Moderators shouldn't use their tools

I've come across somebody's view that a moderator who has to use their tools or "powers" to handle a situation is a failure; that a successful moderator should be able to accomplish their job and control the forum with words alone.

With the exception of housekeeping (moving threads, merging posts, etc.), I can see what they mean; but I don't necessarily agree. When a member is so convoluted that they are outrageous, it is often necessary to impose restrictions on them. Words alone can't accomplish that.

What are your thoughts on this view?

 

moderators are called moderators for a reason...to keep the peace and run the forum for the admin. If they gotta pull out the ban hammer...so be it...

 

mods should use their powers to run the forum, as thats what they were given them for...if mods couldnt ban or delete threads and stuff, nobody would see them as any different to an ordinary member and ignore them

 

I give moderators the "power" to help folks talk things through and move items around to our 'review' section(s). But, I don't give them the "power" to delete anything.

 

Moderators, as the word implies they moderate. If they are a mod then they got picked to do that duty because they should be able to handle whatever is thrown at them. However you always have exceptions to that rule and sometime a little power is necessary which is where super mods and admin step in.

Ban the bootie, because if it's gotten to an admin or supermod then all else has been done.

 

Whoever said that is a complete idiot who has clearly never actually had to moderate a busy forum and its associated trolls. :frown:

 

I don't agree with that either. Moderators have those powers for a reason. I personally use them whenever I feel I have to. When a member is rude or breaks the rules, they deserve to be punished.

 

As a Moderator myself, I find that to be untrue. You can warn a member, but if thy continue to break rules, you have to do what you have to do.