Miscommunication in Online Guilds
Miscommunication; Where Most Guilds Go Wrong
Why is it that some MMORPG Guilds fall apart? What can be done to raid successfully, keep fun levels up and keep your online worlds intact? The issue is communication!
Recently, my guild in a certain popular MMORPG underwent some serious leadership issues. The right decisions were being made, no abuse of power took place and there were plenty of ideas regarding the guild. This was an entirely different problem that worked its way under the player’s skins, stole away the faith they had in leaders, manufactured rumours, doubt and finally, caused a massive rift between the members and the leaders.
The issue was communication. It’s an issue that will present itself in all environments, online or off. Lines of communication must remain open and most importantly, they must be trusted completely by the members that use them. In this case, that trust degraded over time, due to some poor decisions regarding the release of information.
In our situation, leaders made the mistake of neglecting to fully explain their reasoning behind important choices. Without a full explanation, members began to feel that their input, discussion and ideas were simply not being heard. Leaders made the choice (regarding guild direction, activities, policies, etc) then stated it, after members had spent hours discussing the issues. They forgot to fully communicate the reasons for their decisions and members felt ignored.
Why did this happen? There were many members asking many different things – wanting different goals and wanting different results. Unfortunately, only so much can be accomplished – it becomes important to choose a path and go with it. Disappointment in decisions is to be expected, but with a full explanation and proper communication, that blow is lessened. There was no buffer for our members. Disappointment without explanation leads to trouble.
If you are an officer or leader in any kind of online environment, I encourage you to contemplate every announcement you make. Your members look to you for guidance, for fun and to give them the things they want. It is your responsibility to keep them happy. Your best weapon for doing this is communication. Fully explain your decisions. Make sure your members understand the reasons for your decisions. Do this and they won’t doubt you. Do this and you’ll continue to have a friendly, productive and fun guild.
I have been playing online games for a long time and by far, my current guild has been running the longest and has been the most successful. Even they occasionally fall prey to trouble due to a lack of communication – don’t let it happen to you! Communicate to your players - explain your decisions and make sure that everyone feels a part of the process.
