Why is it unprofessional?
Professionalism in public statements & spinning in a spin-off thread
- Thread starter JPT
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Why is it unprofessional?
The two are not mutually exclusive. I could state a lot of facts about game code for instance, but it would be highly unprofessional
Same thing here.
MS is a platform and in some ways depending on the arrangement a partner. Some of those comments is like tossing your partner under a bus.
Yes it's under performing but there's no need for it unless you don't have future relationships with them at all.
Like I said, it has absolutely nothing to do with how factual or controversial it is. Anyways pretty minor in this case, but still a valid point about it being somewhat unprofessional.
NDA and so on...
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Deleted member 86764
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Isn't it a bit like saying a banana is yellow?
But it'll never be as yellow as McFly. ಠ_ಠ
http://www.alfaroenterprises.com/blog/unprofessional_behavior/
But if the debate of whether or not he's unprofessional, I would classify it as such. My direct reports are social media specialists, we have those in the company for a reason. They control our messaging, we can't just have people spout whatever they like, if even your twitter account does not reflect the opinions of your employer, it's still certainly related.
His job to code games regardless of the platform. It's not to fuel wars between fanboys.
I'm not saying he's wrong to out MS with their weaker system, not being able to take criticism isn't great either. But there's a large difference between publicly outing someone, and just saying, hey your system sucks (directly to MS and not involve the public).
But if the debate of whether or not he's unprofessional, I would classify it as such. My direct reports are social media specialists, we have those in the company for a reason. They control our messaging, we can't just have people spout whatever they like, if even your twitter account does not reflect the opinions of your employer, it's still certainly related.
His job to code games regardless of the platform. It's not to fuel wars between fanboys.
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I think some people here must be forgetting the comments from devs last generation about the PS3. Valve suggested that it was "a total disaster":
"The PS3 is a total disaster on so many levels, I think it's really clear that Sony lost track of what customers and what developers wanted," said Newell. "I'd say, even at this late date, they should just cancel it and do a 'do over.' Just say, 'This was a horrible disaster and we're sorry and we're going to stop selling this and stop trying to convince people to develop for it"
By comparison, the comments about Xbox One being slower than the PS4 is a known quantity now and very tame.
And besides, if you're asked which machine is more powerful do you not give the correct answer? Or is it now considered "unprofessional" to be honest about something? It's not like we're dealing with an unknown of an unreleased platform or anything. He reiterated exactly what everyone already can see.
"The PS3 is a total disaster on so many levels, I think it's really clear that Sony lost track of what customers and what developers wanted," said Newell. "I'd say, even at this late date, they should just cancel it and do a 'do over.' Just say, 'This was a horrible disaster and we're sorry and we're going to stop selling this and stop trying to convince people to develop for it"
By comparison, the comments about Xbox One being slower than the PS4 is a known quantity now and very tame.
And besides, if you're asked which machine is more powerful do you not give the correct answer? Or is it now considered "unprofessional" to be honest about something? It's not like we're dealing with an unknown of an unreleased platform or anything. He reiterated exactly what everyone already can see.
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Deleted member 86764
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I completely understand your viewpoint because you clearly work in social media and you're in a position where you're directly responsible for avoiding the types of comments that he made. To me, I think it's a shame that the modern expectation is to act like a politician about it and skirt around the issue without ever really acknowledging something.
Yea that's fine.
The issue with social media today, and it wasn't an issue in the past, is that social media has much stronger implications today than it ever has. Our youth is so connected through so many formats of social media, it makes to breaks companies. (See kickstarter games! See Indie Games) Social media, for instance on Neogaf has had an impact on the big players in the gaming market. Think of all the reversals that occurred within MS.
So that being said. I'm not going to say there are laws or what not. But a part of being a professional today is recognizing the soap box power that social media has. You want to stand on the soap box and speak your mind, go for it. But there are consequences good and bad for it.
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Deleted member 86764
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And that works on so many levels; if I ask somebody a question where the answer is very clear and well known and that person avoids the question, well that just makes me think negatively about them. Isn't avoiding the truth "unprofessional"?
We've definitely had Microsoft employees suggesting that the Xbox One is more powerful than it is. Is that considered more professional?
And to be clear, I think Microsoft (especially since Spence took over) have been very good at acknowledging issues.
MS is doing whatever it takes to stay alive. There's a ton of spin in marketing; there are tons of copywriters that go through approval before anything is posted online, even with social media.
When people are working together to communicate messaging on behalf of the company, the rules of professionalism shift because at that point in time, you're just doing a job. If that makes sense?
sebbbi, MJP, Andrew, etc ... a lot of our forum members here avoid questions. That doesn't make them unprofessional at all, quite the opposite imo. They don't mix their personal and occupational feelings. Imagine having a lot of negative feelings about something that went down poorly in your company. Do you reach to social media to let the world know how crappy things went down? Talk about all the layoffs that just happened? Because it's true, it's not like it didn't, and if people ask you can certainly respond. It is unprofessional to not respond to the number of people that got laid off in your privatized corporation?
Why do you owe these social media folks answers? Why would you offer them in the first place? What benefit is there to your corporation other than losing investor confidence?
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Deleted member 86764
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At the end of the day, this guy we're referring to didn't (in my mind) do anything wrong. Except use the derogatory term of the machine.
That's fine, social media is entirely subjective.
Because of that, it will affect the readers differently.
His posts in particular, while they contain facts, one could say it was subjective in its tone. I'm not offended by it either.
But I wouldn't be surprised if he got his wrists slapped for it. Or closed a couple of doors. He hasn't really posted much since.
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Deleted member 86764
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I'd go as far as to say that it's objective rather than subjective. Tone perhaps could be worked on.
It seems that talking about consoles and working in the industry is a difficult thing to do (based on your comments). Shame really, I appreciate openness.
Avoiding the truth is the professional way to not admit to anything.
Politicians excel at it.Similar threads
