Comments on: Fantastic forum members make fantastic staff members

By: Smiley

Smiley — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:39:01 +0000

I’ve gone with a (Support) tag as you know for staff members. I’m trying to build a ‘friendly’ relationship between staff & users.

I want them to be seen as more “customer support” rather than “moderators” who are there to police the rooms.

The system has worked up to now. Recently, though, as popularity grows we attract more troublemakers.

We have rules clearly set out, they’re clear rules. We don’t publically scold, I set an example to a new staff member just today actually.

Someone came in with the name “thebitch”, as a new community I don’t want these kind of names in the userlist. I showed the new staff member what I do in this situation.

I don’t just boot them, nor do I publically scold them or publically ask them to change it.

I PM’d them and politely EXPLAINED why I want them to change their name, then asked them if they would be so kind to do so.

They immediately logged out and came back under a new name.

If you treat them with respect, you’ll get the same back. If you scold them publically, they’ll feel alienatedand lash out.

Staff participating in threads amongst arguing members etc would alienate the members who are arguing as they’ll feel “ganged upon”.

By: Zane Friedman

Zane Friedman — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:38:35 +0000

Nicole – would you really want your most visible threads to be the least intellectual ones?

By: Nicole Price

Nicole Price — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:32:45 +0000

On second thoughts, not participating in such threads does help push it down the order thus giving them less visibility. Participating int hem would just push them up and attract more viewers.

By: Zane Friedman - Guest Writer

Zane Friedman - Guest Writer — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:21:53 +0000

I’m so glad you liked the article! Yes, professional distance is one of the important factors of any team. The definition of professional distance and how to approach it is a topic which I could write another whole article on. Who knows?maybe I will!

-Zane

By: Amish Made Furniture

Amish Made Furniture — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:35:01 +0000

Absolutely brilliantly brought out. The part of being professionally distant is hitting the nail right on the head.
If the commentator is doing what you say he should be do, this should be relatively easy. It is when that does not happen that moderators have a problem and have to use judgment. It is a two way traffic after all.

By: Zane Friedman - Guest Writer

Zane Friedman - Guest Writer — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:49:35 +0000

Eva White – Thanks! My ideas have certainly been successful on my forums… Now it’s time they were successful on yours! =D

OFS – Again, thank you.

By: Online Furniture Store

Online Furniture Store — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:40:16 +0000

Good idea there to have a guest post now and then; good post too!

By: Hirsutism

Hirsutism — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:16:17 +0000

Good article. But do all the forums really work on such detailing. I feel there is less of warmth among members but more of putting each other down going around some forums.

By: Eva White

Eva White — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:13:46 +0000

Fantastically explained article. I think every forum should work on such detailing to make their forums successful.

By: Zane Friedman - Guest Writer

Zane Friedman - Guest Writer — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:19:36 +0000

Nicole – that is, for the most part, up to the webmaster. Remember that these are the threads that aren’t intellectual or worthy of being on your forum, but don’t conflict with your forum rules. Your moderators have no valid reason to lock them delete them, or even put things right because of this.

If the webmaster wants to have a forum where the moderation team strictly “polices” the community, then you are absolutely right. However, we don’t encourage this on Community Spark, and, surprising as it may seem, keeping a professional distance away from such threads often increases the amount of freedom you grant your members rather than decrease it.