Trina Hoefling Untethered

This is a short, quick, and honest post…. I’ve been buried with commitments and distracted by politics and history-making news. Taking way too much time reading, watching, and researching to better educate myself as an “informed citizen.”

The good news for the blogosphere is I went out of town Wednesday morning and was completely unplugged until Monday morning – was in the glorious Rocky Mountains at a gathering with 15 years of friends. I came back and slammed myself into DVR’ed news shows and emails and catching up with the world. Not that I learned good news, but fundamentally, things were about as I expected.

Moral of the story? I’m clear on what I need to do as a citizen and need to relax about being hyper vigilant, and am antsy to get back to my professional blogging and writing. You’ll hear more from me soon with some news and more strategy-based and business-focused postings ….

Though tonight I have a debate to watch. Catch you on the rebound! Trina

Does Polling Engage us Interactively or Influence Us Unduly or Simply take up too much air?

Or something in between? I’m getting my ducks in a row to do some real world research in organizations, and polling and surveys will be part of that research. It reminds me, though, that I ask people their opinions because I truly not only want – but need – to know in order to do good information gathering. I am also genuinely seeking to learn about them as people and members of the organization, and opportunities to make things better for them while also accomplishing whatever project I’m doing research for.

Interactive. Engagement.Trust building, Relationship building, Alliance building – Expanding Emotional Bandwidth. Oh, yeah – and good information, data and sometimes, wisdom.

Polls and surveys are one tool in my arsenal, but not really enough to sort out what else is really going on inside the organization and the organization’s members and stakeholders. I go in and help the company figure itself out and get better at being who it is more successfully and  responsibly. I can’t do that if I don’t know the people or know what is going on. Polls and surveys are one part of doing that faster and with more safety in reducing bias and letting every voice have a say.

In the media, though, polling is more limited. It is about the only engagement tool that reaches out and pulls information from the American public during this election season. What is its role? Media’s growing requirement is to

• entertain us,
• educate us (not sure where that directive came from, but it is there especially on morning news shows),
• engage us,
• edify our knowledge of current events
• elevate important news so we know to pay attention.

That’s quick off my cuff…. Anyone agree or have another point of view? And what role does polling play, and to what end? [Hint: I'm actually more interested in the "to what end" part. lol]