Admin Do's and Don'ts

What are some "Admin Do's and Dont's" that you can think of?
Let's try and get a nice long list going.

Do:
Do treat your members with the respect and dignity that they deserve.
Do dedicate time and effort into making your forum a success.
Do ensure that members follow the guidelines you set in place, to maintain a peaceful community.

Don't:
Do not allow your offline issues spill on to the forum.
Do not play favorites.
Do not undermine your fellow staff members.
Do not lose your cool.
Do not address conflicts with your fellow staff members openly on the forum.
Do not be afraid to do your job.
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Don't encourage hotlinking
Don't go looking for or suggesting 'forum wars'

 

Do teach members what hot-linking is, and explain what to do instead

(a lot of them don't know)

Do be willing to offer some how-to's or faq's that are really basic forum/internet training - that will encourage internet newbies to be more active members

(especially if your forum gets more mature members who haven't used the internet much - they were gaining other life experience that will enrich the forum)

 

Do:

• Do assist your members when requested or deemed necessary.
• Do create an environment in which members will feel comfortable in.
• Do purchase scripts and/or "virtual" items for your community that will benefit it in both the long and short-run.
• Do treat all members and staff team members equally.
• Do provide your community with a constant flow of content.

Don't:

• Don't treat members or staff team members disrespectfully.
• Don't allow personal grudges to interfere with your forum administration abilities and/or responsibilities.
• Don't argue with other members in an immature manner.
• Don't allow forum-related issues to interfere with your personal life.
• Don't blame other members for any mistakes that you may make.

 

Do:
- Treat all members and staff with respect
- Make sure everyone follows the rules
- Encourage newer members to jump right in and become active

Don't:
- Argue with members
- Get too heated in a debate
- Treat staff and members disrespectfully.

 

Don't allow your staff members' forum to turn into a 'gripe about the board members' club, because all the forum security in the world won't stop someone from copy/pasting a snide conversation onto the regular board.

 

Do:
Have an off-topic discussion area
Be responsive to your members
Be an active participant in the discussions

Don't:
Be quick to lock threads/ delete posts
Pass judgements on members
Promote moderators/administrators too quickly

 

Do connect with your members. Don't be a technical admin and nothing more if you are the only one there. Front-end matters.

 

1. Don't be a lazy time wasting admin.
2. Don't live off the backbone of your members work and think it's okay type admin.
3. Don't take on administrial if you know you can't fill the role.
4. Don't lock threads when you get a criticism, suggestion and/or a tough question.
5. Don't act like a huppity stick up your arse admin because your not aging gracefully.