the role of a moderator

back alley

back alley

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a while back, in my real life, i did an exercise with my staff...i am a manager running 2 programs with a staff of about 15 really smart and capable people...

i asked them what they thought my role as a manager (in our agency) was.

the answers were amazing...and many of them were very much off the mark.
the role, the authority and decision making powers they ascribed to me were no where near what i actually had.

i am middle management and answer to an executive director who enjoys what boils down to sole decision making power.

how does this fit in with my role here at rff as mod?, you might be asking...

i find it funny what some of you guys think a mod does here.

what we have power over, what we can fix or are responsible for.

in so many threads or private messages...the comments and questions show that moderating a forum is a very misunderstood role.

i will add more to this post in the future...but i wanted to get it started first...

other mods please feel free to add you comments as well.
 
General forum housekeeping and occasional cleanup of messes when things get really out of hand (does that ever happen here?) but then again this place is a lot different than much of the internet.
 
point and shoot???

Maybe it's easier to understand in a company, where everything has financial implications and I'll use a parallel example from that environment. Namely, what is the purpose of the HR manager / HR department (in a large company)... contrary to popular imagination, their job is to insure that the company and the management don't get into any staff related intanglements.

It's human nature to do (in a business sense) what you are measured on, and conversely the manager should measure (i.e. impact salary) on what the company wants done. What the company wants done is somehow related to "politics".

I guess I would like to see some level of "common sense" and an underlying interest in the subject. Some mods are active in the discussion more than others, you can tell which ones telephone in their participation (which is perfect in that situation). A lot depends on the particular board (theme).

Be yourself, and it works or it doesn't...

Casey
 
'General housekeeping, the occasional mess-cleaning and leaving decisions to executive management' as a description would cover your roll pretty much ?!

IMHO you and the other mods are real good at your jobs, Joe! RFF is a place I love to hang out and which has brought me friends, both online and in real life.
 
I mostly like the way how mods do their job here in RFF: I don't perceive them! Concerning discipline, that's the way it should work. Maybe it does here, because 99 % of the subscribers are polite and try to keep a thread to topic? I don't know exactly. But I like it like it is.

Of course there are exepctation beside general houskeeping. I still hope we manage collecting the "10 best threads to a topic" into a pinned thread with short comments and links. That could be model specific information and handy tips like RF alignment or modifications. But also art specific like DIY pinhole or my first LF landscapes. This permanent collection should be managed by a moderator.

But, most important: Keep your intervention and pace like it is. Thank you for all your work behind the curtain. Err... the 2nd or the 1st? :p
 
To delete any posts about SLRs :D

Also, to monitor all "Film vs Digital" treads as they don't usually end up well...
 
A good moderator is one who can share his hopes and fears, especially concerning camera bags.

:)
 
Joe, if we judge by "outcomes", then the mods here are spectacularly successful - this is one of the most polite, informed, co-operative and helpful sites I've ever encountered. So whatever it is you and the other mods are doing, keep on doing it!
My assumptions are that you take polite and discreet action behind the scenes to identify and stop any inappropriate behaviour and to mediate when conflict becomes an emotional issue.
Congratulations to all the mods on a job well done.
 
Interesting question, although I do think managers and moderators are quite different, perhaps moderators and supervisors would be more comparable roles.

In any case, I like my moderators and moderation just like I like my sporting referees, namely they let the action run, but are there to step in when intervention is necessary, and guide things back on track gently, when they threaten to get out of hand. Obviously ultimate power, such as closing threads and banning users exists, but I find a good moderator, much like a good ref rarely has to resort to these measures, unless they are absolutely necessary.

Mainly though a good moderator/ moderation team foster a good environment, where people are nice to each other and with minimal nastiness. On that count, I think things run quite harmoniously here, which is a credit to both users and moderators alike.

I've left forums before where people are just not nice, and find rangefinderforum a breath of fresh air, much like an easy cafe full of interesting, easygoing people, and just the sort of place I like offline.
 
First I think we all have to thank "our moderators" for the effort they put in keeping things working in a smooth way. The role? Not sure what it is, but in my opinion keeping things going without too many "wars" on the subjects of the more or less interesting discussions.
robert, thanks again.
 
I thought the whole point of being a moderator is being able to ramble on about anything without the fear of recriminations, or kill posts that you don't agree with.

If that's not the case, I hereby withdraw my application for the position.
 
noimmunity said:
Moderators add...moderation.

Thanks, Joe!
Click to expand...

In moderation (see below quote).

lynnb said:
Joe, if we judge by "outcomes", then the mods here are spectacularly successful - this is one of the most polite, informed, co-operative and helpful sites I've ever encountered. So whatever it is you and the other mods are doing, keep on doing it!
My assumptions are that you take polite and discreet action behind the scenes to identify and stop any inappropriate behaviour and to mediate when conflict becomes an emotional issue.
Congratulations to all the mods on a job well done.
Click to expand...

lynnb - that was well said. I agree with others, that the moderation done here is very good. So whatever your job, and that ot the other moderators, keep it up!

Well, we might do with a little less bag angst. :D
 
Moving threads to off topic seems to be a popular pastime! :D

Just kiddin' ... the moderation here is pretty well right IMO.
 
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