Posted by Dinah on April 30, 2005, at 12:50:44
a chance. No hurry.
Has your interest in online communities stretched to the difference between those where the administrator assumes a nearly purely administrative role, and those where they both administrate and join in on a limited basis?
In fact, there's that contrast right here on Babble from before and after.
I know I've heard a lot from other people about how special it was to them to participate in a chat or get a message from the moderator of another online group, so I have some idea of the benefits. And similarly, I've got some idea of potential drawbacks as well.
My guess would be that the benefits of greater participation would be less room for projection, because the administrator wouldn't be a blank screen. And I can't see any advantages to a blank screen since the administrator isn't performing therapy and can't work through the projections with us. It might also decrease resentment towards the administrator because the participants have grown to know and care for the administrator and feel that he knows and cares for them as individuals. They would thus be more likely to excuse mistakes as being caused by the fact that the administrator is human.
I can see the benefits of the administrator avoiding non-administrative contact as well. I would imagine that it could possibly increase both the perception and the reality of impartiality in the meting out of administrative actions. Although in practice, we're going to see partiality anyway. And I suppose it could lead to jealousy and jockeying for favor among the board participants. Did you find that was true when you did have a more participatory role at Babble?
What do you think are the advantages and drawbacks of an administrator allowing him or herself to be real to the members of the board. And why did you change your style?
poster:Dinah
thread:491889
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050417/msgs/491889.html