Behaviour and Recognition
I got a private message from Spears late last night. Spears and I go a ways back... we both joined around the same time, we both were hands of Justice, and we've been pretty good friends throughout.
If you've read the news page, you'll know that he told me that he was taking his JA server down.
Now that might not seem like a big deal to a lot of you people, but it speaks volumes to me. Spears sacrificed a lot of himself in a few thankless capacities over the years. As a Right Hand of Justice, he was the guy that 'prosecuted' people... as Headmaster, he was the guy that 'failed' people when they didn't test well, or even busted those people who cheated. And as the owner of a server, he was the guy that banned people for misbehaving.
No one loves the executioner.
But the fact of the matter is that we need those people who are willing to do the job, regardless of the fact that people will bitch and complain about them. For Spears, the crap he had to put up with and the lack of gratitude shown him for doing the job weighed heavily on him.
I'm going to take a moment and salute Spears, for all he has done. For all the late nights grading tests, for all the fighting to keep the DB fair and even, for all the money he spent or raised so that we can play our games, for all the graphics he made for people, and for being available for everyone, to give advice and taking the time to care.
Not many people realize that this club becomes more and more work as you ascend through the ranks of command. From Battleteam leader to Quaestor up to Dark Council, the scale of work gets heavier in proportion to the 'fun', the time left for gaming and idle chatting. And yet, without this infrastructure, the whole brotherhood would deteriorate rapidly and stop being fun for everyone.
Those silent names on IRC are silent because they are busy making sure that you can have fun.
Now, I'm lucky. As Herald, the things that I do are immediately recognizable. You can see the sabers, the robes I spend time on, the warbanners that Shin'Ichi and I do, the logos that are made for the clans and houses. And we get thanked and sometimes cursed... but there's recognition for my work.
What about the Headmaster? He checks scores of tests every day, as well as helping to write new ones for you to take to help you toward your next promotion or just plain understanding.
Or the Master-at-Arms? He reads through god-knows-how-many promotion and medal requests a day, to make sure they are up to snuff. And yet people only seem to talk about him when their reccomendation is denied. How about the thousands of times that he approves a medal *immediately*?
How about Dalthid? As Combat Master of the ACC, this guy has to put up with some of the craziest stuff... from trying to teach Acolytes that they 'aren't the chosen one and can't kill everyone' to making insanely difficult judgements on battles, he has to take a lot of crap. A LOT. There's always someone pissed off at Dalthid. And yet, he slaves away at it, making it better, more accessible, easier to understand.
Or the people who generate the events for us to play? Korras ran a wonderful Rite of Supremacy, as did Alanna before him. Your consuls are responsible for working with Xanos on the current Clan Feuds, and I know Kaiann has spent a few hundred hours working on the coming Great Jedi War.
These people deserve thanks too...and not just from the DC... Take a moment and say 'thanks'. It'll take a moment of your time, and it makes a world of difference to them.
If you've read the news page, you'll know that he told me that he was taking his JA server down.
Now that might not seem like a big deal to a lot of you people, but it speaks volumes to me. Spears sacrificed a lot of himself in a few thankless capacities over the years. As a Right Hand of Justice, he was the guy that 'prosecuted' people... as Headmaster, he was the guy that 'failed' people when they didn't test well, or even busted those people who cheated. And as the owner of a server, he was the guy that banned people for misbehaving.
No one loves the executioner.
But the fact of the matter is that we need those people who are willing to do the job, regardless of the fact that people will bitch and complain about them. For Spears, the crap he had to put up with and the lack of gratitude shown him for doing the job weighed heavily on him.
I'm going to take a moment and salute Spears, for all he has done. For all the late nights grading tests, for all the fighting to keep the DB fair and even, for all the money he spent or raised so that we can play our games, for all the graphics he made for people, and for being available for everyone, to give advice and taking the time to care.
Not many people realize that this club becomes more and more work as you ascend through the ranks of command. From Battleteam leader to Quaestor up to Dark Council, the scale of work gets heavier in proportion to the 'fun', the time left for gaming and idle chatting. And yet, without this infrastructure, the whole brotherhood would deteriorate rapidly and stop being fun for everyone.
Those silent names on IRC are silent because they are busy making sure that you can have fun.
Now, I'm lucky. As Herald, the things that I do are immediately recognizable. You can see the sabers, the robes I spend time on, the warbanners that Shin'Ichi and I do, the logos that are made for the clans and houses. And we get thanked and sometimes cursed... but there's recognition for my work.
What about the Headmaster? He checks scores of tests every day, as well as helping to write new ones for you to take to help you toward your next promotion or just plain understanding.
Or the Master-at-Arms? He reads through god-knows-how-many promotion and medal requests a day, to make sure they are up to snuff. And yet people only seem to talk about him when their reccomendation is denied. How about the thousands of times that he approves a medal *immediately*?
How about Dalthid? As Combat Master of the ACC, this guy has to put up with some of the craziest stuff... from trying to teach Acolytes that they 'aren't the chosen one and can't kill everyone' to making insanely difficult judgements on battles, he has to take a lot of crap. A LOT. There's always someone pissed off at Dalthid. And yet, he slaves away at it, making it better, more accessible, easier to understand.
Or the people who generate the events for us to play? Korras ran a wonderful Rite of Supremacy, as did Alanna before him. Your consuls are responsible for working with Xanos on the current Clan Feuds, and I know Kaiann has spent a few hundred hours working on the coming Great Jedi War.
These people deserve thanks too...and not just from the DC... Take a moment and say 'thanks'. It'll take a moment of your time, and it makes a world of difference to them.
posted by Muz at 8:01 AM
1 Comments:
During my reign as HRLD I was threatened and badgered to leave by members almost every week. It's amazing how many people think that you're useless when the work you are doing is not easily seen. If projects run over their deadline, there are reasons. Do they know what has happened your personal life is chaging your level of devotion to the project? Or when all the help you were promised has suddenly vanished? These setbacks are not really the type of thing I ever shared - though in hindsight I really should have publicly humiliated the people who left me high and dry come the deadline.
That's not how I operate. I let the powers that be know that the situation went beyond my control and we tried to pick up the pieces from there. Seriously - warbanners should have been available months before they were, but the people who were helping suddenly stopped being helpful.
And those who wanted me gone? Let's just say we all know they don't really do much to help the DJB anyway, so their opinions were falling on deaf ears.
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