Podcamp Toronto gets better and better every year and the event organizers should be proud of the results of all their hard work.

I was going to recap my experience about the 2009 Podcamp Toronto event, when I saw this tweet from Bob Goyetche this morning:

Someone tell me why leesa barnes is running this bloody session.

Curious, I replied to Bob saying:

i was running the session cuz no one else was. and as one of the organizers of the 2007 event, i jumped in to help.

Another reply came in from Whitney Hoffman, one of the organizers behind Podcamp Boston and a welcomed presence at many Podcamps, said:

Are you absolutely crazy? That was an absurd and hurtful thing to do to the people who have run the show for the past 2 years.

Now, I’m totally confused. So, I pinged someone I trust who was there to get his thoughts. Once he shared with me his interpretation, I totally got it.

Just to give you some context, the very last session on Sunday was called Podcamp 2010: An Open Discussion. I got to the room and chatted with a old friend, Charmaine, while waiting for the session to  start. The session was supposed to start at 12:15, but by 12:22, we were still waiting.

So, being the “take action” person that I am, I jumped up, grabbed the microphone, introduced myself as one of the organizers of the 2007 event just to give people context as to why I was standing in front of the room, then started to facilitate a discussion. Here’s the video of the session (32-minutes).

Jay Moonah and Connie Crosby – 2 of the organizers behind the 2009 event soon joined – and I continued to facilitate asking attendees what went well with the 2009 event and what could be improved. I saw Rob Lee and Eden Spodek pop in and out and Dave Fleet soon joined, all organizers of the 2009 event. I continued facilitating until 12:45pm, then turned it over to Jay.

I didn’t realize that my helping was being interpreted as taking credit for organizing the last 2 years of Podcamp Toronto.

I was floored. I’ve facilitated panels at other events in the past and no one ever said I was laying claim to organizing their event due to facilitating.

Yet, Podcamp Toronto is different. There’s history. There’s a story. And, based on my friend’s feedback, I totally understand. You see:

• While the 2007 event was good, there were a few loose ends that was inherited by the 2008 organizing team. That was totally not fair to them and as lead organizer of the 2007 event, I should’ve done a better job of closing the loop so the 2008 team could start with a fresh plate.
• Even with those loose ends, the 2008 organizers were able to not only organize a fine event, but also help sponsors feel confident about partnering on the event again.
• Also, I was totally absent from the Podcamp Toronto scene in 2008. I handed over the paperwork and washed my hands of Podcamp Toronto. I didn’t offer my help or any guidance in any form. Although Jay Moonah was the only person who continued from the 2007 organizing team to the 2008 event, I could’ve stayed on as well to help out. I didn’t.
• And in hindsight, once the organizers were present in the room, I should’ve asked if they wanted me to continue.

I recognize that as lead organizer of the 2007 event, the transition to the 2008 organizing team was lousy. Because of this, I should’ve been more cognizant of this legacy and should’ve been more aware of how facilitating one session at Podcamp could’ve been interpreted by my peers.

So, Jay Moonah, Rob Lee, Connie Crosby, Eden Spodek, Dave Fleet, Tommy Vallier and Sean McGaughey, and the rest of the volunteers behind the 2009 Podcamp Toronto event, my apologies for stepping on your toes.

I truly thought I was helping. I certainly could never take any credit (none whatsoever) for the amazing work you’ve done for the 2008 & 2009 events as that would be completely dishonest.

Thanks to Bob Goyetche for tweeting his thoughts about this otherwise, I would’ve never known. And thanks to Laurent LaSalle for recording the session (here’s the link again to view it).