Knowledge Leakage

Before you continue, you need to know that this isn’t completely about MG Pittard.

I’m usually the first one to scream “NO Take Backs!!” However, I have respect for MG Pittard for retracting statements he made about a soldier that committed suicide. If you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about you can read about MG Pittard here.

Too many leaders, echelons below MG Pittard’s level have egos the size of Alaska and are too proud to say “I was wrong,” or “I’m sorry,” or “I shouldn’t have said that,” or a combination of any of the three.

I have some VERY strong feelings toward what was said, but it’s the age old case of impact outweighing intent. Someone is finally setting the example and taking the time to understand the impact of his words and actions has had on others. Unfortunately what was said is already inscribed in cyberspace and the impact is unfortunate. I hope that others understand that I can appreciate a person who can acknowledge that what he/she says affects others.

Again, I’m not condoning his initial comments. However, I also have a problem with filtering myself sometimes.

This brings me to my apology to Ane Howard.

On a much, much, much… much less serious note, I consider myself an affiliate marketer. I write product reviews on several websites for payment and occasionally, I’ll even add a relevant banner ad on my blog and my other websites.

Unfortunately, I was so emotionally wound up at Ane Howard’s uneducated and biased statement about affiliate marketers that I hit Twitter (which is unfortunately tied to my Google+ profile and Facebook) with a “not so nice” comment referencing her recent statement about affiliate marketers. (If you want to know what I’m talking about, you can read it here.) No I didn’t outright attack her or say anything derogatory, but my references were mean spirited.

Her statement, to me, was the equivalent to saying ‘I’ve completed a lot of research and all Soldiers have PTSD.’   Most people know that it isn’t true, but there are those who firmly believe it. I should have never taken things personally… especially since I don’t use Facebook Ads. Not to mention, giving a review for a product for payment on my own website hardly counts as spam. Do I agree with her on any point she attempted to make? Absolutely NOT!  However, it’s okay to stand for something, even if it is misguided.

Sometimes what you want to say and what you should say are not in line. In this case I should have said absolutely nothing and allowed this woman to look like the ignorance guided “journalist” that she is.  What I probably did was perpetuate her idea of affiliate marketers being spammers and harassers. <Internal filter in action>!!

If MG Pittard can do it, so can I. So, I’ve deleted the comment from my twitter. In the words of MG Pittard:

“… I retract that statement.”

I wonder will she take the time to see the impact of her words?