How not to start a discussion group – or – remove me from this list

Ever found yourself part of a discussion group you never asked to join?

I’m not talking about for profit marketing. I’m talking about an organization with a membership and good intentions. They dump their list into a mailing group.

The daily digest ends up looking like this…

remove me from this list

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/xxxxxx/topics
a note to everyone sending “remove me ” to this list [6 Updates]
REMOVE ME [4 Updates]
Inventory of xxx groups [8 Updates]
To remove yourself [4 Updates]
Remove Me [1 Update]
Topic: a note to everyone sending “remove me ” to this list
Jan 07 04:59PM -0600 ^
Please remove me from the list. I was unable to do so via Google Groups as I don’t have an account.

Listserv is 25 years old and there’s no reason to keep re-learning this lesson. Notify your list that you’ve created a group. Tell them why they should be interested. Tell them who else is part of the group. Invite them to join.

People might want to participate in a conversation but they don’t want confused, antagonized strangers blundering into in their living room.

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About Ken Judy

I am an executive leader, software developer, father and husband trying to do more good than harm. I am an agile practitioner. I say this fully aware I say nothing. Sold as a tool to solve problems, agile is more a set of principles that encourage us to confront problems. Broad adoption of the jargon has not resulted in wide embrace of these principles. I strive to create material and human good by respecting co-workers, telling truth to employers, improving my skills, and caring for the people affected by the software I help build.