Staffing Admins: Ever cracked the code of the mysterious silence whenever you're away?

[Jam455 10]

Whenever I'm gone, my members go utterly, utterly silent. They don't even put in an effort to chat with each other. I'm a pretty talkative person and I like being involved, I like hanging out with them, but if I'm away, everything is dead. Is this a consequence of me forcing myself into conversation too often when I'm around? Am I actually prohibiting them from getting to know each other? Or is the issue something else? I feel this is a common thing admins have dealt with as I've heard the same thing from others. Anyone ever solved this/Remedied this? 

[Elena 546]

I find it partially true. Some people try to talk in my absence, others don't, because they aren't talkative by nature and I am the only communication hub sometimes. No idea how to remedy it ...

[Arceus 1,082]

It's called follow the leader.

 

Most places with a central activity focal point will do this when that central activity focal point stops. If the activity is spread across the board evenly enough, nothing ever really quite stops, at least not to the same extent, but when there's a huge lean on that activity from a specific side of the board (i.e., its admin, or its core group), when that side quiets down, the rest will, too. A lot of people also prefer to "fly under the radar," and so will not generate this conversation or activity on their own, when it will be somehow out of place; ergo, when it's quiet, the shy side of the board retreats to their hibernation dens, because they don't want to stick out and be the one to take the spotlight after the original is gone.

 

Even on my long-runner, with everyone being a core veteran member, nobody does anything if I'm not posting. They just won't do it. In my case, I think it's them waiting for me to come back, because my interest in it waxes and wanes (which is another thing, if the admin goes quiet, the rest of the board may well think it's dying because the staff have lost interest - board lifespans are notoriously fleeting, and we all know it, far too well).

 

Essentially, there's no real guaranteed cure. You just kind of have to hope that you foster a community where there are multiple points of activity generation, because then, even if one goes quiet, the rest are still loud enough the board keeps trucking as if there's nothing different. Unfortunately, you will often find that this central activity focal point never quite ceases being the central, and activity may still continue to revolve around it.

[Arceus 1,082]

I have seen such instances in which a site does fine without the admin actively posting a few times. Once, it was one of mine, and I never did join that board as a player. A little nudging, and the members started talking to each other and generating activity on their own, and I remained the shadowy background Watcher until it petered out a year and a half later. Yes, they did often point out how weird it was that I wasn't playing on my own board, but I didn't have the time to devote to playing on it, only running it. Similarly, I've seen plenty of places where the admin fades in and out and the site keeps going without them; the only time when those stop is when they're waiting for the staff to do a staff-only thing, like accept apps.

 

It IS possible. But you have to get the right people for it to work, and how to attract these elusive right people, I've never figured out. I have NO idea how that board managed to grab people that were capable of operating without an admin so well, but I did it once. Someone could theoretically do it again.

[eleholly 118]

My site suffers from this. I think the key is having a partner or a group of people that are just as active as you are. I'm going away on vacation to another country for two weeks, but with my current group, I know they will keep the momentum going while I'm away. I have a handful of really devoted, veteran members who have been around for a long while, and we've got some solid plot arcs going on the site. I think communicating your absence, that you will be back and on what date, and having a solid team is going to be the key to taking a leave. 

[Seahorse 79]

I always see the community of a group as the center of how everything is, and what is fostered in your center is what continues when you are there or when you are not in some degree. As an admin, you represent a large portion of that main center, so if it goes quiet, don't worry!  That happens in the group I am part of, too. What I find helpful is to always do the following:

- Make sure to let them know when you're going and how long you'll be gone! Communication styles and how everyone communicates varies from group to group, but out of habit we make sure to say announcements both in the server, cbox, and in the away thread on the board. 

- It's always nice to let people know who is still around, especially if you have moderators or staff who are more active than others at given times.  If you don't have this in staff, who are your more active members?  
- Let people know what stories are up and running in your absence, and if you need movement? Always see who can take over a section for you.
- Don't worry if it goes quiet now and again, because that happens with the ebb and flow of life!  It says all the more that if after a sleepy period people come back, catch up, and post? Your community is just that fantastic.