Rob Gjertsen – Gjertsen [dot] ca

Buyer Beware: Our Experience with an Asko Dishwasher from Trail Appliances

Rob Gjertsen — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 15:08:40 +0000

Read Time:3 Minute, 22 Second

When you purchase a new appliance, you expect reliability, functionality, and customer support that matches the promises made at the time of sale. Unfortunately, our experience with an Asko dishwasher from Trail Appliances has been the complete opposite. If you’re considering an Asko dishwasher or buying from Trail Appliances, I hope our story serves as a cautionary tale.

The Start of the Problem

In August 2021, we purchased a brand-new Asko dishwasher from Trail Appliances. Excited to upgrade our kitchen, we were eager to put it to use. However, the dishwasher didn’t even work on the day it was delivered and installed. The technician, who admitted to having no prior experience with Asko dishwashers or this specific model, was baffled. He quickly blamed the issue on our home’s water pressure, claiming it was too high.

We trusted this assessment and hired a plumber to check our water pressure, incurring an unnecessary expense. The plumber confirmed that our water pressure was perfectly normal. After another visit from the same inexperienced technician, a different technician—this time someone familiar with Asko—finally resolved the issue by switching the dishwasher from a sensored fill to a timed fill. This ordeal took almost a month to resolve.

A History of Repairs

Unfortunately, that rocky start was just the beginning. Since its installation, the Asko dishwasher has required 11 or 12 service calls to address various issues. Each time, we’ve had to deal with the Asko repair center, and while they tried to fix the problems, the dishwasher’s reliability continued to decline.

Now, the dishwasher has stopped working altogether—again. It won’t even turn on. A similar issue happened in the past, and the repair involved replacing the “main board.” This time, however, Trail Appliances directed us to a third-party repair company, Comerco, as they apparently outsource extended warranty repair, at least for Asko dishwashers.

We called Comerco over a week ago to schedule a repair. To this day, we still don’t have a service date. The lack of urgency and accountability from Comerco only adds to the frustration of dealing with this product.

Replacing the Asko Dishwasher

After enduring countless issues, we finally decided enough was enough. Despite the fact that our Asko dishwasher is still under warranty, we opted to replace it entirely. We purchased a new dishwasher from Bosch, a brand we’ve had great success with in the past. The peace of mind and reliability that our new Bosch dishwasher provides have been worth every penny, especially after the constant stress caused by the Asko.

The Bigger Picture

After enduring countless issues, I’ve reached the conclusion that this dishwasher was a lemon from the start. Trail Appliances should have stepped up and taken it back during the initial month of troubleshooting. Instead, we’ve been stuck with a defective product and an endless cycle of repairs.

While Trail Appliances’ initial service was disappointing, the move to a third-party repair service has made matters worse. Comerco’s slow response time and lack of communication make it clear that they do not prioritize customer satisfaction.

A Word of Warning

If you’re considering an Asko dishwasher, think twice. The brand has been nothing but trouble for us, and based on our experience, their products are unreliable. Moreover, Trail Appliances failed to resolve the issue appropriately, leaving us to deal with ongoing headaches. Finally, the third-party repair service, Comerco, has been unresponsive and unhelpful.

We’re sharing our experience in the hopes of saving others from the same frustration. If you’re shopping for a dishwasher, consider looking at other brands and retailers. Don’t let the sleek design or promises of premium performance fool you. Our Asko dishwasher has been anything but premium—it’s been a source of constant stress.

Have you had a similar experience with Asko or Trail Appliances? Share your story in the comments. Let’s make sure no one else has to endure what we’ve been through.

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The Art of Email Etiquette: Proper Use of TO and CC

Rob Gjertsen — Thu, 30 May 2024 06:35:01 +0000

Read Time:3 Minute, 51 Second

In the realm of email communication, mastering the subtle art of addressing your recipients correctly can make the difference between clear, effective communication and a cluttered, confusing inbox. As an IT professional with 26 years of experience, I’ve seen the evolution of email from a revolutionary tool to an everyday necessity—and along the way, I’ve noticed a decline in proper email etiquette. Today, let’s delve into why it’s crucial to use the TO and CC fields correctly, the benefits of doing so, and how we’ve strayed from these practices over time.

The TO Field: Your Primary Communication Channel

Think of the TO field as the main stage in a theater production. The individuals listed here are the stars of the show, the ones expected to perform, respond, or take action. When you place someone in the TO field, you’re directly addressing them, signaling that their input or action is required.

Pros of Proper TO Usage:

Clarity: It clearly indicates who needs to take action, avoiding any ambiguity.
Accountability: Assigns responsibility, ensuring that the right people are aware of their duties.
Efficiency: Streamlines communication, making it easier to track who needs to respond.

Cons of Misusing the TO Field:

Overload: Including too many people can dilute responsibility, leading to inaction.
Confusion: Misplaced recipients can create confusion about who is responsible for responding.

The CC Field: Your Supporting Cast

The CC (carbon copy) field is akin to the supporting cast—those who need to be in the loop but aren’t directly responsible for the outcome. These are the people you want to inform without expecting a direct response or action.

Pros of Proper CC Usage:

Transparency: Keeps relevant parties informed, promoting transparency.
Documentation: Provides a record of communication to those who might need it for future reference.
Focus: Allows primary recipients to stay focused on their tasks, while others stay informed.

Cons of Misusing the CC Field:

Inbox Overload: Over-CCing can clutter inboxes, leading to important messages getting lost.
Indifference: Too many CCs can lead to recipients ignoring emails, assuming they aren’t directly involved.

A Brief History of Email Etiquette Evolution

Back in the day, email was a novelty. We treated it with a certain level of reverence, crafting messages with care and attention. The TO and CC fields were used judiciously, partly because of the novelty and partly due to the slower pace of digital communication.

However, as email became ubiquitous, the volume of messages skyrocketed. Inboxes became overwhelmed, and the careful practices of email etiquette began to erode. Suddenly, everyone was CC’d on everything, and the TO field became a free-for-all. The once clear lines of responsibility and information-sharing blurred, leading to the chaotic email landscapes we often see today.

Why Have We Drifted?

Several factors have contributed to this drift from proper email etiquette:

Speed Over Substance: In our fast-paced work environments, the focus has shifted to speed rather than clarity. It’s quicker to hit “Reply All” than to thoughtfully consider who needs to be in the TO or CC fields.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): People often CC others out of a fear of leaving someone out or to cover their bases, leading to bloated email chains.
Technological Changes: Tools like instant messaging and collaborative platforms have changed how we communicate, making traditional email etiquette seem less relevant to some.

Getting Back on Track: Best Practices

To reclaim the clarity and efficiency of email communication, consider the following best practices:

Be Deliberate: Before sending an email, take a moment to think about who truly needs to take action (TO) and who needs to be informed (CC).
Limit Recipients: Avoid the temptation to over-CC. If someone doesn’t need to be informed, leave them out.
Use BCC Wisely: For large group emails where recipients don’t need to see each other’s addresses, use the BCC field to maintain privacy and reduce clutter.
Educate Your Team: Promote awareness about the importance of email etiquette within your team. Sometimes, all it takes is a little education to bring about change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, properly utilizing the TO and CC fields in email is not just a matter of etiquette; it’s a crucial component of effective communication. By being mindful of whom we address and inform, we can enhance clarity, accountability, and efficiency in our professional interactions. Let’s take a step back, remember the roots of good email practice, and bring a little order back to our digital correspondence. After all, in the world of IT, where precision and clarity are paramount, a well-addressed email can be the difference between success and chaos.

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Moving SUCKS

Rob Gjertsen — Tue, 27 Jul 2021 04:57:57 +0000

Read Time:33 Second

I do not enjoy moving, and our townhouse feels empty. It feels, hollow.

When we moved into our townhouse, it was the fifth time in three years. This does not include the times when we had to move the office for the company, and I had enough at that point.

8-1/2 years later, and we are moving again, to a place about 45 minutes away from where we have called home the entire time Heather and I have been together. It is exciting, tiring, stressful, and every day it feels like moving day will never come.

Here’s to moving day, and the changes it brings in our family’s life.

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Clean Your Toys!

Rob Gjertsen — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 03:01:53 +0000

Read Time:2 Minute, 37 Second

Nobody likes a dirty keyboard, or a phone with smudges all over it. But we use technology every day, and did you know just how disgusting most of it is? Your screen may look clean, but studies show that a mobile phone can be 18x dirtier than a public restroom.

It gets worse (sorry). That keyboard you tap on while eating your morning toast? It’s probably the biggest bacterial threat in your household or office, with about 20,000 times more germs than a toilet seat (more so, if you share it with children. This keyboard, not the toilet…).

It’s not just sickness we’re up against, because as dust builds up inside our gadgets, they also slow down, malfunction or overheat. Your device essentially chokes on ick, as vents and filters are clogged by sucking in pet hair and floating debris. Here’s how to clean your essential technology items without damaging them:

1. Skip the household cleaners: Most cleaning products are too harsh for our technology and can end up causing permanent damage. You want something that can kill germs and remove everyday grime, without scratching or leaving behind a scented residue. Your best bet is Isopropyl Alcohol. You’ll find it in the first aid section of supermarkets and pharmacies, or at the hardware store. You can even purchase individual wipes, that are specifically designed to clean electronics safely.

2. Power down completely: Turn your tech off all the way, not just sleeping, and unplug from any power sources. Switch wireless keyboards, mice, etc off underneath or remove the batteries.

3. Remove any cases or covers: Undress your device as much as you can, but leave screen protectors on (unless there’s grime underneath). If your screen protector needs replacing, have a new one ready to apply.

4. Grab a microfiber cloth: Dampen the cloth with Isopropyl Alcohol and wipe screens and external surfaces gently. Older build-up may require extra effort.

5. Go deep: You can use a toothbrush or cotton tip to clean between most crevices, but some areas will need a bit more ‘oomph’ to clear. You’ve probably seen people use vacuum cleaners on their keyboard, but these are often TOO powerful and may suck keys or internal parts loose. They also generate damaging static electricity. Another option is to use a tech-specific vacuum, but these are usually under-powered.

Insider tip: Use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out. You can get these from many stores and they come with a long nozzle so you can really get in and direct the pressure. You’ll be surprised what flies out, so it’s best to do this outside! We don’t recommend using compressed air on your computer’s internal fans though, as this can make them spin too fast and damage them.

How often you clean your tech is up to you and your lifestyle. But it’s a good idea to blow out computer internal dust at least twice a year and wiping your tech down 1-2 times per week will definitely reduce germs and grime.

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Letters to Soren: Welcome

Rob Gjertsen — Sun, 05 Apr 2020 05:08:08 +0000

Read Time:1 Minute, 37 Second

Hello Buddy,

I had planned to write this weeks ago but (as you will come to find can often be the case) life had surprises in store for us since you were born.

You were born on a Friday morning, and Auntie Alicia missed guessing the time you would be born by less than 10 minutes. Early that afternoon, Bubbie brought Freya with her to come and meet you, and the first thing your big sister did when she came into the hospital room, was come and give you a gentle little kiss. She was ever so excited to meet you, as were we all.

You met your Aunt Jenn and cousin Gwen a little later that afternoon, followed by Uncle Tim and cousin Georgia. Bestemor, Bestefar, and Auntie Alicia all came at the same time that evening. Uncle Mike met you over that following weekend.

The first picture with 3 generations of Gjertsen Men

The next few days were busy getting used to having you at home with us. We had to take Mommy back into the hospital due to some complications thanks to a botched epidural (something you will learn about when you get older). However, all things considered, within a week the four of us were all home together.

As the end of February came, and March loomed, so did an increase in news-feeds around a virus outbreak that was slowly sweeping across the world: COVID-19

The world today (April 4, 2020) is very different than the world you were born into Soren. A lot of people are sick, and a lot of people are dying. It is a very scary time for many, and because of how this virus spreads, we have had to practice social distancing from people outside of our home.

One day I’m sure, we will tell you stories about this time, as I’m sure many things will change between now and then.

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It’s a Waiting Game

Rob Gjertsen — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 04:19:29 +0000

Read Time:24 Second

Well, we have reached February, and Kidlet 2 will be arriving soon. Over the past few months, we have been preparing and getting things ready. Now, we wait…

And wait.

And wait…

When my wife was pregnant last time, we didn’t know if it was a Boy or a Girl. We were as ready as we could be for whichever surprise awaited us.

This time it is different, and we do know.

So much different, and so much the same.

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As Canada Votes…

Rob Gjertsen — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:26:26 +0000

Read Time:1 Minute, 10 Second

I think few elections I have been able to partake in, have left me feeling so hollow as this one. I have come away from this group of candidates, wondering who it is best NOT to vote, and I feel empty as a Canadian today.

There are so many things which either the party itself or the leadership for that party, is for or against which are dealbreakers for me. Being in the position of voting for the least undesirable candidate/party is so cliche, it’s tiresome. And yet, that is how I feel today more than any other election prior with which I have partaken.

While a civic right as a citizen, I am a firm believer that voting is a civic duty, one far too many Canadians partake in. It is a part of the democratic process that is imperative to implementing change, and forming the country we as citizens want today and in the future. If we don’t get out and vote, what example are we giving to our children. What are we saying to those who lost their lives, to give us this base right?

But as I look at the political landscape today, I fear for the direction the parties in our beautiful country are headed.

I will get out and vote today, of that I am certain. For whom will I be voting, that is a different story…

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Tech Insight: How the Bad Guys Get Your Password

Rob Gjertsen — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:00:26 +0000

Read Time:4 Minute, 4 Second

Passwords are essential to your cyber security. You know it, but if you’re like much of the digital society, you probably have dozen of passwords to remember. It’s a lot to keep in order, so many of us take shortcuts. Taking advantage of your laissez-faire attitude is one way bad guys access your passwords.

Despite what you might think, incredibly there are still people who use ‘password’ or ‘123456’ as their password. Many people don’t change the default passwords on the devices they purchase. In these instances, anyone can pickup a router to look a the sticker with the identifying password, and access that network.

TIP: Avoid obvious passwords. When you need to create a new password, make an effort to make it complex. When it’s time to update a password, take these same steps. Try and stay away from simple, and easily guessed passwords, as well as using patterns in your passwords.

Cybercrimnals can also guess your password. With a relatively small amount of resource about your online, they can make some uncannily informed guesses. Common passwords will often include pet names, birthdays, and anniversaries. These are all easy to find via your social media accounts.

TIP: Be careful about what you share on social media. I’m not going to go into my own personal opinions about my opinion on sharing habits that take place on different social media platforms (that is for another article), but be wary. Don’t automatically befriend strangers, as you are providing them access to a golden of info for personalizing an attack on you.

If social engineering your password doesn’t work, cybercriminals may attempt to brute force your credentials. They might write a script to automatically attempt thousands of password choices against your account(s) until they get a hit. This software will typically attempt a long list of common passwords, as well as run through variations of such passwords.

TIP: Use a complex password with letters, numbers, and symbols or a passphrase. A passphrase is typically at least 19 characters long, but is more memorable, and (hopefully) unique to you.

Alternatively, the attacker may be working with information they purchased from a data breach. The Dark Web is a very real place. In 2019, a security researcher found more than 2.7 billion email + password combinations available on the Dark Web. Criminals accessing that database could use the data as a starting point, as there is a significant percentage of users who use a single password across multiple accounts.

TIP: Use a unique password for each account or site. Yes, this can be overwhelming and at time an inconvenience, but that is why I recommend you leverage a password vault. It is a piece of software specifically designed to help you securely manage your credentials for you (see recommendations below).

Cybercriminals can also access your account if you’ve used a hacked public computer. The may have installed a key logger on the computer. The logger records every key pressed on the keyboard. Or they may have compromised a router or server to be able to intercept your information (why you should use a VPN when access a public network).

TIP: I feel this one if obvious, but I’m going to say it anyway. Be cautious about your online activity when using computers or networks you (or someone you trust) control. Using a VPN client on your laptop and phone, is a good practice to secure your communications if you need to use non-trusted network.

Then, there’s the tried and tested phishing attacks. When successful, they allow the attacker to have you give them your password. For instance, you get an email that appears to have been sent by your bank. It leverages the fear of the message, to try and get the user to visit the link provided and to enter their credentials. These are amazingly successful when you look at the percentages, and given how many are sent out, it is easy to see why they continue to compromise people.

TIP: Always pay close attention to whom is sending the message you are reading, and hover over the link provided before clicking on it. If you are concerned about the authenticity of the message, visit the site directly through a web-browser. Just like when your Credit Card company calls you, you shouldn’t be providing them with information. Tell them you’ll call them back at the number on the card.

I hope these tips will be useful to some, and that they help you protect your valuable passwords. A Password Vault (aka. Password Manager) can help you with your password security also, and I recommend you have a look at some of them below.

1Password
Bitwarden
Dashlane
KeePassXC
Keeper
LastPass
RoboForm

If you need support to get ahead of cybercriminals, or want to chat about your password management practices, let me know. Feel free to reach out to me.

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A Side Hustle Economy?

Rob Gjertsen — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 00:47:27 +0000

Read Time:1 Minute, 19 Second

It should be fitting that in a supposed side hustle/side-gig economy, that I sit down to blog about just that…

I read a very interesting article recently, the link to which I have since lost track of, where the author discussed how we are globally moving into what they referred to as a side hustle economy, in which much of the population have a side-gig. Or in some cases, they work multiple side-gigs as their whole employment.

While I think there could be a valid argument for some of this, I think the premise that the economy as a whole is going that direction would be a bit misleading. I think the percentage of people with work that is external to their primary employment, is becoming much more prominent, which is something we can see is very prevalent with the advent and wide use of the internet and personal computers. The increased availability of technology and it’s ease of use has made this easier for those who might be interested.

Years ago I used to have my own company on the side, which through an extensive change of events inadvertently lead me to where I work today at SilverPoint.

Business ownership is not for everyone, and it is something that one should put extensive thought and planning into prior to taking the jump. I recommend anyone looking to do so, to seek good professional legal and accounting advice during your initial planning stages.

At the same time, it can be very rewarding and fulfilling given the right environment and balance.

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Ethical and Legal Implications: Controlling Workplace Speech

Rob Gjertsen — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 13:00:28 +0000

Read Time:12 Minute, 9 Second

I want to start this article, by saying this article contains only my personal opinions. I am not qualified to provide legal advise, and highly advise you not to take this as such. If you really want to get into the nitty-gritty aspects of the legal aspect of what I go into here, I recommend you seek legal counsel. Yes, I am discussing the legal aspect of this sugject, but my lawyer made me put this here.

I feel the title of this blog topic is justifiably long. This topic is so deep, emotional, impactful, potentially controversial, and important that I don’t feel the title does the subject itself any level of justice. I’m going to need to re-edit the beginning of this paragraph about 30 times, I’m sure (currently 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 times, and counting).

How do I begin?

We had a potentially conversational subject come up recently in my workplace, which started as a discussion surrounding an article about encryption (a topic in and of itself, that is very deep and potentially controversial – Hi Australia!), which spun into various directions. Some of the directions the conversation led into, I personally felt was unconstructive and inconsiderate, an opinion which I voiced. While I was opposed to the platform with which they communicated the subject, it was the manner with which their opinions were expressed I made direct comment towards.

It was this conversation which then sparked a further conversation about what a business can or cannot (possibly should or should not), indicate to it’s employees what they can and/or cannot (possibly should or should not) say/talk about. This further conversation resulted in me finishing the day pensively at my desk as my laptop rebooted for an update, thinking to myself and asking myself what I felt about all of it. I left the office that evening debating within myself over some of the following questions.

What are my own opinions and/or values on the subject?
What are the legal implications (or limitations) of such action/in-action?
What are the ethical implications of such action/in-action?
What are the resulting implications upon our practiced values with such action/inaction?

My Opinions…

So, I will (long-windedly) start this blog posting, with a disclosure that my stance on these subjects during the conversations had, and as I’m beginning to write this blog, are as follows:

I believe it is / should be within our rights as managers or owners, to outline how it is we expect ourselves and our staff to communicate with others. I believe this comes down to the standards of behaviour and decorum that we set forth within our organisations. Our office is a place of work as well as that of our profession, and should be treated as such and in a professional manner. Be it while communicating via email, instant message, on the phone, by text, or in person, I believe the medium does not change how these behaviours should be practiced.
I believe it is within our rights as managers or owners, to dictate within our organisation that certain subjects should be considered to be out of bounds. While I believe it is our right, I do question whether this to be in the best interest of the organisation and whether I support this practice as a whole.
Another point I feel appropriate to outline at this time, is I am approaching this discussion from an aspect of a privately held company. I am not looking at this from a perspective a public-sector, civil-servant, or other type of environment. I only have so much time people, and this blog posting is really about the cathartic relief it brings me, and the two people who actually read this (one of them, being myself).

Legal Implications…

So let’s continue this (one-sided) conversation with me typing and nobody reading, and let’s start pulling back the layers of the onion.

To begin with, I live in Canada. We do not have ‘Freedom of Speech’ rights as outlined within a First Amendment like our American neighbours to the south. Instead, we are governed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Section 2 of this Charter, outlines the Fundamental Freedoms which we as Canadian Citizens can enjoy, which are: freedom of conscience and religion; freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of association. Obviously for the sake of this post, we are focusing on the freedom part including expression.

However, there are limits to this freedom.

While protecting our Freedom of Expression, the Charter itself permits enforceable limits. Hate speech, obscenity, and defamation are commonly restricted categories of speech in Canada.

So, as I started to peel back the layers of this question as I see it in my mind, my attention turned heavily as to whether this right to Freedom of Expression applied to one’s workplace. Section 2(b) of the Charter, outlines that since state action is required to have the Charter apply to the situation, Section 2(b) protection would not apply to Private property. It is also interesting to note, that the application of Charter is not automatic by the mere fact that the location in question comes within government ownership. There is a further requirement to determine the type of property it is, which falls into a whole other rabbit hole of case law, I don’t feel the need to reference.

One paragraph of Section 2(b) which I found very interesting, while not necessarily directly supporting or refute the arguement, was as follows.

Other relevant questions that that may guide the analysis of whether expression in a particular location is protected under 2(b) are: whether the space is one in which free expression has traditionally occurred; whether the space is in fact essentially private, despite being government-owned, or public; whether the function of the space is compatible with open public expression, or whether the activity is one that requires privacy and limited access; whether an open right to intrude and present one’s message by word or action would be consistent with what is done in the space, or whether it would hamper the activity (Montréal (City), paragraph 76). There is some flexibility in the analysis and allowing public expression in a particular government-property location does not commit the government to such use indefinitely (GVTA, paragraph 44).

So from a Federal perspective, the legal freedom we receive from the Charter of Rights as I interpret them here, would not apply. Next I turned my review, towards Worksafe BC, and the Workplace Rights we have here in British Columbia (I’m sorry other Provinces / Territories, I have only so much time).

The closest thing I could find that would approach piercing this subject is the BC Human Rights Code, specifically Section 7:

Discriminatory publication
7 (1) A person must not publish, issue or display, or cause to be published, issued or displayed, any statement, publication, notice, sign, symbol, emblem or other representation that
(a)indicates discrimination or an intention to discriminate against a person or a group or class of persons, or
(b)is likely to expose a person or a group or class of persons to hatred or contempt because of the race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age of that person or that group or class of persons.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a private communication, a communication intended to be private or a communication related to an activity otherwise permitted by this Code.

Upon reviewing our Human Rights Code, I feel I have drawn upon a sufficient enough base of materials, to draw a reasonable conclusion to the second question I asked above, (What are the legal implications (or limitations) of such action/in-action?), which to conclude I believe the answer to be none. I believe with more confidence now than before, when I say a workplace is within its legal right to restrict the topics which are/are not discussed within the confines of its own entity, and/or the manner with which they are discussed.

Ethical Implications…

Question 3 I ask above (What are the ethical implications of such action/in-action?) is one that is obviously going to evoke individually biased opinions in each of us, and rightly so.

I like to think I was raised to have stong morals and ethics, and I believe I have maintained them, even in situations where it would have been easier not to. At it’s core as we know, ethics is not always a straight forward subject (in my opinion).

For someone who is obviously strongly opinionated (newsflash) breaking something like this question down to it’s ethical implications and stepping apart from one’s values or opinions is not an easy thing to do. This seperation has been one that I have struggled with as I have written this piece, and even as I am typing this paragraph I continue to do so.

If I approach this specific section as an ethical dilemma, which I suppose in many ways it could be considered to be one, that would indicate that either option would be morally imperative.

I confess, this is the section of this blog article where I have been struck the longest. So far, I’ve been sitting on the next paragraph for a couple months now actually. I find the field of ethics intriguingly oxymoronic, as with many things, if you take a scenario and present the ethical question with a different philisophical viewpoint, you can of course tailor the arguement in your favour. Who know, maybe I’ve done that in this article. But then again, would that be thical…???

If I am to present an impartial discussion here, asking the question of ethics itself is questionable in this case I feel. If I were to approach the ethical consideration from an utilitarianism perspective, one would see the very contrasting perspective when compared to an egoistic approach for example.

For the sake of this section, my sanity, and the absurdity that was my initial thought to break this into a multi-part article, I think the most balanced and non self serving approach to the question, would be to look at this much like the Greek philosophers Plato or Aristotle would have, and consider the Common Good Approach, as I think the tendency towards respect and compassion here is what is needed.

When we define the ethical question as that which is around respect and compassion, I feel my position for controlling Work Place speech is justified and doesn’t conflict with my ethical position on the matter. Remember, my issue taken was not the topic being discussed. The problem I had was the platform which was being used (a company-wide chat group) and the fact that the communication could easily be considered to be destructive and not constructive. While I do know some organizations that restrict subject matter that can be discussed (politics and religion being two obvious hotbeds), that is not a step which I feel is in the best interest of our company, and it was not the road I was travelling in my journey that day, or since.

So if I were to summarize the ethical question at hand (What are the ethical implications of such action/in-action?), when approaching this in a balanced and constructive manner, I feel the approach I chose is an ethical one. Obviously is one is looking at it from a different ethical approach, the outcome or opinion might be different. But I’m writing this, and not them..

The Impact on our Values…

In writing this section on Values, I came to the realization of a few things:

We have done a terrible job within our organization of communicating our Mission and Core Values both internally and externally.

I’m going to work to fix that in the coming months, and try to ensure we keep them at the forefront of how we execute on a daily basis. I hope that in doing so, it has a positive influence on the company as a whole, as well as my coworkers.
While in some ways the most important section, this is probably one of the easiest sections of this entire blog article for me to write.
I feel justified in support of my opinion regarding my stance as originally outlined, given I feel I am not sacrificing any of my values, or the organisation value in that action.

In my work with an industry peer group, we need to publish work articulating and communicating our personal and business values.

When looking over the impact on values below, the position of justification I am taking, is related to my original stance above. I was against the medium with which the discussion was being had, and the manner with which it was had (being destructive, and not constructive).

Impact on Personal Values

Value	Supported or Sacrificed
Family First	Indifferent / Non-Direct Impact
Equality and Respect	Supported
Leadership by Example	Indifferent / Non-Direct Impact
Integrity Above All Else	Supported

Impact upon Business Core Values

Value	Supported or Sacrificed
Leadership	Indifferent
Respect	Supported
Integrity	Supported
Responsibility	Indifferent
Empathy	Supported

My Final Say…

I’m going to close this expression of through, with stating something that I feel is obvious, but given how things can be taken out of context at times, or that an opinion can be taken as fact, I’m going to state the obvious. I am not a lawyer, I am not qualified to provide a legal opinion, and I am certainly no expert on the subject of ethics. If you are looking to create a policy or mandate for your own organisation, while I am very much flattered and would welcome a conversation, I would encourage you to seek legal counsel to protect yourself and organisation, if nothing else.

My hope with publishing this is to make us think about how we communicate, the implications behind the platforms we use to do so, and the manner with which we express said communication. If by the end of this you have actually read through it all, you have not fallen asleep, and maybe you’ve sat back and considered something like this in your life or you have brought up something similar for a discussion of your own, then I think I have accomplished what I was hoping to achieve in writing this.

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