Ideas/Suggestions

I've been thinking over a few things since the council elections.
Since I've got some time this morning (miracle) I figured I'd share a few of them.

I'd like to stress that I don't consider my ideas to be the absolute best ever.
As long as people are working together that's all I want.
It's when people don't talk about the issues that I get a little pissed.
I will always argue strongly for what I believe is best though.

Btw, I really like using this format for threads Elias.
I tried to put it in iambic pentameter but it got too complexicated.

Raiding Schedule:
I think we should cut back on the number of weekly raids.
We don't have the member base to support a full raiding schedule.
Now that it's summer, schools will be out soon and we'll have freer schedules.
I think we can cut back to one raid a week, two at the absolute maximum.

When activity improves we can build back up to a full raid schedule.
We can definitely aim to have 3-4 raids a week again by the end of summer.
Pick-up raids can also be encouraged to round out the week.
This is a fourth line of next to keep things symmetrical.

Applications:
The application process can be condensed into three steps:

1. Preparing Your Introduction (current steps 1-3 and appendix I).
2. Preparing Your Application (current step 4 and appendix II).
3. Preparing Your Graduation (current step 5; kind of).

Reducing the number of threads from 7 to 3 will make the process easier to understand.
A question asking what Anti-Rpking means should be added to the introduction format.
I can work on this if there's reasonable assurance I won't be wasting my time.

Graduations and Promotions:
Graduations and promotions should be based off applications for three reasons:

1. It would make the council's jobs easier.
2. It would add a sense of progression and accomplishment we altogether lack.
3. It is not the council's responsibility to decide who deserves a promotion, even if they do it well.

Recruitment:
Recruitment can be involved in the revamped application process.
Example requirements for the higher guardian rank:

• Three months of cumulative active membership.
• 1-per-week average event/raid attendance.
• Five or more introduction referrals.

This would count even if the person does not progress past the introduction process.
Think about how awesome it'd be if we got 3-5 new members for each member promoted to higher guardian!

Sectors:
DO IT BITCHES!
Sectors are common sense.
There is no rocket science involved.
I am thoroughly convinced that anyone against sectors is a moron or an imbecile.
Have at thee!

Hey Wayne,
Thanks for your ideas, my comments:

Anti-RPKing Question:

Thanks for taking the time to reply George.

For recruitment, I was just tying it into promotion applications as a subrequirement. When you would post requesting a promotion, you could supply links to 5+ introduction topics citing you as that person's referral to WG. Basically making an effort at recruitment a requirement for any rank in the clan of higher or above.

For sectors, I feel like we gave up unnecessarily. We tried one way to do something and it frazzled out, so we gave up. In comparison, it took Edison over two HUNDRED tries to come up with a working lightbulb, but we're all very glad he took the time. I'm personally convinced that it can and will work perfectly, but again that's just my own opinion.

For promotions, this is a throwback to how it was in 2005-06. There were guidelines for the different ranks, and when you met those guidelines you'd make an application thread, much like when you're applying for the clan. You went through your clan history, what you feel that you've brought to the clan since your application; what's changed for you, etc. It was a very much more personal and involved system than the council behind the pixel curtain decide everything for you. The old way gave a serious sense of achievement and set goals to strive for; I counted down days for when I'd be able to apply for the next rank.

There was an excitement to it, and a willingness to invest in the clan because you saw how your investment was actively appreciating. It made what was important to the clan easily important to you; everyone benefited, I think some people even had graduation parties and whatnot (the equivalent of the current elite guardian rank required a full year of active clan participation - anyone who got that rank was a HUGE deal). All that aside, I'm not comfortable with the council having that kind of control to begin with. It's a perverted system at numerous levels in ways that allow Elias and the council to exert excessive control over the clan; even if that control is not abused I still do not believe it should exist.

I can;t say I like at at all the idea of bringing back 'Applications for Ranks' for the exact reasons that George outlined. Getting a rank is normaly a reward for putting alot of work into WG and in a way is like having the Staff say 'thanks'.

Even with fairly large guidelines I couldnt see Applications working. there is always those in a clan who are hungry for extra ranks + power who would apply for Higher/Elite member when they dont meet the req's or dont even really suit the rank. I hate to say it, but some people in any clan should never really get promoted.

By having it at staff's discretion people can be promoted as early, or as late into their WG career as they feel appropriate. If their was applications how are council going to feel if they have to turn down people even though they meet the req's because they plainly just dont suit the role?

I'd like to bring back the whole system of posting an application for a promotion. But, I also realize how the current system is also effective.

What we have now is a system that depends on the leaders (Tertiaries and Council) noticing certain "good deeds". The previous system was effective because each member applied when they thought they were ready. They'd list the things they brought to the clan and put their best foot forward. The Council would then decide if the person's achievements were good enough.

I remember posting my application for Honored Member and how excited I was.

The Politicians Code:

If you have to make a decision,
delegate.
If you can't delegate,
do the right thing.
If you can't do the right thing,
do something.

At one point in time I thought bringing back the sectors would be great, but over time as WG has evolved I realize it would not be. The problems outweigh the benefits. I don't like how the skillers are singled out and made to feel they don't contribute. This problem will not go away with sectors but only be more of a problem. Our current skillers may not enjoy the wars but are respectful enough that we go. If we open up sectors again and invite more skillers in to WG, we may not be blessed with such great attitudes. There is a certain respect that we have for people like Starz, who have given in great amounts to WG.

I don't agree with less raids either. (OMG, hard to believe I typed that.) Even though it may seem to help with activity to raids and wars. in the end it weakens us. We need the constant offering of those activities to help train to be better at it. I may not be the best at pvp but I will continue to improve over time. We have new members in the clan that need this opportunity to improve too.

I don't agree with promotions being done through applications. I have a personal thing about not thinking to apply for things. The guardian score that I show is actually much lower than what I could have. Somehow asking for that just seems awkward to me. Like when I donate money, it is out of love for the clan not for a score or t-shirt. The reward is not in the rank or score but in the fact that I know I did the right thing.

I would love to see some kind of recruiting drive with scores being kept for a set time. Like get an intro 1 point, get a trial gaurdian 2 points, get a gaurdian 7 points. Making the goal to get your intro to be a gaurdian the long term goal. Whoever gets most points by this 3 months away date will get this reward type thing.

I've seen it to many times where the greed for power is the motivation for some people. The real motivation needs to be to improve the clan for the sheer fact that it is your family and you are proud to be here. The love for the clan should be the top motivation to get people to do things.