Gather Tip: Building Better Group Owners #1...

As Gather Group owners, or group managers, we must often do the 'heavy lifting' when it comes to getting new groups off the ground, and keeping them running smoothly. We must also foster an environment within our group that encourages active participation, builds trust, enforces a sense of community, promotes open communication, and provides a clear focus for our group's objectives.

It has been my observation, and direct experience, that some group owners/managers on Gather fall short in achieving these goals (including myself). This not only applies to member groups, but also has been noted within groups maintained by Gather management.

Therefore, I thought that I would interrupt your normally scheduled programming for this public service announcement.....

Recommended Group Management Protocol
- For Gather Group Owners and Managers -

1. Ensure that the short description (synopsis) for your group specifically states the type of content to be published, or which can be read, within your group. If necessary, direct attention to the long description, which will appear on the 'Group Description' page. You may also use the longer description to contain more detail about the intent, policies, operations, or expectations of the group. This would include identifying if publication to the group is moderated.

Tip: Create a brief message for new members, welcoming them to your group, and reminding them of your groups purpose and publication criteria. This can be a 'form letter', which is easily copied and pasted into a Gather Mail message. You may request notification when members join your group under your member 'settings' located near the upper right-hand corner of any page on Gather.

2. Periodically provide notification to group members reminding them of group policies and procedures. Perhaps, even feature these policies in the group, as a featured article. Some group members may feel a measure of offense when publication is controlled, or moderated. Emphasize with your membership the reasoning for your group's publication 'rules'. Communicating the 'why' can be just as important as the 'what'.

3. Consider moderating group content as a means of controlling publication to the group.

4. When membership, or publication, to the group must be denied, or an existing article or image be removed, it would benefit the member submitting the request, or publishing, to understand the reasoning behind your denial. Hence, consider sending a brief message to the requester, explaining the rationale for this decision. This will:

i) reinforce the policy of the group with the person making the request,

ii) reduce the likelihood of subsequent submissions resulting in a denial,

iii) mitigate any feelings of hurt, or offense, generated by the denial; and,

iv) ultimately strengthen Gather, and the group community as a whole.

5. Send group broadcast messages only for notification of special events, deadlines, or other significant news or information….not just to announce the publication of a new article.

6. Consider asking an active member of your group if they would be willing to be a backup for you, in the event that you are unavailable. You can easily provide advanced group permissions to any member, which would ease your burden when circumstances warrant. It is quite possible that the member may actually feel honored by your request, and might even be pleased to assist you in the day-to-day operation and communication within the group. This will reduce individual workload, allowing more time to increase the group's appeal and usefulness to the community.

And so ends the public service announcement…

I realize that there are other rules of etiquette and guidelines we, as group owners and managers, should follow. I have only captured here, those that appear to generate the most difficulties within our respective group memberships.

Thank you.

Coming Soon:

Building Better Group Owners #2 - Connecting with the Community