0&P=1543
or 
http://shrinkster.com/gfl )

I later posted a follow up about argument culture, gender differences in 
conversation and how there are different approaches to building rapport in mixed 
groupos, etc. at 
http://www.lists.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0602C&L=RECMGMT-L&P=R2754&I=-3
or
http://shrinkster.com/gfm
in which I specifically offered this for consideration:
http://shrinkster.com/gfn 

While I've made some good friends here, some of whom I heard from privately 
yesterday, I've lost the sense of optimism with which I joined the List in 
February 2005.  You're all busy people.  While  I was looking for intellectual 
stimulation from lively debates, many of you just want to see short messages 
along the lines of "I'm looking for X, please post links to it if you know of any. 
 Thanks."  I understand that.  I mesh well with some personality types here 
and don't mesh at all with others.  Most of you see messages on the List during 
the course of the workday.  I had hoped those who didn't mesh with me simply 
would delete my postings unopened or set up a rule to send them to a trash 
folder.  I've changed my mind.  Now, I tend to think that my greatest obligation 
is to ease the stress for those of you who prefer the impersonal, 
business-like approach.  If adapting to that approach is too much of a reminder of the 
workplace for me, and I don't want to fake it, then I should step back.  I'm the 
intruder here.

I guess it's kind of like dating someone or being married.  Either both of 
you work at understanding your differences and styles of communication, or one 
or both decide, this is not going to work out, let's split up.  The first 
option (working together to understand differences) doesn't seem applicable here.  
I have found it useful to read the List to understand more about the 
psychology of the people who are drawn to records management.  And why they look at 
things the way they do.  It isn't always the way I look at things.  But the 
bottom line is, this is your List.  It isn't a Records, Archives and History List.  
It's a records management list.  I don't see any particular advantage to any 
of you in learning more about people who are drawn to history.  (Although we 
often are your end users, all you really need to know is how to preserve the 
records we and other end users will need,  You don't need to understand what 
makes us tick, LOL.)  

Most of you probably work with people of various Myers-Briggs types in 
differing functions and have to do enough adaption to irritating people during your 
workday, probably with some quiet gnashing of teeth.  Since I don't enjoy 
having people gnash their teeth about me, I'll just say, sorry it didn't work out, 
no harm intended, I hope that is understood.  My errors, such as they were, 
were not done with ill intent or a desire to harm anyone.  I respect most for 
you for your knowledge, and urge you to keep in mind your strengths and good 
qualities.  Quiet, sturdy confidence (although, of course, not arrogance) will 
take most of you a long way, I am sure!  Newcomers or veters, may you find the 
success you deserve.

Take care, all!

Maarja

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