One year on ????

[Augustus]

Please reply to the email I sent out on this here.


P.

[aikido]

I for One think this site is a good thing and if you can please keep it going

[gloryboy]

not sure that it has really had any sway on what the powers that be are doing or planning, but it has definately removed the isolation that used to be present on a daily basis.
i really hope that this forum can go on from strength to strength.

[phugly]

Keep the forum going. Some may disagree, but there have been changes that would not have happened without the forum. Also it does help keep us all in touch with each other.

I notice that this thread has been read 12 times when I entered, yet there is only 5 replies. WHY?

[russell]

admin said:

Please reply to the email I sent out on this here.


P.

what email

[glen]

Keep it going, if anything it keeps people in touch about things good or bad

[hereticus]

OK, so one year on what have we achieved ?

Firstly, as Gloryboy suggests, we have finally established communication between advisors and stopped the isolation - if this was our only acheivement it would all be worth it.

Additionally we have shared hints and tips on a daily basis and provided mutual support, even down to helping each other out with brackets, etc.

During January we showed that we can all pull together in a constructive and determined way when over a hundred advisors contributed their comments towards the brief for the Advisor Feedback Seminars. I know that many feel that it turned out to have been a pointless or even negative exercise, but we can still take credit for pulling together as a forum. I also believe (putting mismeasure fines to one side) that many good things have resulted from our input to the seminars - not enough and not quick enough, but still more than would have happened otherwise.

We have also shared our bad experiences, pooled our frustrations, and sometimes gone a bit too far but have mostly managed to moderate the extremes and find some concensus.

We have had a few hotheads letting off steam (but also adding a lot of humour) and we have seen a few advisors sadly leave the company because this forum has reinforced their frustrations and made them realise that their future might be better elsewhere. But for most of us the very fact that we are not alone and that others share the same problems has actually made us more determined to meet the frustrations head on and contribute, each in our own way, towards a climate of gradual change.

It has been a big disappointment that Hillarys have not embraced this forum and taken part, but I can also understand the reasons why. The vast majority of us post very reasonable comments which, when critical of the company, are still shared and supported by others, are well argued and can be justified, and nothing is said that we would not say to our FSM's or any other management in person - genuine problems need to be heard, identified, and resolved, and I am not aware of anybody sufferring any sort of 'reprisal' through responsible activity on this forum.

A small minority, however, have used this forum to cast personal insults to specific members of management, whilst doing so from behind a cowardly cloak of anonymity. To somebody like John Risman or Ross Kenney it must have been the equivalent of receiving half a dozen anonymous poison pen letters in the mail every day - knowing that somebody is out to undermine you but not knowing who, or even whether they are genuine Hillarys advisors. In their position I, too, would have turned my back on this forum.

One year on I believe that this forum has more then justified its existence and I hope it can recover from the silliness of the last couple of months, return to the level of influence which it briefly hit earlier this year, and become a debating forum and a vehicle for change which is recognised by, given credibility by, and earns the respect of the company on whom we all depend for our living.
We can be as critical as we like and should continue to point out all of the problems and frustrations of the job - and if we do so constructively and reasonably we have nothing to fear, so why should we hide behind pseudonyms.

One year has gone, no casualities apart from those who have sadly self destructed, and many still with us who would otherwise have jumped ship - lets now take on a little more maturity and look towards working together for a better future.

Finally I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that through this forum I have met colleagues who I am pleased to think of as mates, or even friends. Enough in itself ! So many thanks to Motters for setting the ball rolling a year ago, but whether this forum actually reaches its potential influence is down to all of us.

[lisa]

Excellent forum, keep it going, it keeps us informed. Best of luck.

[russell]

lisa said:

Excellent forum, keep it going, it keeps us informed. Best of luck.

Great to see first time posts please please post more often it really dos help our cause

[heston]

I sincerely hope the forum keeps going. As a still relatively new advisor I would be lost without its support. Knowing that many of us share the same frustrations removes the feeling of isolation when things go wrong. Please keep up the good work. Alone we are a single voice, but together we can make a lot of noise.

[crock]

We may be seen as one of the "silent ones", we have only ever posted once before! However we frequently visit the forum as it is very interesting to see that we are not the only ones who are facing the everyday dilemmas of a "Hillarys Advisor". We have been advisors for 6+ years and we have had numerous fsm's (just about to receive another!). We often read and sympathise the situations that are mentioned. The forum is an excellent idea and should continue even if it is only to make us feel "normal".

[essexman]

Like others I think it has been a good forum and place for information, together with lessening that isolated feeling. I hope that in the long run it improves the working day for us advisors and that the company realises that they need us and that they will do better with us on side rather than antagonised. We will all then be better off, both financially and emotionally as there is a lot of emotion in the system. Hillarys need to know that they will lose more from messing us about.

[filo]

Hi
Look at me 2 posts in 1 week; anyway yes I would like to see this
forum continue, it would be a shame that all the work put in to it
by Motters and his gang went to waste, I know it as had it’s up’s and
downs, but that’s to be expected, but with a more constructed menu
and input from all members, it can only get stronger and one day
Hillary’s might just listen.

filo

[hereticus]

The first posting from Lisa ! The second ever from Carlton ! Thanks guys, and welcome.

Come on more of you. All of the silent majority, who leave the active few to express the feelings that you apparently share, please post at least this once just to show your support for our forum. We have over 500 members, but only about 30 who are active regularly - we need more of you to come out of the closet to demonstrate that we are relevant and we do have a voice.

A challenge for the next week - let's see how many first time posts we can accumulate. Everyone is welcome, every voice and opinion is equally valid, so please acknowledge your presence.

[mendipmagpie]

Well put Herticus
I agree with you and hope we continue to go from strength to strength.

Dont give up Motters you have put in far to much for that ,especially where the isolation factor was concerned. As I said yesterday, Im sure the new Hillarys site will surely promote some great disscussions in the future.

MM