Moderator Meetings

Do you have meetings (i.e. live chats) with your moderators on a regular basis?

I think that if you have a staff team of more than about 5 people, it would be important to regularly meet in some sort of live setting so that you can see how things are going with each team member.

 

I never thought of doing this - sounds like a good idea!

We normally chat in the mod forum, but I can see how a live chat would be good.

Thanks for the tip Nick!

 

I am a moderator on a web design and development forum and they have meetings now and then over MSN messenger and are a great laugh for the staff as well as they really get the staff communicating and putting their ideas. On our forums we dont do this yet but plan on this in the future when we have more staff.

 

Sounds neat. It's definitely something I'd like to try out with my forums sometime. We usually just communicate in the staff forums but as we all know, that can be a long and drawn-out process. It can take two days to get past what would be a one-minute conversation.

 

Exactly, the Live Topic mod at vb.org could provide something a little faster or maybe a staff only cyb chatbox would be good if staff were reluctant or didnt have msn.

 

Yeah, that's a good way to handle it.

 

Will have to check out those mods!

We used to have a chat room mod at one point (IRC) but took it down after it made the forums a bit too quiet :lol:

 

I've always been hesitant to add a chatroom to any forum just for that reason.

 

We now have a forum section right at the bottom of the screen called the chat room - where threads older than a few days don't show. Also doesn't show in 'new posts' - it's kindof a compromise, and really the place for all the off-topic-chit-chatters.

 

They are counter-productive and takes people away from posting but also sometimes users dont even bother to chat or post and that can look very dead to new members looking to chat etc

 

Do you mean the ModeratorAddict forum? Yeah, I think it's quite unique. Send your moderators this way! :lol:

 

Lol. Why don't they show up anymore?

 

I never did with Sitepoint's moderators. Primarily we simply used staff forums. In hindsight with a large team like that it would have been handy.

With the vBulletin Support team, we use IRC constantly to keep in touch.

 

I think it is a good idea to have moderator meetings. Especially to discuss site activity, any upcoming events, staffing changes etc. One of the biggest problems would be time zones. Especially when people like me are 19 hours ahead of most of the staff team lol.

 

Good point, lol.

 

A mod chat is a great idea. Haven't done one before. We just communicate in the threads.

Some members use chat once or twice a week for a couple hours at a time. It does not take away from the forums. In this particular forum people like having the saved record of what they posted, and they don't have that with chat. I haven't offered transcripts. Chat seems to be just socializing, 'what are you doing right now?' kind of stuff.

Chat is a lot of fun for a special live event. We had a blast for the Kentucky Derby.

 

No need to at my design site, as i have only 1 other staff member.
At vBFAQ, we don't because we're constantly in touch and sharing ideas, tips, plans etc.