Drama: A drama film is a film that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes putting the characters in conflict with themselves, others, society and even natural phenomena. - Wikipedia
So just add the word Guild and its basically a drama being played/acted out in a Guild (I like the word Natural Phenomena) LOL.
Just for all to know. I'm currently now a Guild Officer in my WoW (World of Warcraft) raiding guild. I would like to use my guild as an example on the problems the guild is facing and how it would wind up disbanding in the end.
The guild as of now has around 55 active registered members account IE to say we have around 55 guild members inside including the Guild Leader and Officers. The Guild as of now is still running as per normal.
I've read in the official WoW forums and came across this funny post from a fellow WoW player, and most of the issue that Skurd posted are happening in my guild now:
How to make a guild fail. By Skurd, Orc hunter, Thrall.
Everyone’s goal is to make their guild fail—to make it crumble fast and hard. Raid guilds bust up all the time, so this must be the case. Here’s some great tips on how you can ensure your guild will follow suit. Enjoy! (Obviously this is humor. it is a collection of rules i have been exposed to since i started playing wow in 05; it is also the reason I have left a few guilds in my time).
1) Have as many chiefs as you do Indians!
Be sure to appoint class leads in every class. Be sure to appoint someone the “guild main tank” and the “guild main healer.” Obviously, raid guilds are required to have class leads because they are so vastly manned. Be sure to have enough problems in your guild that you actually need class leads to help lessen the drama on all the upper-level officers in the guild.
Although we do not have an issue with Class Leaders problem as we've never appointed anyone. But we do have with an issue of Indian Chiefs. Well Basically Indian Chiefs are people who tries to influence other people onto their side as in thinking/goal/support.
Most of the time members needs to give opinions and suggestions to the guild management to think about/discuss and if its good then thus it will be implemented. As a leader its always good to give explaination on why this idea is good/bad and to give conclusions about it. Indian Chiefs normally will come about when its either they know that their idea will never be approve, always get rejected or its wrong for them to do it thus ending up acting on their own.
This is where all the problems start. I personally can never understand why someone can try and influence others so that they can so call have a big group to oppose the leaders or to go against a certain person. A guild should work together as a whole with 1 heart, 1 mind and 1 body.
I always like to use another term "Human Body" for Guild. In order for a guild to be prosperous it should work together as a whole with 1 heart, 1 mind and 1 body. Indian Chiefs are like a certain cancer virus in the body, it should be treated with medicine, follow by chemo and if those doesn't work then it has to be cut/removed out from the Body.
Read previous entry on what does it mean by being a leader
What will happen if nothing is done about it
Like all cancer cells, they will start to spread and thus infecting all the other good cells. This is also one of the biggest test EVERY guild will have to go through soon or later. It will determine how loyal your members are to the guild. Its like in the warhammer story where half of the Space Marine Chapters converted over to join the Chaos, its always easier to corrupt than to purify. This will also tells you how much respect you have all along in the hearts of the members.
Sometimes the truth can be painful.
Problem Sloving Solution
So let's say you have really been a bad leader and most of the members are not happy with the way you are running things around in the guild and the Indian Chief is going around doing his/her deed. I would suggest strongly that the leaders has to sit down with everyone and let them express their woes to you and try to savage the situation as much as possible.
Those who needs to leave will have to let them go. Correct all mistakes you've made and move on with the rest of the members you have.
Its very important to learn from the mistakes you've made and remember it. Repeating it will again bring your guild down.
Side Note
For the above point there's no fix solution to this but at the very start of the guild being setup. Leaders must have already the most basic knowledge and skills to run any organization. It has to be learnt through experiences and with alot of setbacks.
If the Management cannot work together. Then nothing can be done to save any organisation
Do check next entry for the other problems most guilds faced.
