A Word About Staff Elections

[SnowyCheetah]

I'm sure most of you have noticed, by now, that Moka (owner and Administrator of MLK) is now accepting nominations for the next new staff team member. While nominating and voting, there are several things I strongly recommend keeping in mind.

This is a long-term decision. Whoever gets elected as the new staff member (or whatever people, depending on whether one or two or three or more people are elected as a result of this election) will likely remain so until they either become so inactive that Moka demotes them, or they leave the position of their own accord. This will probably be many months or even years (as in KK's case), so think hard! It's kind of a situation like when you get a roommate in college. A friend you've known for ages might turn out to be a terrible roommate (or moderator) after awhile, since being friends and being roommates (or a moderator-member relationship) is a whole different ballgame.

Don't vote for friends just because they're friends. This is one of the big mistakes I predict that a lot of people will make. This is not a popularity contest, it is a serious election (serious as forums go, anyway) that will determine who will receive the power to ban, to warn, to lock/delete threads permanently and basically have ultimate power over the regular members of the forum. Think hard about your decision before making it. Imagine how the person you're considering nominating or voting for would react in an array of moderator situations and then decide whether or not you like the reaction you think would result. I can honestly say that I have close friends here, but I would certainly vote for certain other members who I am less close to simply because I think they would make a better moderator based on some thought.

Discuss this amongst yourselves. Basically, discuss the candidates amongst your friends and people you trust on or off the forum.

Last but certainly not least, interview the candidates. Before you vote for or perhaps even before you nominate someone, talk to them. Talk on MSN, Skype, via e-mail or forum PM, however you prefer, but be sure to ask all the questions you have about them and the moderating practices they would put into action if they were elected. This is not a small decision, so you should probably try to get some answers straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

We still don't know if members who vote in the election will be able to change their vote afterward and I suspect that they will not, so think and investigate before making your vote.

Thank you.

[FlipMode]

I do not really agree with interviewing people about it, I find that somewhat personal and everyone would be fluxed with questions over and over, but everything else I absolutely agree with. I still think that people will vote their friends regardless, I mean if I had some I probably would too lol but that is not the point, even after nominations and voting; the current staff are going to pick from the top three people with most votes and decide the new staff member that way. So therefore even if people will just vote their friends, if enough people think about who they are voting for then I trust the current staff to make the best decision for the site in the end.

Also your point about this new staff member having the power to lock topics, ban / warn and what not is kind of debunked by the fact they will not be the only staff member, if they are abusing the power I imagine they will be demoted and banned themselves so I can not really see that being too much of a problem. Although it would be a nuisance having to do the voting again I guess.

[SophieCub]

I agree with Snowy! I think you made a good point

[TheRoguePrince]

It is a good point, and just because they are your friends, they might not be the best for the position of moderator. People tend to change under that kind of pressure and the result is not always pretty. It takes a strong person to be a leader, and those who aspire to power are not always that kind of person.

[SophieCub]

[quote="TheRoguePrince"]It is a good point, and just because they are your friends, they might not be the best for the position of moderator. People tend to change under that kind of pressure and the result is not always pretty. It takes a strong person to be a leader, and those who aspire to power are not always that kind of person. [/quote]

I agree with this ^

If you have someone who has helped you or seen them helping others and being kind to others is the kind of member you should pick. You should also pick someone whos been here for awhile or at least a year. Not just your friend because your really pally with them. You must be fair.

Thats just my opinion

[TheRoguePrince]

[quote="KiarasPal"]If you have someone who has helped you or seen them helping others and being kind to others is the kind of member you should pick. You should also pick someone whos been here for awhile or at least a year. Not just your friend because your really pally with them. You must be fair.

Thats just my opinion [/quote]

To be certain, I agree with the friends idea, but length of service really means little, I am not saying this to my own benefit, but I know of several people who deserve the credit who haven't been here for that duration. While there are those among the long serving of the power hungry type...

[SophieCub]

[quote="TheRoguePrince"][quote="KiarasPal"]If you have someone who has helped you or seen them helping others and being kind to others is the kind of member you should pick. You should also pick someone whos been here for awhile or at least a year. Not just your friend because your really pally with them. You must be fair.

Thats just my opinion [/quote]

To be certain, I agree with the friends idea, but length of service really means little, I am not saying this to my own benefit, but I know of several people who deserve the credit who haven't been here for that duration. While there are those among the long serving of the power hungry type...[/quote]

Yes very true but people who have been here for longer know more of the members and know their way around here a bit more. I'm just saying. Not that i'm right but its just that i think thats the way it should work.

[SophieCub]

Double post, sorry

[TheRoguePrince]

Well, if that's the way you feel, then so be it, but I must believe that leadership has nothing to do with the number of stars beneath your name, or the number of posts upon your counter. These things are but trophies of endurance, while the true leader is not taken with these things, perhaps the benefit of age is useful, but how can we know unless we give them the chance?

[SophieCub]

[quote="TheRoguePrince"]Well, if that's the way you feel, then so be it, but I must believe that leadership has nothing to do with the number of stars beneath your name, or the number of posts upon your counter. These things are but trophies of endurance, while the true leader is not taken with these things, perhaps the benefit of age is useful, but how can we know unless we give them the chance?[/quote]

Yes I know that but we all have different opinions, lets just wait and see what Moka thinks. I do agree with you but I still stand by my opinion.