TOWNE PERSPECTIVE
Doers and Whiners: Which Are You?
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By Gary Jobson
ne of the most impressive attributes of Annapolis and our surrounding region is the tremendous network of motivated and passionate volunteers who provide a wide variety of services to our community. To every one of these heroes, let me say, thank you and bravo. Our citizens live in a better place as a direct result of these efforts. When I was battling cancer in 2003, I resolved that if I were lucky to survive, I would spend considerably more time helping others. Since those dark days, I have now served on 34 different boards and been Chair of nine of these nonprofit organizations. It is heart-warming to work with so many people who are dedicated to making things happen for the better. Sadly, for all the positive work being done, there are often negative pressures orchestrated by people who spend their energy on complaining. My terms describing these two disparate groups are the “Doers” and the “Whiners.” It is discouraging to see whiners trying to stop projects. It seems as if they delight in causing headaches. Is it for sport or the satisfaction of being the town naysayer? It makes me wonder how to ignore the whiners and celebrate the doers.
I was inspired many years ago by media executive, Ted Turner, who told me that serving on a board is important. He said it was always better to have a seat at the table making decisions than being an outsider. I have followed Turner’s advice to this day. Serving on a board is a big responsibility. There is great satisfaction in improving an organization. My standards for board service include several important principles: 1. Listen carefully at meetings. 2. Ask good questions. Do not grandstand or dominate a discussion. Leave time for others. 3. Wait your turn to ask follow-up questions. 4. Committee meetings are the time to bring up problems and contentious issues. 5. Never surprise the leadership with proposals without clearing them first. 6. Understand the protocol of the relationship between board members and the staff. 7. Use your expertise and experience on committees. 8. After a vote there needs to be one voice on the board. No “ad hoc” commentary. 9. Remember: It is no longer “them” it is “us.” 38
What’s Up? Annapolis | February 2021 | whatsupmag.com
Adding to these standards, I also believe in term limits and making sure that boards represent a cross section of a region’s diverse population. Boards operate best when there is a clear mission statement and all stakeholders agree to the objective. All this sounds good until aggressive agitation develops. In Annapolis, we have more than our share of naysayers and whiners. I have to smile as the one time Maryland Governor and later Vice President, Spiro Agnew, referred to the whining class as “nattering nabobs of negativism.” Lucky for him, the internet was not around during his time in office. The internet has given everyone a public voice on any topic. The internet is a convenient way to distribute doubt about any project. We are seeing this unfortunate trend at an alarming escalation throughout the world. We are going to an increasing amount of scrutiny about internet companies in the next few years. A few examples exist right here in Annapolis. For years, the notion of upgrading City Dock has been studied and debated. Several reports have been
generally well received but in each case little or no action took place when the whiners attacked. Over the past two years, the City Dock Action Committee has produced a well written plan for City Dock (see What’s Up Annapolis - “City is on the Brink of Fixing City Dock,” November 2019). Approximately 81 Annapolis residents worked on eight different areas within the 122 page proposal. It is well written with many supporting images. There are a handful of small items that need modification and further review, but the overall plan is a masterwork. And yet, the whiners are out there poking holes and denigrating the general plan. These people don’t seem to have a real goal other than trying to kill off a good project. For those trying to make the plan work, the attacks can be frustrating. There are steps that can be taken to turn around the naysayers. When questions come up, a rapid answer often helps solve problems. Inaccurate information needs to be corrected swiftly. People will respect a timely response. It is important to recognize that everyone has the right to an opinion. It helps to focus on the areas where common agreement comes naturally. Be willing to make adjustments. Compromise sometimes helps calm down some of the negativity. Aggressive deadlines can make the problem worse. Taking the time to ingest input from both solicited and not-solicited sources adds value to a project. This practice will help the manager of a project to
