What is more important: Gracious Professionalism or Safety?

[sparrowkc]

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I tend to rapidly change my mind about what I'm saying.
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If a runaway train was heading straight for a friend of yours and you were standing by a switch that could divert it into a complete stranger, would you throw the switch?

[Rion Atkinson]

Originally Posted by sparrowkc

...
I tend to rapidly change my mind about what I'm saying.
...

If a runaway train was heading straight for a friend of yours and you were standing by a switch that could divert it into a complete stranger, would you throw the switch?

You just REALLY make this hard on me don't you....

[V_Chip]

. . . The switch to stop the train? Of course.

[EricH]

The classic lifeboat dilemma, or any variant thereof, is not what is being discussed. What is being discussed is simply: Are safety and GP mutually exclusive, and if so, which one should you take?

I think we've established that it's a very rare case where they are (rare to the point of non-existent). Therefore, the question is no longer a question of one or the other.



[to answer the train question] If a runaway train was heading straight for anyone, skip the switch (it's probably locked anyway) and get the person off the tracks pronto. THEN worry about how to stop the train.

[GaryVoshol]

The gracious safety professional would have seen people wandering on the train tracks and gotten them off before the train got there.

GP doesn't mean you don't yell at someone who is doing something incredibly unsafe, if that's the only way to stop it. It means that when it's not an emergency, you take the time to graciously and professionally explain why they shouldn't do the behavior they were doing. But first you have to get them to stop before they hack off a finger, or worse!

[ttakashima]

I believe that having a safe area is more G&P to the judges than to not be safe. Meaning if you are safe you probably would score higher in the GP than an unsafe team. I would stick with safety FIRST, Being safe is part of being G&P to your self and others around you.

Thats what i would consider if i were to be a judge... just my $.02

[JaneYoung]

FRCgal -
It would be helpful to know what your understanding of Gracious Professionalism is and how you are tying that in with safety and judging. Perhaps you can provide an example where you see them in conflict.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

You cannot act with Gracious Professionalism without being safe. If you are unsafe, GP is out the window. If someone is about to be hurt, the GP thing to do is prevent it.

Vector and sparrow, I think your discussion would be better done off line.

[FRCgal]

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice. Safety and Gracious Professionalism are both very important, but I see now how you can be safe without jeopardizing gracious professionalism. This has been really helpful! See ya'll at the championship!

[Jack Gillespie]

I can't imagine a situation where safety and gracious professionalism conflict.
yelling stop or look out is totally appropriate and professional.
yelling stop you f---- idiot is totally unnecessary and not professional.

Jack Gillespie
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