New Mods

[Scott]

How do you introduce new mods to the tasks that they're to do?

I know that a lot of people who become mods are usually experienced with the software and how to perform simple tasks, but how do you (if you do) train your staff to know what to do about disruptive members, for example.

In my experience, it is usually done quite informally, little bit of instant messaging and it is done. I think on bigger boards though, this might be different.

Interested to hear some views on this :)

[ldcdc]

I think on bigger boards though, this might be different.Maybe on some that is indeed the case. IM works great though (though it might be a bit time consuming and inefficient when you're admin and basically have to teach each mod the same things over and over again). Letting moderators discuss among themselves in a mods only forum can lead to pretty enlightening discussions and can even spark ideas on how to improve things.

I bet Jan and Dennis can tell us more about the process of guiding new mods. :)

[adb22791]

My mods have my IM's (AIM, MSN, ICQ, etc), and we also have a Staff Forum (actually multiple forums). I let my mods on a pretty long leash, since I trust them to do what would be right, and I very rarely have to intervene.
I guess thats what I get for screening them for ~3 months :D

[Jan]

Yes, pre screening is good. As in observing regular members and how they interact with members and report posts/threads that are clearly against the rules. Then when the need arises, approach them with an invitation to join the team. Not all will accept as they don't have the time to give it their best.

The three forums I moderate have a sticky thread of general guidelines for moderating in the mod forum. But there are always extra questions which are discussed amongst the other staff. The larger the forums, the more complex some issues become. I am available on MSN to staff, but apart from the initial "swearing in" queries, I am rarely approached :) Once they settle in and become more confident, they can generally get around fine, with just a few of the more tricky queries in the mod forum or in IM.

[SoftWareRevue]

How do you introduce new mods to the tasks that they're to do? . . .WHT (http://www.webhostingtalk.com) has had a long standing tradition of baptism by fire. :evil:

But, as Jan mentioned, we are very careful at choosing those members that have displayed a clear understanding of forum guidelines and have shown that they can get along well with others.

I've always subscribed to the proposition that it is much more important to have someone on staff that can manage people than it is to choose someone by technical expertise.

Moderating is a lot different than being a member. And, although they may have demonstrated that they are capable of posting within guidelines, there may be questions about certain rules. Not all rules affect all members. So, it's not uncommon for a new moderator to have questions around certain areas of guidelines.

We have the "Getting Started" guide in a thread. But, I'm a firm believer that a community should have a complete moderator manual. Something that details every expectation, protocol, and rule.

I'm also a devout follower of procrastination. :blush:

I started a manual a year or so ago. Just haven't got around to finishing it.

Now that FU has launched though, I think I'll get it addressed and release the outline of it here that members can use as template. :angel:

Choose moderators carefully. That's about the best advice I can give.

Just don't be afraid to admit to mistakes. There are some wonderful members that make poor moderators. If things don't work out; they don't.

[Jan]

But, I'm a firm believer that a community should have a complete moderator manual. Something that details every expectation, protocol, and rule.
That will be one huge :read: You might need to make it a 25 book encyclopaedia :D

[adb22791]

That will be one huge :read: You might need to make it a 25 book encyclopaedia :D

Think of the money you would make if you made each moderator buy the set! :evilguys:

[SoftWareRevue]

That will be one huge :read: You might need to make it a 25 book encyclopaedia :DMight be why it's still in the dream stages. :crystal: :blush:

[writespeak]

Might be why it's still in the dream stages.

If it has instructions on how to do moderating tasks with vB, you'll have to rewrite a lot of it now that we've upgraded to 3.5. Or is it "just" about every expectation, protocol, and rule to do with people management?

I doubt you could cover everything, but when you have a lot of examples of what to do in various situations, it gets easier to know what to do in other situations.

Lois

[writespeak]

...how do you (if you do) train your staff to know what to do about disruptive members, for example.

People skills come from life experience. A lot of what I've learned is from jobs where I had to deal with sometimes unhappy, angry, and difficult people face to face. Group discussions and real examples are valuable for learning.

IMO a lot of what we need to know is not just what to do, but how to do it. Directness has its place, but so does a gentler approach. It depends on the situation. People are more receptive if they aren't put on the defensive and they feel that they're being listened to. You can put some of that in a manual, but you need to have real experiences and to see the difference in how people respond to you to develop these skills.

Depending on the mods you choose, they might already have these skills. :)

Lois

[Veus]

If it has instructions on how to do moderating tasks with vB, you'll have to rewrite a lot of it now that we've upgraded to 3.5. Or is it "just" about every expectation, protocol, and rule to do with people management?

I would assume that it would be more generalised and cover the methods rather than the actual techniques.

[Michelle]

I have some analytic guidelines, rules and FAQs stickied in the hidden forums. They seem to do the job pretty well ;)

[Wheels]

I have some analytic guidelines, rules and FAQs stickied in the hidden forums. They seem to do the job pretty well ;)

Same here. Most of my mods have no issues following the guidelines, etc.

[namkrowa]

Well, before I approach somebody to be a moderator, I first make sure they know how to use the software I'm using. For example, I currently use ProBoards, SMF, and phpBB. All of the people on my PB forums know how to use PB. But, at this time, I've not had anybody as moderators on the SMF (which is my hosting support forum) and my phpBB (fiction forum) forums.

I'm pretty sure most people that will be asked to be moderators already know a good deal about what they are doing. Whether they gain experiences from real life, or have experiences on other forums. Most people know what they are to do, and how they are to do it. However, like mentioned, there are those few people that don't, and those are the ones that need a little guidance.

Email is a very good tool to use with moderators. It's sometimes easy to communicate, and you can get points on what they need to do and how they need to do it across to them easily.
The forum private messaging system is another good tool to use. When you first have new moderators, you can send them a PM about their duties, and make sure they understand each and everything they need to do.
IM systems are another good tool, and, by far, one of the best. You can communicate with your moderator(s) right on the spot, and get everything they need to know right then and there.

Of course, staff forums are a wonder, too. You can have your moderators go in there when they need help, or have questions, or need guidance. I've had a lot of luck with staff forums, and have had people coming to me for help. They work out really well.

:)

[adb22791]

Most people can figure out how to use the PHPBB and vbulletin moderation tools, as they are clearly marked. However SMF's moderation tools arn't that great, IMO.