THERE IS A TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE....
author: Leon Botha
THERE IS A TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE....
There is also a time to face facts.
The other evening during dinner with friends one of them asked me to evaluate something that he would let me get the next day. I would rather not say what it was or what I had to do, as it may embarrass him as a number of our friends read this website regularly.
The next day after I spoke to him and gave my opinion, which was positive. I could hear that he appreciated it and then I suddenly realised that it did not take much to make another person happy or at least more content?
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The light at the end of the tunnel is not always what it seems to be!
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I also realised that it does not take much to look for a few positive things to say, it costs you nothing and does not take a lot of time - but it sure as hell does a lot better than all the negative vibes surrounding criticism?
Problem is that we live in a world that is driven by realism and probably criticism?
When you listen to people talking, especially about other people it is difficult to understand why all is not perfect, as everyone seems to know the answer to everything?
Problem is that those "in the wrong" never seem to hear about anything and that causes them to remain living in the cocoon of relative satisfaction?
They actually believe that they are doing a great job - I am not talking of thieves and thugs who are in jobs only to steal and connive, I am talking about people who at least believe that they need to do something before they will receive anything in return even if it is only acknowledgement?
There are two problems with this - in general those with the answers tell other people about other people's mistakes and the other people - the ones who need to stand, sit or lie, listening to the stories, normally take the story further - but not to the ones who need to hear about their own shortcomings?
Hopefully you are still with me?
Except of course if they (the ones who listens) are "spying" for those who are apparently doing everything wrong - then my friend they can not wait to get out of the company of the critic (skinderbek) to go and tell the person spoken about - what the other person said.
New problem - the story teller will normally add about 63.3% to the story he or she heard and the criticism then turns into a war machine!
Next problem - the person who was criticised now only separates the "add on" from the truth and the fight is on. All that comes under discussion is the 63.3% added on!
Big problem - the person who initially did not do what he was supposed to do, and because of that suffered the slight attack of criticism can not go back to the person who started the story - because the person who ran to him with the 63.3% add-on asked him not to tell anyone what so-and-so, the original story teller, said! This means that he would rather then tell someone else how bad the initial story teller or critic is.
So - the crux of the matter is that the so-called "positive feedback" never gets to the person it was supposed to reach - because no one had the guts to tell him or her.
This is where my late (now already 'very-late') grandpa kicks into the story. He used to say that if you are not asked for your opinion, do not give it. Listen and learn, he said is a very far better than to criticise as almost everyone forgets any negative about themselves.
It seems, and I am happy to report, that over the past week or two a new tendency for the first time lifted its head.
I had the honour of listening to 'fair criticism' on a number of worrying aspects from active participants in our sport - which in itself was not 'abnormal' but what was noteworthy was that this time groups of two and more persons approached me together to discuss a few matters.
What was noteworthy was that the concerns were genuine and almost desperate - as opposed to almost idle banter or simple stirring in the past.
The saying "great minds think alike" goes much further than what we believe and the 'straight forward" interpretation is normally wrong. Not too far off in the future you will see in my book "Psy-telapathy - a mind game" that I believe that we share from an universal "harmonious energy" and that it works on a "take and feed back" system which causes you and me with a similar interest to think about the same thing or aspect almost at the same time.
Suddenly it seems to have dawned on a number of people that we need to look at the sport and look at it urgently. Suddenly a number of persons realise that we are not using the potential of the sport correctly and that we need to make serious changes to the way we utilise its potential.
Whether the vast amounts of money privateers have to spend to try to stay in the picture has anything to do with it or whether pure frustration with the fact that they do not really receive any acknowledgement for their efforts is the cause of this new attitude, does not matter. What matters is that, thank goodness, a number of them seem to have woken up from a very expensive sleep.
Suddenly a number of people realise that what I have said before - that we can not afford to be reliant on the tempo of so-called volunteers based on the whims of one or two role players to control all. We can not afford to allow people who got stuck either on their own limit or even at a specific beacon they liked in the past (I have a feeling it was around 1985 or so) decide the future of the sport or determine the tempo at which it shall move forward, sideways or as the case is according to most, backwards.
It is incredible to hear after what I see as them sucking on at least the second last tit for more than a decade, that they actually still acknowledge the efforts of a number of role players, but that the financial impact due to a lack of growth in the sport have now caught up and overtook their thankfulness.
During one of the last meeting I had with a small group I actually bet on the following: Despite the 'small revolution' I will not be surprised if it takes us another ten years to get a proper meeting of competitors together to discuss the various problems and get some workable solutions.
I was assured that I was wrong - this time. Competitors were tired of the battle against - will you believe it - those who are supposed to fight the battle for them. Those who simply run with whatever the 'major' role players decide, as the money come from them - and everyone else seem to dance according to their music out of fear of reprisal?
If you look back over the past few years and take only one single fact into consideration I can only sit back and smile - actually laugh at the fact that 'they' are only starting to wake up now!
One simple thing - pray tell me where a few classes disappeared to over the past few years? Every time a class' entry drops to about one or two, the class is simply removed from the scene! BAM!! Easy does it!
I hope you insist that they remove N4, A6 and possibly A7 as well next year just to ensure consistency?
That will make it easy - you start off in A5 at a rather heavy price and end off with an S2000 when your endowment policy pays out at 65?
If you heard anyone suggest that something is done to promote the growth in the classes instead of simply killing it, please let me know, because I certainly did not hear any such thing.
I agree - there is a time to acknowledge people, and then there is a time to take stock and look at the bottom line or reality.
No matter how well anyone told me I played 'chop sticks' on the piano, no matter how serious the acknowledgement and how hard I tried - nothing can make me a concert pianist. That is called admitting defeat or a shortcoming.
The time has arrived to acknowledge that we need a change and we need it big time - it is time we move on to concert level and get away from the popcorn foyer!
The only way we can achieve this is by working together on a plan that will take us to a better 2011 and then from there, onwards to a future in motorsport for the upcoming young competitors.
We do not only need to think out of the so-called box - we need to get out of the bloody thing and start working on a better and more secure future.
One step forward and three backwards and being ignored due to the secrecy surrounding our own future is simply not good enough anymore.
It is time for those who failed to acknowledge it and to step aside to allow other people to step in and at least give new life to the effort?
Just for the record - I have received this or a similar request from a substantial number of competitors or persons with a vested interest in the sport - and I would like to place on record that this is by no means a 'revolution' - it is merely a serious attempt to ensure that everyone gets to know where we stand and what the future holds for us?
Any feedback from you will be handled confidentially as I have been requested by a number of competitors to do it that way. The 'works drivers' will be excused for obvious reasons although their input will be appreciated.
The time is now and if you allow new proposed steps (planned by one or two individuals) to be implemented you will be stuck with them for the next umpteen years.
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Can anyone of you remember what plan B was?
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We need to grow the sport dramatically to ensure the entry of new sponsors - because only a few people can currently afford to compete from their own pockets. Please do not let anyone tell you that bringing problems into the open affects sponsorship - it will only affect those who try to dominate not those who realise that if all is in place and running well - they are the ones who benefit. The fact that we got up to this point proves the entertainment value of the sport - it is just short of miraculous.
Your opinion will be appreciated
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