Leaderboard

We just had to deal with this sort of situation recently ( earlier this year ). First its imperitive that you without malice make sure that as admin or moderator you will listen ( type talk etx) when the members have something that might be objectionable. It is also important for members to grasp that to do something about the occurence we need to know what was said- its very easy to blur words and take things in and out of context when its printed word. If I am going to straight up remove someone from our forum/discord/ writing spot, I want to see the conversation so I know what I am dealing with. Granted there are times when that does not happen and you have to work it out with your other admin based on gut instinct - YOU Have that. If you have spent any amount of time writing , rping, chat play, or every other medium - after a time you just can get a good feel about the typists. I am not saying its always right but I have not been on the wrong yet. 🙂 It sucks when you have to consider possibly losing a writer. We try and work a three strikes system- the first two usually a discussion trying to find resolution and hell maybe even an apology between the typists. Failing that they are asked to leave. Because at the end of the day- while we are writers We are also the yard dogs guarding this nice playground and its up to us that it stays idiot free if we can.

I can see how someone might find this useful. It'd be a way to see behind the curtain, essentially, because I know a lot of members don't like coming to Staff about everything. And we don't see every interaction. However, I feel like doing this would only validate their fear of coming to Staff about issues. How can you trust your staff, if they are blindsiding you and going undercover to see who the 'problem' members are? This feels like a way of digging up dirt when there might not be any and can be the victim of massive amounts of human error. I know sometimes it's hard being a staff member and trying to figure out what's going on behind closed doors (dms), but until someone comes to you or you see a problem in the general chat- it shouldn't be something you go looking for. I think some healthy alternatives would be: checking in with members if you feel there might be a problem- open the door for them to talk to you. If people are being shitty to new members/guests in the general chat- make it clear that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. Members aren't coming to you for plots/threads because you're staff- go to them with plot ideas. So in answer to both questions in the first post: No, I have not and I have no intention of doing this.