Firing a staff member

If you've ever had to fire a staff member, how did you go about it? Did you tell them personally and quietly remove their powers, or was it a public drama? Is there any kind way to break this news to someone? Was there any backlash?

 

I've always dealt with such situations privately - there's really no need to publicly announce and/or demote a member from a higher-ranking position within the community. Generally, it's always gone well... it's rarely caused any drama, which is a good thing!

 

Sadly, the one I had to "fire" was one of my friends, but since I got admin he started being mean to me and bashing every time he could. I told him personally on PM. It was a decision of the overall staff.

 

.

I let them know that it's a staff decision and what we feel is best for the forum given whatever the reason is. I also let them know that it is a final decision and not something that we're going to change our minds on in a few days, whether it was somebody that might be able to help the board or not; it's just not worth the risk, especially if they're above a standard moderator's position.

 

I've never had to "fire" a moderator. The moderators that have left have done so on their own due to extreme personal issues.

I cannot think of any reason I would fire a moderator except for if they violate a rule or something. If that's the case, then they know they shouldn't expect to maintain their position, so I think it would be easier to demote them.

 

I've had experience with them leaving of their own accord as they didn't like something we've done/changed/whatever, some left quietly, some kicked up a right fuss and caused other regulars to leave. One even set up his own forum (which didn't last apparently). And I've had to remove them after speaking to them about a certain issue and they've been okay with it. One member on tilersforums had his mod rights removed as he didn't really use them and he's a brilliant regular, still to this day. Right funny lad. I think I just chose him when I shouldn't have done, and for the wrong reasons (I like him as a person, and active poster, he was a propper laugh, a real 'lad' - tradesmen remember; but that's not always the reason you take on a mod - right?). Now we see him posting pictures in his mankini at work lmao. Really glad he aint a mod now I tell ya lol, that's not the image we want or have at all.

 

Ask them to resign and keep their honor and receive a VIP membership in return for their services.

The thread that is viewable by the public says nothing but good about the person. They have resigned their position due to personal reasons. While they were a moderator, they did an outstanding job and the whole community owes them a debt of thanks.

 

There was only one incidence when I had to actually 'fire' a staff member. It was on a vBulletin Forum I was a co-administrator of. Don't actually remember the date, probably in 2007 Q2.

A newly appointed co-admin deleted about 1000-1500 posts (full threads) without any particular reason. A quite heated argument followed in the Staff Lounge, & he refused to accept the mistake (or provide a valid reason) saying it wasn't a big deal.


It was very awkward, because that person was the Administrator of the first ever Forum I joined on the internet. :ghost:

 

Ack, sounds like probably you had a miscommunication about what types of threads you wanted deleted on your forum...

 

Maybe. But what irked me the most was that all of those deleted threads were perfectly valid and non-spammy. There was no reason for him to delete the announcements, contests and half of the staff lounge.

Learnt the lesson. Won't be appointing any user, who I don't know personally, as an Administrator or Co-Admin on my Forum.

 

Were they old, or current? Maybe he's from a forum where the culture is to delete old stuff?

 

The announcement threads were sort-of old (a month or two old).
But they were open and constantly receiving feedback from the users.

Most probably. Btw, I never understood why some Forums have the policy of deleting old threads.
If they don't want users to bump them, lock those threads; or move them to a read-only graveyard Forum.

 

Me either, really. But even if I was the type to delete old threads, I certainly wouldn't delete something only a month old. Purging should be for years-old stuff.

If the guy wasn't so trusted, I would wonder if he was trying to sabotage your forum for some reason.

 

I just PM them and quietly remove there powers. And there's no drama because they expect to be fired if they have broken the mod rules I set.