The Drama Surrounding the Last Five Days
From my brain
(Related to this blog entry.)
Me 13:14, 22 October 2008 (EDT)
Contents |
"Friday Night"
So last Friday, we basically backfisted one of the drama instigators in guild chat. We'd been dealing with things with them for two solid months, and honestly there's never been more discussion among the leadership of the guild. I've made several posts to the increased cohesion of my team and really, we've rallied together as a result of dealing with this situation. Anyway, they tried to really push forward a debate on guild policy in guild chat, and I wasn't about to have it screw up people's game time -- for me or anyone else.
Rushing Around
On Saturday, I reminded everyone of the policy behind the original decision. I quoted from my chatlog from the night (albeit hurriedly as we were REALLY late for TKD), and made an apology to anyone we offended. I also stated that it just wasn't the time or place to have this discussion...take it up in the thread.
Exit, Stage Left
On Monday, the feces hit the rotating wind maker as the drama instigator above decided to post "a complete picture of what was said" with screenshots of the "unedited conversation". We'd just posted the day before that "Those who intentionally create drama (defined as non-constructive controversy for the sake of controversy / pot-stirring / attention-seeking) are not welcome and may be removed," as a big response to the insanity of the summer.
I'd had it, and kicked her out of the guild. I then also kicked her husband out of the guild. Many thought this was wrong, but really, it was a liability to not do so. She was removed, her forum access removed; with him still in guild / having an account there's little doubt she'd take and write a scathing post under his sign-on.
Anyway, thus began my entire night of writing an email reply to her, and writing the explanation post to the guild. I let it all fly. We'd been referring to this shadowy "back story" through out all of these discussions, and so now it came out. I tried to at least present as many of the facts as I could, but in the end "unbiased" is impossible.
In the meantime, people were leaving the guild. It sounded worse than it really was, but I don't like having to have anyone leave. So, I made sure the post was done, and then logged into the game.
I knew there'd be people who'd want a piece of me. Two of my officers had been dealing with the bulk of the chaos, and a third had been mostly out of game locking down accounts for people that'd quit, and booting them out of the beta server guild. I needed to be there...even though it was already after 10pm.
Fallout and Corollary
For those who left or considered leaving as a result of the decision, I put it all together in one package which anyone who's read my blog is familiar with...
Current Life in ThePit vs. Your Time in Sleeper Cartel
- Right now in my office, things have gone nuts. A new executive has come in to the company over the Corporate Yield department. He has a lot of grand ideas, big plans, and ways to conduct our business to the peak of excellence. My role has been reassigned to directly support his goals.
- The problem? He's coming up with a lot of the same ideas that I've seen time and time again around here. Plans get made, statements and intentions go out, and they are left unfulfilled by his predecessors. Now, he's making similar claims to "fix things" and make the company better. I just don't see it happening.
- Nothing is changing, or if it is, it's changing to ways I'm finding distasteful to my work ethic and beliefs in the company and how I do my job. I've tried working my butt off for the company, being the diligent worker. I've tried being combative, fighting for the cause for the way "things should be". I've also tried just going with the flow and doing what I'm told.
- I've been here for fourteen years, and I'm just tired.
- I don't have any cross feelings to my company. I could be angry for still performing the same job role for 10 years (and little raises in the last five). I could be stomping my feet for change and "why won't you listen???" In the end, I don't see that doing any good.
- I've lost the faith. In the company, it's direction, and my role in it. It's time for me to move on. I'm on the hunt for a new job. I had an interview last week, and daily have the hopes that it's "good news" every time my phone here at work chimes with an incoming outside line ring.
- After completing an email to {the drama instigator and husband} last night and writing the post above, I got in game well passed my bedtime. I needed to be there even briefly to talk to whomever wanted a piece of me. I was able to speak with a couple of those who'd left. Those two both said something that resonated with my R/L: "It was time to move on."
- When I took over the guild a year and a half ago, people seemed excited. They knew me -- or though they did at least -- and saw a smooth transition / changing of the guard taking place. I made very few changes so as not to rock the boat, and maybe that's what's got us into this place. I've made a lot of sweeping changes in the last six to eight months...and we're only since this summer feeling the effects of that.
- The point is, maybe my management and leadership style doesn't appeal to you. To many that I've gotten words of encouragement from, it does. There's nothing wrong if you don't. The only problem here is that I may not be a good fit for you, and the way I run the guild may not be a good fit for you.
- Sleeper Cartel cannot be fully everything to everyone. We strive to be a friendly community that helps one another where we can. We're a moderately successful leveling guild. We have average and a few above-average PvPers. We also have some amazing raid teams.
- What we can't do is make everyone happy. I can't make everyone happy. Regardless of what I say, do, or explain in chronological detail, there are some of you who just will not accept my viewpoint, and I have to accept that as fact.
- You've lost the faith. In the guild, the direction I'm taking it, and your role in it. It just may be time for you to move on. No matter who you are, there is someone in the guild who is going to miss your presence as we already miss a number of those who've left us since last night.
- WoW is a game, and by it's nature, something to have fun with. Throwing bitter words of anger at each other isn't doing any of us any good. It is your $15...you need to make the best of it and be happy with the game you like to play.
- If you can do that here, I'm overjoyed that you're staying. If you cannot, I wish you only the best, and hope that we can part ways amicably.
- That's all I have.
I was emotionally and physically spent for the rest of the day. I said "that's all I have", and meant it. This whole thing was a long time coming, the boot, and the full knowledge of what the fallout from it would be. Knowledge didn't make it any easier.
There was still no word on the new job, and scouts was a bust that night. I got home and was tired. All around. I barely got TheBoy ready for bed. I just didn't have any motivation or anything in me.
Rather than go commando this morning though, I had to do some laundry. So, I went down, started the washer, and played Warcraft III for a bit. Got my mind off things well. Eventually I realized the washer finished, so I put the stuff in the dryer and sat back down for a sec...
Support for an Asshole?
It was then that I got the following from a guild member in the same thread:
- I kinda skimmed through this cause I got curious as to why people were leaving and It reminded me a little bit about one of my supervisors I had when I was stationed in Alaska. He was probably one of the best supervisors I ever had, and he was a bit of an a-hole. Alot of lower ranking people disagreed with the way the the guy handled stuff because he could be a jerk at times, but they never saw the bigger picture. That supervisor was the A-hole so that no one else had to be.
- The reality of the situation was this. The guy could be hard to get along with because he was so stern, but he kept a tight-knit shop and it ran smooth. It was because of this that morale in the shop was really high. I had alot of respect for what the guy did and I did not envy his position one bit.
- I have often disagreed with what Darias says/does. I also know that he puts alot of time and effort into the guild and I do not envy his position one bit. The bigger picture is this; The Sleeper Cartel is an excellent guild and it is in part because the managment invests so much into it.
- I would challenge anyone who thinks they can do better to walk a mile in Darias' shoes. It can be real hard to make desicions that ultimately make some people dislike you, but sometimes its what needs to be done to keep things running smooth.
- As for the shop in Alaska, That supervisor retired after 22 years of service. Shortly after the shop went to hell. The morale plumeted, it's full of a-holes now. I think his retirement had alot to do with it.
I laughed at the thought of being called a bit of an overbearing prick...and a solid leader at the same time.
Regardless which was the case, that thread, and the sentiments that are following in in it and others have been extremely heartwarming. There's no sniping. There's no "us vs. them (that left)". It's people focusing on what exactly brought them to this guild...and what's kept them here.
Not only do I need that, but the guild needs that to heal after this. I think it's working.
