change in a tribe's focus

topic posted Thu, August 23, 2007 - 2:05 PM by  cathyq
When a change occurs in a tribe's needs or focus and a long-standing silent member returns with a different need or understanding yikes!! all holy heck can break loose.

I and the tribe members hae definitely been experiencing this. I wish it weren't so.
I am tempted to bad mouth the trib eand such but not going to do so. I am feelign that the change in need of the tribe members is now narrow and limiting, but whiel I may say that it doesn't legitimize their desires or need. It also makes me the 'bad' poster, jostling with words and posts and discussions, supposedly sayign wrong things in too many different ways.

i hesitate to leave the tribe, things may change in a few months.. definitely not weeks, as it is a group of people whose binding theme in that tribe is one which doesn't seem to encourage growth or change.
Maybe, maybe not. Suffice to say, i have gone through enough feelings and emotions about it and shall post rarely if ever anymore. It is a waste of time to 'justify' my style or needs in wake of many negative interactions.
posted by:
cathyq
  • Re: change in a tribe's focus

    Thu, August 23, 2007 - 5:36 PM
    If you aren't the moderator there is probably nothing you can do about it but leave or ignore it.If it isn't the same tribe you joined, why bother staying?
    If youare the moderator, tell them that THIS is what This tribe is about , and any posts not in compliance with the theme of the tribe will be deleted.
  • Evolution

    Thu, August 23, 2007 - 7:45 PM
    To try to focus the original post in terms of a "Moderators Tribe" rather than a general discussion...

    Tribes evolve.

    Tribe descriptions get revised.

    I think this occurs more in "young" tribes than more established ones - but even in older and large tribes, the membership and posts can shift where the focus becomes on another topic and purpose other than that originally envisaged by the Tribes founder..... I have seen moderators & members post a threads seeking clarification on the purpose of the Tribe - which either shifts the tribe to modify its description or gets everyone back on track, or sees "spin-off" tribes..

    Should a moderator intervene in some way when the focus of the Tribe shifts - or just go with the flow ?

    How to moderators here rewrite Tribe descriptions - themselves or through discussion with members either by PM or Post ?
    • Re: Evolution

      Thu, August 23, 2007 - 11:52 PM
      It depends on the tribe; some tribes have a natural wide-focus, some have no choice but to be narrow. There is a wide range of topics possible in a Photography tribe, but perhaps fewer in a "Taking Pictures of Trees" tribe.

      In the Faire Folk tribe I run, I decided that while I intended it to be for Renaissance Faires, if people wanted to discuss Pirate-themed Faires there, it fit into the general spirit. There had been some generalized grumbling, so I made an executive decision, and everyone seemed ok with it.

      Since tribes can be created at will, I'm definitely of the "by fiat" method of deciding a tribe's focus. If people disagree, other tribes will form - think of it as evolution in action.

Recent topics in "Tribe Moderators"

Topic Author Replies Last Post
how does one become a moderator? cathyq 16 April 9, 2008
Broken Tribe Photo Function Allen 4 April 2, 2008
what keeps a tribe alive... 1 March 29, 2008
is the mod present? 47 March 26, 2008