Creative Maze

online gaming guilds are a living, breathing entity. Guilds can come in all forms, from effortless gaming to concentrated raiding; the members will decide how it will take shape. I’ve played many games in my day, some as a leader and a few as a modest follower; one thing I’ve noticed regardless is the power of key folks to create a following and empower these same followers. These people may be reluctant to lead, but identifying them is crucial for guild growth and member recruitment. A good start to finding the perfect leader would be matching their personality with these attributes:

Humor: Often times a very sociable player with a good sense of humor will have the power to persuade and incite players to be successful. The kind of humor that isn’t childish and hints at an inherent interest in making people glad. Regard someone who can express themselves easily; jokes are often the best way to estimate this ability. Don’t let sarcasm throw you, it can be a great tool in a leader when used moderately.

Availability: You can’t lead while offline. We all know that real-life affairs will trump a video game any day, but your leader should focus their game time on building their respectability. The cruel truth is that your leader must be present to lead; if they can’t log in consistently you may want to find another.

Confrontation Resolution: Far too often the internet becomes a festering sludge-hole of namelessness where players troll and squabble about petty discrepancies or disagreements. A good leader can identify the conflicts that need to be addressed and shut them down before they result in damaged guild reputation. On the flip side, the leader shouldn’t leap at every bit or conflicting comment that a player makes. If your guild is comprised generally of adults (and I hope for your sake it is, hah) then I would expect them to use their “big kid” reasoning to work out conflict.

Diplomacy: Peak guilds tend to be arrogant; dealing with their condition takes some flexibility and patience. Your leader should be able to create allies with stronger guilds as opposed to creating a hostile competition. I’ve had the most success befriending these guilds via common goals – try to identify what makes them tick and use it to an advantage. There is always a gain for both parties, simply unlock it and run with it.

Loyalty: It’s difficult to retain members as a small team. Make sure the person you put in charge of your guild is dedicated; if they jump ship for a bigger, better team then your minnow may be lost. Is your leader willing to spend time and money outside the game to keep players motivated? If your leader is forking over his or her hard cash to sustain resources outside the game, you’re in good shape. After all, would you throw your hard-earned money at something just to walk away a few months down the road? I’m going to go with no.

With every generation of MMORPG player becoming more self-centered, it’s difficult to find quality leadership. If you’ve agreed with anything I’ve written so far, you’ll note that building a group of people far outweighs personal gain and attention. Remember to commit to others as you would yourself and you may just be surprised at the results. Are you ready to lead?

Do you have what it takes to be a true leader? It takes outstanding leadership to compete in the competitive gaming arena! Thanks for reading.