The Staff Feedback Thread! [read the first post!]

[Shiny Celebi]

Sometimes people are just intimidated and wary of people in positions of authority and forum staff are no different. I've experienced this feeling myself(though not from the staff of this forum)

 

[Echidna]

I'd like to re-address some stuff that came up earlier a lot in this thread. I saw quite a lot of people saying that they're intimidated by higher staff because they feel like we're gonna tell them off for something, that they're in trouble, etc., but I'd like to know where this belief comes from. Do we come across as too strict in public or overly standoffish or what? Or is it just the fact that we could do those things that's scary, even if it's not something we do particularly often?

I think it's just irrational fear of the authority you hold. It's quite similar to how even completely innocent and upright citizens feel the need to look innocent when they drive by / walk by a police officer. It's just second nature for people to be afraid of law/rule enforcement/ers.

It may come off as if they're intimidated by the staff because some of them are the silent types, but I'm pretty sure (as the case was with me) that such intimidation roots from the basic fear of authority. If I saw two silent types, I'd only be afraid of the staff member between them. Or at least would have been in the past.

 

[Kura]

I think it stems from the threads-closed-for-no-reason that used to happen, the sarcastic remarks people would sometimes get, and the seemingly no-mercy "I'll infract you 10 times before messaging you if you need help."

Example? JustinRPG. Look at some of the thread he has posted here in this section. In some, the mods seem very lovely, and helpful.. but in others, mods overreact "OH MY GOD HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO TELL YOU?? *lock*"
Let's say he or any other person didn't get it even after the 15th+ time.. as a member I still expect staff to be more respectful and patient (or just put it kindly, even if it's blunt) because.. well.. that's why you were modded right? I get that it can be frustrating.. especially if there was something that was ongoing.. but I think if the community doesn't even have the chance to see that sort of unsavory behavior in the first place, you guys can be seen as more approachable.

Just a suggestion.

Edit:
Also

people might be afraid of the higher staff because some of them give off an aura of "we're silently and collectively judging you" kind of thing.

I certainly feel this way.

 

[Oryx]

When you talk about professionalism and politeness Kura, are you specifically talking about when we're doing official things such as locking threads, or just overall in general when we're posting around? Just clarifying. :3

 

[Echidna]

I think it stems from the threads-closed-for-no-reason that used to happen, the sarcastic remarks people would sometimes get, and the seemingly no-mercy "I'll infract you 10 times before messaging you if you need help."

Example? JustinRPG. Look at some of the thread he has posted here in this section. In some, the mods seem very lovely, and helpful.. but in others, mods overreact "OH MY GOD HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO TELL YOU?? *lock*"
Let's say he or any other person didn't get it even after the 15th+ time.. as a member I still expect staff to be more respectful and patient (or just put it kindly, even if it's blunt) because.. well.. that's why you were modded right? I get that it can be frustrating.. especially if there was something that was ongoing.. but I think if the community doesn't even have the chance to see that sort of unsavory behavior in the first place, you guys can be seen as more approachable.

As much as this makes sense, I don't think using him as an example would be the best choice.

A) I literally think my brain is about to explode because of all of comments and concerns I have regarding this particular subject/member. I'd hate to let them loose even though I could word them in a way to fit the rules, but I'd still feel terrible on the inside.

B) If I had the time, I would quote to you from about 10% of all his posts, enough 'incidents' to justify a perma-ban...

I'll just stop there. I've seen most of his CQ&F threads and personally I think the level of self-restraint the staff showed in those threads was/is unprecedented. I don't know how they pulled it off.

Kudos.

 

[Kura]

When you talk about professionalism and politeness Kura, are you specifically talking about when we're doing official things such as locking threads, or just overall in general when we're posting around? Just clarifying. :3

Both, really, in a way. There have been many times that thread have been locked with a sarcastic remark and only that.. or locked with no explanation. I think even if it's obvious, there should be a reason why it should be locked because maybe to some people, it's not so obvious.
And obviously, I don't think anyone can expect you to be saints, but if I see you being blatantly rude for the sake of being rude in regular posts, I'm.. not going to appreciate it even if I'm just a passerby. It's one thing to be blunt, and another thing to be super snarky, too. I understand when it's a joke, but if it's not it can be a bit sour. Overall, you guys are here to have fun, too, and posting crude yo' mama jokes is one thing, and acting catty towards someone is a whole other. Granted, I don't feel it's happened in quite a long while, so good on you guys, but it's something to always be wary of methinks.
I don't know what you guys have in the staff forum, but maybe a monthly like sorta review on conduct (GOOD and bad, because let's not forget the good stuff) might be helpful to you all, and maybe will also prevent activity from slipping for you guys too and make you motivated in the section that you care for.


I know this is longwinded, and sorry. The tldr version basically is:
Politeness more on staff actions (locking/ helping members) but you guys should just be wary of it elsewhere because people do look up to you so you wouldnt want it to reflect badly on you, or the rest of the staff.

Hope this helps.



Pedro: While the staff has been good pretty much most times with restraint with him, the times it has slipped I feel just reflect badly on the staff because I remember it and think "What if they reply that way to me?" I do. That's why I PM different staff now rather than post stuff; because I don't wanna keep bugging the same person/ team of people so I go to different mods.
But I digress, if he warranted it, it should be executed in a calm manner, locked saying "will PM member about this" and taken it up with the member. If it's spammy and not an actual concern/ if threads kept being made after warning said member to PM first before making threads, then the appropriate infraction should be made.

That's how I feel it should be handled.. because IMO it will help make staff more approachable. What happened then is the past, so let's take from that and learn from it. I think a few cases could have been handled better, so I'm putting my thoughts forward on the matter.

I used that as an example anyways because I remember it so vividly that's what popped into my head. I just wouldnt want to see something like that happen for anyone else from here on out.

 

[antemortem]

I feel like the staff as a whole could uphold some sort of professionalism in all areas rather consistently rather than only some of the time, because what if some member doesn't realize that someone has been doing the same thing repetitively, aka the staff member in question has a reason to be upset at the member in question? If I were that member and I saw the staff member losing their cool 'so easily,' I think I'd be somewhat intimidated as well. I definitely understand you guys in that respect.

Personally, I try my best to be as approachable as possible and love it when people feel like they can talk to me, because I love talking to other people, too! I might lose my composure sometimes, or come close to it, and I regret those instances where it completely turns some off to approaching me, because then I know I've failed as a person.

 

[Kura]

instances where it completely turns some off to approaching me, because then I know I've failed as a person.

Woah woah.. I dont think anyone would want you to take it that far that you feel like a failure :c.. *Hug* We all understand if you may make a mistake or dislike how you handled a situation.. we all do that at times, but I dont think any of us would want you or any other staff member to feel bad about it! Especially not THAT bad!! ;_;

 

[Sydian]

I can't speak for every staff member, but as for myself, whenever I see something that I don't like or that bothers me and I want to give my initial reaction, I tend to just vent it to someone else I'm close to that's also on staff, like Razor Leaf, and respond or act on something later (unless it really needs urgent attention). But I can't guarantee that I'm going to be pleasant 100% of the time. I may be part of staff here, but I'm still a human being. I'm going to lose my cool at some point. Am I gonna feel bad later? Yes, I definitely will.

What I'm trying to say is that while I understand the "staff should be professional" thing, people still have to understand we are human beings just like every other non-staff member on this site. We can blow up just like any other person can (and also keep in mind, it is hard to keep cool when you have a member blowing up at you for little to no reason at all) and it's not just something we plan on doing.

I'm not saying that all staff should be mean whenever they want either. Just clarifying. But yeah, this is just my opinion on that whole matter, and tbh, I haven't seen any staff members going off harshly on people recently, so if there's been something like that lately and I've missed it, I'm sorry. And while I'm here, if you've ever gotten my grumpy side and were offended or bothered by it, I really do apologize. I have a horrible guilty conscience and I genuinely do feel awful when I realized that I've blown up at someone...though I can't think of any recent events. So yeah.

Personally, I try my best to be as approachable as possible and love it when people feel like they can talk to me, because I love talking to other people, too! I might lose my composure sometimes, or come close to it, and I regret those instances where it completely turns some off to approaching me, because then I know I've failed as a person.

This is what I mean when I say I start to feel bad, lol. :( I completely understand feeling like that, dear. <3 Just remember not to take it so hard.

 

[Fairy]

I can't speak for every staff member, but as for myself, whenever I see something that I don't like or that bothers me and I want to give my initial reaction, I tend to just vent it to someone else I'm close to that's also on staff, like Razor Leaf, and respond or act on something later (unless it really needs urgent attention).

This. I think it's also worth mentioning that; as Sydian stated, when we do have moments of weakness or unintentional blow ups, we have a safety net in the other staff. If I totally go bonkers on some kid, I trust that the hstaff can come in, remove me from the incident, clarify things, organize the thread, and do some general cleaning up until I get my head on straight.

Of course, it's not that we expect hstaff to allow us to go berserk with total trust that it will be dealt with by someone else, but we do rely on one another to communicate and help when something goes askew. And naturally, this hypothetical mod that blew up would at least confront the issue, but my point is that we are a team and we try our best to do right by PC and it's members collectively.

Maybe this can also speak to some of the general fear of staff/hstaff -- at least those members who aren't necessarily intimidated because of the authority end of it, but are still wary. So does anyone feel that staff basically looks like a big clique? Or feel like we're too involved in a "staff group" as opposed to the community?

 

[Nihilego]

For people who wanted staff updates in the small update thread - okay! :D

Also, I'd like to echo Alexial's thoughts just there and invite anyone with something to say on the topic to reply. It'd be really helpful.

 

[droomph]

Maybe this can also speak to some of the general fear of staff/hstaff -- at least those members who aren't necessarily intimidated because of the authority end of it, but are still wary. So does anyone feel that staff basically looks like a big clique? Or feel like we're too involved in a "staff group" as opposed to the community?

Well, you guys are normal people, but you look different so…

Okay, let me use this example. Undercover police! You know how sometimes they go and "act like normal bros" and then arrest people when they slip up? That's basically what we feel like here. You're like "come on! Treat us like friends!" but most of us (me included) feel like we tell you something, and then you come busting in and like "STOP! YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!" or the Internet equivalent (or?).

Yeah, that wasn't a very good example, but my point is just that we feel like you all have something…to hide. However, if I got to know them as a member beforehand, I feel more comfortable with them.

My personal example is Razor Leaf. But Razor Leaf was a mod before I ever saw him. Why do I still get to feel like a friend? What was the difference? He VMed me first…he was my first impression of the forum…that's what's so different about him.

(Now, I'm not saying he's like the god of new member interactions, but that's the only example I could think of…:p)

 

[Sydian]

Okay, let me use this example. Undercover police! You know how sometimes they go and "act like normal bros" and then arrest people when they slip up? That's basically what we feel like here. You're like "come on! Treat us like friends!" but most of us (me included) feel like we tell you something, and then you come busting in and like "STOP! YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!" or the Internet equivalent (or?).

I wouldn't think of us as under cover cops, though. Because you know we're on staff. It's not something that's a secret, like those cop cars that look like everyday cars.

Think of it this way...say you're friends with a cop and they catch you shoplifting. They're bound by their duty to arrest you, even though you're their friend. It's their job. Of course, actual law breaking is more of a serious offense than rule breaking on a forum, but I think you get what I mean. If you break a rule, especially a serious one, and you're a friend of the staff member that saw it, they still need to give you the proper punishment. Believe me, we hate to infract friends or delete their posts because, well, we're friends. But what needs to be done must be done.

I hope that all made sense. >.<

 

[Yusshin]

Believe me, we hate to infract friends or delete their posts because, well, we're friends.

We should all be friends! And then this wouldn't be an issue, because everyone has the same personal "status" for staffies and thus it becomes impersonal.

Yay!



But in all seriousness, I've not had issues with staff members being in a "clique" or, for lack of a better term, being in a kind of union where they "protect their own" and don't socialize with people outside of their user group. The majority of moderators I see are very open and friendly while remaining mature and true to their job requirements. I most certainly do not see them as prowling Krookodiles waiting for a juicy Deerling to come prancing along unwarily, only to lunge themselves on their prey, grab hold of their neck and drag them down into the deepest part of the swamp.

Yay for Pokemon metaphors.

 

[tabor62]

To be honest, until I was modded recently, I was a little intimidated by all staff ('cept Trade ones and Cirno :P). Even though I knew that you were all normal people, just with more responsibility and power, it scared me a little haha. Though now that've I actually talked to and gotten know some of you, it lifted the fear from my mind (minus admins, they still intimidate me a tiny bit cuz of their godmode powers). I think the key to bridging the gap and lifting that fear from others is to reach out to members more often so that they get the feel of how you really are and get to know you.

Of course I'll still infract you or warn you, even if you're a close friend of mine.

 

[droomph]

I wouldn't think of us as under cover cops, though. Because you know we're on staff. It's not something that's a secret, like those cop cars that look like everyday cars.

Think of it this way...say you're friends with a cop and they catch you shoplifting. They're bound by their duty to arrest you, even though you're their friend. It's their job. Of course, actual law breaking is more of a serious offense than rule breaking on a forum, but I think you get what I mean. If you break a rule, especially a serious one, and you're a friend of the staff member that saw it, they still need to give you the proper punishment. Believe me, we hate to infract friends or delete their posts because, well, we're friends. But what needs to be done must be done.

I hope that all made sense. >.<

Well, I said that I couldn't come up with a better example, but it just feels like you got something to hide and we're not falling for it. If you can "break the ice", we'll see what you have to "hide", and will feel more comfortable around you guys.

 

[antemortem]

We have... something to hide? I don't understand.

Honestly, what makes us any different from a regular member other than the fact our usernames are colored and we have a badge underneath our name? This rift that seems to separate us from you guys - and I use 'you guys' loosely because even that is uncomfortable for me to say - is unnerving because I don't understand it. I've personally never felt segregated from any staff member, as a member, on any forum I've ever been on and this feeling of isolation is completely new to me. I'm sure you guys have tried to explain it off-hand as a result of something else said in the history of this thread's seven pages, but really I'm digging for a reply specifically to this.

I'm genuinely confused. s:

 

[Fairy]

I have a question.

Do you guys feel the same way about ex staff? Like you need to be on your best behavior around them too?

 

[tigerBLADE]

I have a question.

Do you guys feel the same way about ex staff? Like you need to be on your best behavior around them too?

Hm... to answer this question, I guess I'll use myself as an example; I mean, even as an ex-mod, at the end of the day, I'm just an ordinary guy, you know? I would sit and chat with people... just like any other person would, so, there really isn't any need for 'proper formalities', and, it's really not necessary to treat me differently. Heck, half the time, I forget who's an ex-staff around here. @_@ I feel the same way about staff members too; even with their powers and general responsibilities, at the end of the day, they're just... people like myself and any other person here. I don't think there's any thing secretive about it. @_@;

 

[Sir Mister]

Saw this thread, and wanted to give props to Tabor62, he's gone out of his way to make me feel welcome and to make the experience of joining a new forum (always delicate, but doubly so in one as structured as this one- not saying structure is a bad thing! Just that it makes you feel like you're walking on eggshells sometimes if like me you actively seek to avoid messing up) as painless and enjoyable as possible. As I feel it is part of the role of a moderator to encourage activity and increase the presence of their "home turf" (doing so is nothing but beneficial to the overall health of the forum), and I am Much more likely to do a great deal more in the trade forum than initially intended due in no small part to his demeanor and actions, it is worth giving the feedback that he is doing an awesome job, especially from my personal standpoint as a newcomer.