This final piece of the Leadership puzzle - making tough decisions. As bloggers or forum moderators, we will inevitable be caught in a quandry of “what to do”.
Good Leaders Make Tough Decisions
When you come to a fork in the road, take it. — Yogi Berra
As Moderators and Administrators, you will find yourself in tough positions. Should you ban someone, or give them a warning shot? Should you enforce a guideline even though it’s only a small transgression and it probably wasn’t intentional, or should you let it slide so that you don’t appear tough, dictatorial, and uncompromising? For each situation and community, the approach the leaders take will differ.
On boards I’ve moderated, there have emerged vast differences of opinion over how strict or loose guidelines should be. Often, moderators have strongly disagreed over the directions that should be taken in the community. In a responsible forum, these kinds of discussions among community leaders are taken up behind the scenes out of the public eye, but once a decision is made, there much be mutual support among forum leaders at all levels.
Administrators have some of the hardest decisions to make, because whatever they do will affect the entire community, and indeed, their decisions may alter the future of the community. It’s like trying to engineer a satellite’s orbit. The smallest fraction of a degree off course, and the satellite will plunge to a fiery grave — or hurtle into outer space. As an administrator, the simplest decisions, or off the cuff comments in the heat of the moment can alter the direction, mood and atmosphere of a community.
That in itself could scare you, but for the Administrator, there’s often not a lot of room for second-guessing. In fact, when you make a decision as a community’s leader, it can be important not to second guess yourself. Often, it’s all too easy to get caught up in a never ending war of “what ifs”. Instead, have confidence in your ability to make wise choices — with the advice of others, perhaps. You must make the decision and stand by it, never looking back.
{ 5 comments }
Michelle 03.15.06 at 7:59 am
What’s that Disraeli quote? Never complain, never explain?
Damned if we do damned if we don’t. For what its worth I think people will always respect you for doing something - and then conisistently backing it up. Mind you that’s the hard bit!
Michelle 03.15.06 at 7:59 am
What’s that Disraeli quote? Never complain, never explain?
Damned if we do damned if we don’t. For what its worth I think people will always respect you for doing something - and then conisistently backing it up. Mind you that’s the hard bit!
Michelle 03.15.06 at 7:59 am
What’s that Disraeli quote? Never complain, never explain?
Damned if we do damned if we don’t. For what its worth I think people will always respect you for doing something - and then conisistently backing it up. Mind you that’s the hard bit!
Michelle 03.15.06 at 7:59 am
What’s that Disraeli quote? Never complain, never explain?
Damned if we do damned if we don’t. For what its worth I think people will always respect you for doing something - and then conisistently backing it up. Mind you that’s the hard bit!
Michelle 03.15.06 at 7:59 am
What’s that Disraeli quote? Never complain, never explain?
Damned if we do damned if we don’t. For what its worth I think people will always respect you for doing something - and then conisistently backing it up. Mind you that’s the hard bit!
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