Staffing Entitled mods

[Sylence 10]

So I didn't see a topic that covered this, but I'm currently experiencing a mod on my staff team that over the months have slowly become well... unhelpful and entitled. The mod barely does anything to help the other mods, story, or members. This mod doesn't do anything unless its to benefit their character in story. However, this person feels entitled to boss the other mods around when I'm not online or around. In fact, I've seen this person give important information to non-staff members.. Also this mod plays an important cannon character and has made themselves entangled in almost every character's personal plots. Which brings me to this important question.....

 

This mod has stated to me and another mod; that if demoted they would leave the site to screw up other character's plots.  What do you do, when you come across something like this? Do you demote the person anyway and hope that they don't mess up other people's plots if they decide to leave?

Edited September 14, 2017 by Crackie

[Deep Sea 326]

You ban them.

 

Period, full stop, end of.

 

This user has made it clear that they are willing to sabotage the work of other people just so that they can hold on to their title. And you know what? Fuck that person. They're a terrible RPer. They're toxic, they're bad for the community, they don't deserve to be there, and the other players don't deserve to have to put with them.

 

You can fix plots. You can't fix people.

[VirusZero 176]

I wouldn't demote them. 

 

I'd full on ban them. (As in no warnings, no "hey, behave", simply they'd be unable to login. Their IP would be blocked. Their email wouldn't work.)

 

If someone threatened to screw up the game, for that by itself, I'd be ready to push the ban button for that alone.  But they also had the foolish decision to release staff info to non-staff members. (Now granted stuff in the staff section often isn't like the most amazing stuff ever... sometimes it's like discussion about new ideas. Though other times it's punishment logs or things like that... stuff that only staff should see. Either way though it's not meant to be made public.) They've shown that they don't care about the site or it's rules. So then it's time for them to move along. 

 

As for that role being vacant... Others can always write as if that character left the situation or they could just finish off the thread themselves (maybe ask another staffer to take over temporarily to finish it?).

Plus, you never know, if you open that role up someone else could take it and be way better.  

Edited September 14, 2017 by VirusZero

[Morrigan 1,826]

I would demote them and help the members deal with the fallout. Either by NPCing the canon character or by assisting them in writing them out of their plots.

 

It's unhealthy for your site to have that sort of attitude in your staff.

[FriedKilamari 46]

I'm in the ban crew. They threatened to leave if demoted, and they've made their stance perfectly clear: they're totally okay with messing up the plots of others. Either way, they'd leave. Might as well make sure they can't come back.

 

That sort of toxic staffer shouldn't be catered to, end of story. Let the door hit them on their way out.

[Death Kitten 200]

Another vote for ban them, hard stop. The moment they threatened to take it out on your players is the moment they made it clear where their loyalty lies. While everyone has the right to be a little selfish with their characters and plots, a member of staff has to be at least a little selfless. Threatening to punish members means they don't care about the game as a whole and will put themself above everything else, and that's not acceptable for staff.

 

So pull the band aid quick. Draft a letter/pm to everyone in threads with their characters assuring them you (and other staff, maybe?) will help them resolve any dangling plots, ban the offending staff member, send the previously drafted message, and move on. You don't need this person in your game, especially as a member of staff.

[Seravian 50]

I'm all for banning this person as well. 

 

That's no way for staff to behave, and you don't need that toxicity on your site at all. 

[Sylence 10]

Thank you everyone, This has been very helpful.

[Zahhy 130]

Wow. This is so hard! You're not alone though. We've all been there. It's up to you and how much you are willing and capable of dealing with. If you feel that you owe this person something, demote them and see what happens. If you feel that you don't, ban them outright. 

 

The best you can do is be strict and supportive. You have a few options here, which I'll suggest, but you need to decide what is best for you, your players and your other mods, and then use that as a standard for all future issues as well. I am a firm believer of second chances, and I can't tell if you have given one yet or not. If you haven't I would recommend trying it (If you have - count me in the ban camp). Sometimes people just get a wild hair and say things they don't mean. Depending on where you are with your stress meter you can choose to skip any number of these steps that you're not comfortable with.

 

If I were you, I would do this in a 3 step process.

1) Ask them what is going on. Get to the root of why they are not acting as a good moderator anymore and suggest ways you can help them or suggest ways they can fix it.

2) If they don't change demote them. Once they can't mess up anything explain to them your reasoning for doing so.

3) If they don't comply, or they follow-through with their attempts at sabotage, ban them & send them an email about why you did so.

 

As far as this whole thing goes, I wouldn't mention the blackmail to them, only to your other staff as a possibility. As long as you don't call it out while talking with this rogue moderator, they might not remember saying it. It might be a bluff! If you ignore it, they'll think that it's not that big of a deal to you and realize that they don't actually have any sway here.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Zahhy

[Uaithne 543]

*presses ban button repeatedly*

 

I'm a lenient person in that I try to reconcile differences before resorting to removing someone from a site. This person, however, has made it clear that he or she doesn't care for the overall condition of your board. And not a temp ban, but a permanent ban. You can't fix blatant disrespect for authority or disrespect for one's peers.

 

Be prepared for fall out. Make sure that members still have your support and you can find ways to fill gaps in your storyline and their personal plots with the sudden leaving of this person. Be quick with it, too. Even a day of wondering about the future of one's characters can leave a member wondering if his character has any future or any point. Don't run around the site letting people know publicly that you banned her (cbox discussion or the main site itself). (Honestly not sure the best way to let members know that you're going to help fill in the gaps, though. Somebody who is more tactful than me can help you out here.)

 

Do not allow her to know that you're going to ban her. She will use that time to undermine your authority. To be frank, she will attempt to pull the carpet out from underneath you regardless of how swiftly you ban, but having a plan in place on how to fill in her characters' absences IC and maybe offering your members some cool subplot to help keep them focused on the site will help ease this issue. The less time she is on the site, the less damage she can do directly to your board.

 

Likely she'll try to draw members away from your site. Do not bad mouth her. Do not act too desperate. If a member says he or she is leaving, say thank you for letting you know, ask what they'd like you to do with their characters, and tell them they're welcome back later if they wish. Causing a scene will only make your problem moderator look "right" (because she'll likely be telling them lies about you and the other mods).

[demonickitten 8]

Don't even give them a chance to undermine you or harm the other players. Ban them as quick as you can.

[VirusZero 176]

Since this person is a staff member that's getting banned I think it's fair to make an announcement on it. Let everyone know that the member in question has been removed from their position as staff following a very difficult decision. And that the canon character they were holding is available. 

 

This way everyone is on the same page. They aren't starting rumours or trying to figure it out. There's no room for someone to play it against you. Plus since it's coming directly from you, the admin, and not the member in question you can control how things appear. (Which is good because banned/punished members usually try to play the victim. Acting like they were wrongfully persecuted and thus try to get people on their side.)

 

If people ask about the decision, just say it came down to the member not doing their mod duties as well as some complaints that had been filed. (You don't have to state who complained, merely that there were some. And just for clarity, your opinion counts here too so if you think to yourself that they're a problem you most certainly can use that just like if someone came to you and said something.)

Edited September 15, 2017 by VirusZero

[xexes 108]

You have to understand that a person doesn't suddenly just start behaving, doesn't suddenly drop this decision to screw over the site, doesn't grow manners, etc. There's no coming back from far they have gone already. It's not even worth talking to them about, that's how bad it is.

 

There are only two ways this is going to go : either he gets bored and leaves on his own - and it sounds to me like he's having loads of fun ruining the site - or he gets bored of waiting for his banishment and lashes out to make it come faster so he can watch his plan for havock unfold.

 

So just ban him first and be done with his whole mess.

 

It sucks that there are a lot of people who are going to have dead plots, but since when isn't that the norm? Critical people leave all the time. But at least because it's a cannon, maybe you can find a new player for them, or just share the character as a NPC amongst yourselves. : )

 

^ This paragraph right here is how you break the leverage he's trying to hold over you. And suddenly he's not someone who will ruin the site but someone who's a jerk and is trying to destroy the peace with stupid threats. What next, will he threaten that when it rains the ground will get wet?

[CovertSphinx 710]

If you choose to ban (which I recommend as well), do NOT give warning, do not give this member time to start complaining, trash talking, and/or PMing members to join them in leaving with promises of "we can continue our plot on MY board". Because this is exactly what will happen.  

 

If you don't want to make the announcement public, you can do it through a mass PM if you wish. Either way, be completely honest with your member base.

"In review of several complaints, it's been determined that ModeratorXYZ has not been acting with the integrity we expect of our staffing team. While trying to remedy the issue, ModeratorXYZ has stated that if he/she is demoted, he/she will leave the site and leave everyone's plots to be screwed. Because of this threat, ModeratorXYZ has been banned instead of demoted. We will not tolerate such purposefully destructive behavior, and the rest of staff will gladly help anybody affected by this sudden departure to finish their plots and/or write XYZ character out of the story with you."

[Sage 289]

I agree with what's already been said, but be sure that, as you move forward from this fiasco, that you're open with your members. They deserve to know what's going on, but be sure to leave the drama behind you. Be professional and optimistic and encouraging and your members should be fine. The only way this will hurt your community is if you let it. Don't bad mouth this person, don't let others start rumors about them, just acknowledge what happened and move forward.

 

This person may continue to cause problems later, but take things one step at a time keep the integrity of your game and your community in mind. This is a hobby that should be fun for everyone. Nobody should be having power trips or blackmailing you or anyone else to get what they want. You can always pick up the pieces after a problem member leaves and your community will be better because of it. Hell, if all else fails, you can wrap up this person's dangling plots with a blaze of hellfire and damnation (and always bring that canon back later if you want).