Making Optiboard a more welcoming place!

**Fezz** · 07-15-2012, 09:40 AM

As a whole, we have not been a very welcoming community to newbies. I think that we tend to scare off those who are new to the business. I know that I have been guilty of it.....have you?

How can we change? How can we become the community of optical professionals that we should be? How can we improve how we handle new members?

I am on a personal mission to try to change the climate here and make it more welcoming. I encourage others to join me in trying to make a difference.

I posted in a thread about sending newbies info, materials, websites, contact info, etc. to help and encourage them.

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...134#post431134

Let's step up........not aside!

**gmc** · 07-15-2012, 10:09 AM

Well said Fezz.

**chip anderson** · 07-15-2012, 10:13 AM

If we can't vent all or venom and frustration on the net trying to make ourselves look better by putting others down, aren't you afraid of mass suicides of older optiboarders?

Chip

**Fezz** · 07-15-2012, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

If we can't vent all or venom and frustration on the net trying to make ourselves look better by putting others down, aren't you afraid of mass suicides of older optiboarders?

Chip

Will you step up....or step aside? How can you help?

**Fezz** · 07-15-2012, 10:33 AM

I have been thinking and kicking ideas around. One of my main thoughts is:

*A Newbie Mentor Section
This could be a section of dedicated Optiboarders who are willing to help without the BS usually associated with replies in the general forum. My thought is that maybe newbies would feel more comfortable posting in the "No Hassle Zone"

**gmc** · 07-15-2012, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Fezz

I have been thinking and kicking ideas around. One of my main thoughts is:

*A Newbie Mentor Section
This could be a section of dedicated Optiboarders who are willing to help without the BS usually associated with replies in the general forum. My thought is that maybe newbies would feel more comfortable posting in the "No Hassle Zone"

That's a great idea! I'm in for this one.

**uncut** · 07-15-2012, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by Fezz

I have been thinking and kicking ideas around. One of my main thoughts is:

*A Newbie Mentor Section
This could be a section of dedicated Optiboarders who are willing to help without the BS usually associated with replies in the general forum. My thought is that maybe newbies would feel more comfortable posting in the "No Hassle Zone"

You mean like a "newbie daycare"?

**Jubilee** · 07-15-2012, 10:29 AM

I am with ya Fezz! Lets encourage people to be a part of this industry and to embrace it. That way people like Chip can feel a bit better at night about the people who will take over after he retires from the industy ;)

**sharpstick777** · 07-15-2012, 10:30 AM

Great job Fezz! I am in. Beer Scouts unite!

**Jubilee** · 07-15-2012, 10:39 AM

I think that is an excellent idea Fezz! Heck, I bet there are many old timers besides myself that dont' know it all yet, or at least need some reminders on things once in a while..

**optigrrl** · 07-15-2012, 11:14 AM

Thanks Fezzy, for bringing this to light!

**optigrrl** · 07-15-2012, 11:14 AM

We just need to spread the kindness everywhere, regardless of the situation. More and more the stress of our daily lives as well as our patients and customers are rising with the state of the world and this brings about a lot of negativity in our daily interactions. Pushing ourselves to take the extra step and be strong and be nice will go a long way in helping to combat this.

**LENNY** · 07-15-2012, 12:09 PM

Ok, ok I will be nice!!!!:)

**gordmac** · 07-15-2012, 12:22 PM

I have allways been told it is nicer to say Please and Thank You to new comers. Like" Please don't ask dumb questions or Thank You for being a Newbie Idiot". Sounds a little more polite

**Wes** · 07-15-2012, 12:38 PM

Sign me up.

**uncut** · 07-15-2012, 01:37 PM

O.K., Fezz.

I, uncut, hereby pledge not to send newbies home in tears, crying to mommy that they weren't welcome at Optiboard.

I, uncut, promise not to maim any flies, furry critters, or monsters, at least for today!

I, uncut, also promise not to tell newbies to stick their nose into anything.

**fjpod** · 07-15-2012, 02:08 PM

You're right...but sometimes we can't tell if newbies are real optical people or consumers or vendors in disguise. We tend to jump all over these people. Obvious consumers should politely be reminded of the rules. The not so obvious posters should be given a few more posts and be asked a few more questions, since there is really no way to verify someone's credentials.

We should not vent our own philosophical differences on first time posters.

**Wes** · 07-15-2012, 06:28 PM

I know this isn't in the spirit of this thread, but I'd like to share why the "stupid" questions annoy me. I don't mind the intelligent questions, but the ones displaying a near total lack of knowledge that any optician should posess from someone calling himself an optician really gets my hackles up. It's because I call myself an optician as well, and that person is giving us all a bad name. Now I realize that keeping that individual ignorant, not helping him progress, is furthering the bad name. So I help anyway. Sometimes grudgingly.

I can't help but think none of this would be a problem if we had standards. That's the point of that ABO survey. Does an optician encounter this or that in the first two years? Yep. Should know all that stuff before practicing as an optician. Those surveys are being used to support a position that many are pushing for.

Anyone else?

**Judy Canty** · 07-15-2012, 06:47 PM

I'm not going to allow this thread to be de-railed. In most states anyone can be labeled an optician. Yes, we need standards, but in the mean time we hurt no one by helping each other.

Back in 1972, when I took my first job in this industry, before I knew that Opticianry was a viable career path, I had plenty of "stupid" questions. They were answered politely and helpfully and it made all the difference for me.

**Judy Canty** · 07-15-2012, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Judy Canty

I'm not going to allow this thread to be de-railed. In most states anyone can be labeled an optician. Yes, we need standards, but in the mean time we hurt no one by helping each other.

Back in 1972, when I took my first job in this industry, before I knew that Opticianry was a viable career path, I had plenty of "stupid" questions. They were answered politely and helpfully and it made all the difference for me.

Too late...but it was a nice thought.

**becc971** · 07-16-2012, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Wes

I know this isn't in the spirit of this thread, but I'd like to share why the "stupid" questions annoy me. I don't mind the intelligent questions, but the ones displaying a near total lack of knowledge that any optician should posess from someone calling himself an optician really gets my hackles up. It's because I call myself an optician as well, and that person is giving us all a bad name. Now I realize that keeping that individual ignorant, not helping him progress, is furthering the bad name. So I help anyway. Sometimes grudgingly.

I can't help but think none of this would be a problem if we had standards. That's the point of that ABO survey. Does an optician encounter this or that in the first two years? Yep. Should know all that stuff before practicing as an optician. Those surveys are being used to support a position that many are pushing for.

Anyone else?

right but say someone gets hired into this field with NO experience (as i was, for example) and needed to be able to ask someone the stupid questions without being ridiculed or made to feel like they are completely unwelcome? I've been an optician for three years now, and i still ask stupid questions, there is a lot to know. Sometimes this is the only way someone will be able to learn, and when we're unwelcoming to a new person they're not going to want to use this board as an educational tool like they should be able to. Personally i started with my company working with people who were completely unwilling to help me learn, were rude when i asked questions, almost to the point where i left. Being the stubborn person that I am, i made it a point to educate myself since they wouldn't, and i used our company profile to access this board and it was a long time before i felt like i could create my own without having my ego killed. We should be helping people approach a new career with confidence. Otherwise we would be a dying breed

**pseudonym** · 07-15-2012, 07:34 PM

Newbies should get a subscription and post their dumb questions to the eyecare professionals forum. That's what I do. Really dumb questions I PM to certain soft-hearted opticians who'll do their best to answer it- you know who you are.

pseudonym (coming up on year one in the business)

**Browneyes1208** · 07-15-2012, 07:35 PM

I am a "newbie" and asked my first question not long ago. I was met with very mean-spirited replies by one person in general. Most of the people were very kind. I was VERY discouraged! I received many private notifications of apologies by the nice people on here, but I also received some that said they were met with the same kind of replies as a
"newbie". Some things some people do every day may not be something that someone else is familiar with. I don't think newbies want to be held by the hand, but to make them feel like they are not asking a stupid question would be nice. I like that idea.

**Fezz** · 07-16-2012, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Browneyes1208

I am a "newbie" and asked my first question not long ago. I was met with very mean-spirited replies by one person in general. Most of the people were very kind. I was VERY discouraged! I received many private notifications of apologies by the nice people on here, but I also received some that said they were met with the same kind of replies as a
"newbie". Some things some people do every day may not be something that someone else is familiar with. I don't think newbies want to be held by the hand, but to make them feel like they are not asking a stupid question would be nice. I like that idea.

Thank you for sharing this! Your experience and some comments in that thread were pivotal in my thought process! I had been thinking it for a long time and that put me over the edge!

I appreciate your input! Thank you!

**Sledzinator** · 07-16-2012, 10:13 AM

When I first joined optiboard I jumped right in and was met with hostility not because of a stupid question but an opinion. This very quickly turned me off and I almost stopped posting completly and probably would have if someone wasn't kind enough to reach out. I would also like to point out that maybe the newb asking a question here is doing so because they have no one else to ask face to face. I think a mentoring forum or newb forum would be a great idea! I also think think reaching out to all the new members who join right after taking the test to get their ABO would be a great place to start.