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Thread: What makes a good Quesator?

  1. #1
    Kscott's Avatar New and Improved!
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    Default What makes a good Quesator?

    Well, naturally everyone has the right to disagree with my opinion. I simply think that anayzing what makes a good quesator can help people decided who to vote for ( Writing this has helped me atleast).

    Ok, first off we must understand a Quesator has two roles. Moderator and entry level staff.


    Moderator:

    The primary role of the Quesator is moderator. To be honest, it doesn't take much to be a good moderator. Intellegence certainly isnt required. However, there are certain things that make one a better moderator than others.

    Time
    Probably the most important factor. The canidate must have time for the job. Moderating can be very time consuming so anyone who is to be a Quesator must have ample time for the job. It requires looking through several forums and making sure everything is in order. The more time on the forum the better as there can be "holes" where no moderator is on. These times can be potentially dangerous so it is imperative to have an as active staff as possible.

    Responsibility
    Possibly more important than time is Responsibility. When we elect a moderator we must be able to trust the said canidate. The moderator has potential to cause alot of harm to the forum so if this person can't be trusted with power we have a problem. This person must not hold grudges against certain members and if they can't be trusted to moderate without personal bias then we have a major problem. The moderator is a representative of the forum's staff and ownership so they must be trustable as such.

    Amiable
    Justinian is the perfect example of the value of Amiableness. Moderators should not be robots. The members of the forum need to like their moderators and feel attached to them. Otherwise unnecasry tension may be caused.

    Experience
    This doesnt have much meaning as the learning curve is very short, though if looking at two canidates with equal merits this can be a good tie breaker.

    Staff:

    The role in staff is one much more important than actual moderation. While many members are on very equal terms in acount of moderation, there can be a wide variation in how individuals perform in staff. There are several important traits and I am bound to miss some of them.

    Intellegence
    yes, this is important. We need staff who can comprehend the issues and see the entire picture of things. They need to be able to put ideas forth and debate them intellegently

    Compatibility
    Staff has to be able to work together. This is a very key trait. The last thing we need is staff at eachother's throats. When working together properly the staff is much more effecient and the site will be run to a much higher level.

    Creativity
    Staff may be presented with complex issues and it will take a creative staff to find solutions. This isnt altogher necesary, but there needs to be some level of creativity in staff atleast.

    Listeners
    The staff must listen to those they serve. If the staff ignores the pleas of the plebs then we can have serious issues. The purpose of the staff is to serve the members of the forum and if they have aren't willing to put the members first then we have serious problems

    Not very detailed look, but I think all of these things are important. Please feel free to add what you think a good Quesator needs. Regardless its always nice to know what your looking for in a canidate before you vote. Hope this was helpful to someone, if not then I hope someone can present some more insight.

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    Chormaqan

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  2. #2
    Spiff's Avatar That's Ffips backwards
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Very nice list indeed.

    I would add Confidence to the list of qualities a moderator should have. He should be able to act swiflty and fairly, and be able to justify his actions if they are called into question.
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    Kscott's Avatar New and Improved!
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    ah yes, Confidance is definatly one for the reasons you stated. It does usually comes with experience though.

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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Be able to take criticism and use it to make themselves a better moderator. We don't want somebody who will shrug it off always saying "I am right, you are wrong. You drop it now or I will give you a usernote"
    The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be used until they try and take it away.
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    Spiff's Avatar That's Ffips backwards
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chormaqan
    ah yes, Confidance is definatly one for the reasons you stated. It does usually comes with experience though.
    Yeah, Confidence is pretty much created by Experience and being Responsible, though some people are just more inherently confident to act in certain situations - though you must of course be careful to not become over confident or zealous, its a fine balance to strike in a moderator.
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    I would say maturity, since it covers a lot of what has already been said - understanding when a comment is appropriate in context, responsibility and adaptability are all in my opinion facets of being a mature individual. And not to forget age != maturity.
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  7. #7
    Kscott's Avatar New and Improved!
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tostig
    I would say maturity, since it covers a lot of what has already been said - understanding when a comment is appropriate in context, responsibility and adaptability are all in my opinion facets of being a mature individual. And not to forget age != maturity.
    I would disagree. Age has a correlation with maturity, but it certainly doesn't equal maturity.

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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Certainly there is a correlation, but correlation does not equal causation .Take the following example - there is a tie break between say, a 17 year old and a 35 year old for a position on staff. They have equal votes and fill each of the criteria in the same manner. It would be wrong to say "He is older, therefore he is better", while it would be fine to say "He acts like a mature individual, while he acts like a baboon at feeding time."

    Or maybe it's just me
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    Kscott's Avatar New and Improved!
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Still. If there was a tie, I would go with the more mature individual, but that is not necesarly the oldest. I know plenty of adults I would not consider very mature.

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  10. #10
    Omnipotent-Q's Avatar All Powerful Q
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chormaqan
    Experience
    This doesnt have much meaning as the learning curve is very short, though if looking at two canidates with equal merits this can be a good tie breaker.
    I disagree. Experience is the common denominator. If someone has experience moderating, then all the other traits associated with it come naturally and become more refined over time. Who are the best football (Soccer for you yanks) players? People who've just kicked the ball for the first time, or people who've played for six months? Who's the better chess player? The guy who's been playing for twenty-years, or someone who's just learnt the rules? Experience encompasses more than just learning how to use the ModCP in my opinion.

    All the traits you named mean nothing in preventing moderating mistakes if Moderators don't have the experience or knowledge of what to do in a situation. Obviously moderating is not something where you can never make mistakes, but experience overtime increases the likelihood that people won't. Being friendly and agreeable doesn't mean a moderator will not make a mistake for example.

    Personally I'll be looking to vote for people who've moderated before who will be an asset to the site and network primarily or people who know what they're in for and can handle the pressure while remaining cool and calm. I'm betting most of the people who nominated themselves don't know what they're in for.

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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    In that case we violently agree, unless I have made some critical error in my typing previously.

    Absynthe all round!

    I'm betting most of the people who nominated themselves don't know what they're in for.
    I've done a little moderating before, but I don't imagine that many people have had the oppertunity to moderate something as massive as the TWC. Then again I doubt many of the current fine moderators (that is to say all of them. I'm unarmed!) knew what they were getting themselves in for, but none the less people flourish under pressure and when they confront the unknown.
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    I'd say the only need to be a mod or be on staff is to have some common sense.

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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Rahl
    I'd say the only need to be a mod or be on staff is to have some common sense.
    And patience, lots of patience. Trust me...
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    Fabolous's Avatar Power breeds Arrogance
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    I would agree with Omnipotent-Q that experience is very important. I was a far superior moderator (and contriubtor in staff) after my 6 months. If only for just seeing new situations and learning what to do in them (whether your intial action is right or wrong). I would but experience equal to responsibility, which I find the most important of the others.
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  15. #15

    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Fabolous
    I would agree with Omnipotent-Q that experience is very important. I was a far superior moderator (and contriubtor in staff) after my 6 months. If only for just seeing new situations and learning what to do in them (whether your intial action is right or wrong). I would but experience equal to responsibility, which I find the most important of the others.
    Do I sense some campaigning?

    Anyway, experience is helpful, but remember that all of you were new moderators at some point, and some at some point there needs to be "fresh meat" if you will, to get to be an experienced moderator. Just as in real life, you can't keep going back to the old guard for eventually they will "die" (or in this case become inactive) and new members will be needed anyways.

    Now I am not saying experience isn't good, it is, it is very good; but, at the same time, you can never rely completely on the veteran moderators because like I said, sooner or later you will need new people to come in and get that experience. Everybody starts at some point.
    The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be used until they try and take it away.
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  16. #16

    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Nice work Kscott (I refuse to call you Chormaqan, it makes me think of kumquats). Those are essentially what I look for in a moderator. There's just one thing, which I find most important in moderators: humility. The moderator is not always right. Moderators have to be firm and not back down, but when they're wrong they have to admit it and just get back up. If you have an overblown sense of your own ego which manifests itself in your actions, even the most minor moderating action will be offensive.

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  17. #17
    Fabolous's Avatar Power breeds Arrogance
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mudd
    Do I sense some campaigning?
    Not at all. If I was campaigning I wouldn't stress experience, as certain people who are running, such as Sel, have far more than me. I would probably stress time, as I have unlimited time all summer.

    Anyway, experience is helpful, but remember that all of you were new moderators at some point, and some at some point there needs to be "fresh meat" if you will, to get to be an experienced moderator. Just as in real life, you can't keep going back to the old guard for eventually they will "die" (or in this case become inactive) and new members will be needed anyways.

    Now I am not saying experience isn't good, it is, it is very good; but, at the same time, you can never rely completely on the veteran moderators because like I said, sooner or later you will need new people to come in and get that experience. Everybody starts at some point.
    However, in the case where two people, generally equal, I would always recommend picking the veteran, even if there has been no new blood lately. There will always be more people you could teach to moderate, and if there are no new people, then you don't need any new moderators as your site has no new members.
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    However, in the case where two people, generally equal, I would always recommend picking the veteran, even if there has been no new blood lately. There will always be more people you could teach to moderate, and if there are no new people, then you don't need any new moderators as your site has no new members.
    Oh I agree, I am just saying that you can't always rely on the experienced moderators to fulfill every role as a moderator. Sometimes you do have to bring new people in.
    The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be used until they try and take it away.
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  19. #19

    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    Fab and Mudd - I can see both sides of your argument. It is for this very reason (the whole "experience" vs. "new blood" debate), that I was actually in favor of the UL rank. I thought it was a nice intermeditiate step, a "training phase" if you will, which allowed that new blood to enter the staff ranks with at least some experience under their belt. UL may have only been a moderating rank, but I am sure they came out of the experience with a much fuller knowledge of how the staff operated. Apparently, I am one of a very few who see any merit in this



  20. #20
    PyrrhusIV's Avatar Primicerius
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    Default Re: What makes a good Quesator?

    I have one Question, what is a Quesator?

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