Originally Posted by Captain Del

The success of your guild isn't determined by what some if not many people believe in. A successful guild isn't a guild with the most members, it isn't a guild thats on the leaderboards every day, its not a guild that can be called part of the, "in-crowd." Now, I'm not saying these aren't good things, but it requires more than that to be a good guild.

First off, the Guildmaster. Being a Guildmaster is NOT an easy job, I can tell you that. But with its hardships, comes its many rewards. I applaud any and every Guildmaster that has ever sailed these seas, because only they can know how hard it is.

To be a good Guildmaster, first of all, you need to be able to handle stress. When your a Guildmaster, especially when your guild is starting out, you will have to deal with alot of trial and error on how your going to run your guild. Just remember, no matter what may happen, you need to keep your head up high and keep sailing towards that horizon.

Next, you need to make sure you are very delicate on how you treat your Officers and Members, as well as selecting them. I'll tell you this once, and this is very important. You NEED to make sure you completely, 100%, without a doubt trust every single one of your Officers. You NEVER want to rush somebody into Officership, no matter what level they are, how long you've known them, etc. The only exception that comes to mind is unless you are transfering members from an old guild, and you want the old members to keep their previous positions. If you automatically give somebody the role of Officer, the outcome could be disasterous. Also, you need to make sure your Officers can always set a good example for the guild, as well as uphold it in the Guildmaster's abscence. If something happens, and the Guildmaster is not present, the you need to make sure the Officers will be ready to act in your place. Your Officers are your backbone. They not only are there to aid the Members, and the guild, but the Guildmaster themself. They are you advisors. They are your support system. They are part of your team, and they all serve an extremely vital role.

Also, about the members. You need to make sure you treat every single one of your members with respect, dignity, and equality. You can't run a guild where a certain group of members can do this, but other can't just because you don't like them. No, that doesn't work. You need to make every single member as though they feel at home. Be their friend, help them if they need help, be there for them.

Next, we come to leadership. You need to show you are able to run your guild, yet your NOT power-mad. Be firm like a rock, yet soft like a pillow. Be wise like an elder, yet look for information, like a humble student. Instead of trying to lead the guild by yourself, and make all the decisions, why not try to look for advice, suggestions, etc. from your Officers? In PNC, and the old PIC, every once in a while we would have guild meetings where all the members, Officers, and Guildmaster could come together to talk about the guild, take in suggestions, etc. Also, in PNC, we have meetings that are Officers only, and then the Circle of Trust. Those are the kind of meetings where we share information and talk about topics that are very delicate, and require alot of discussion before we vote on them. What I'm saying is, you need to make sure you have grip on your guild where you still have a firm grip where everything is under control, yet not so much pressure as that you have absolute control.

And my last point.... make sure the guild is, of all things, fun for all! Try to make it where ever so often you have parties, events, etc. Make your guild fun, play games with the members in your spare time, try to get everyone involved. Always show your ready to have fun, and your guildmates will look foward to coming online.

Be strong, yet be sensitive. Be firm, yet be soft. Be a leader, yet be a citizen. Be hard-working, yet be fun-loving. Be proud to be a Guildmaster, and always look foward to the adventures which lie on the horizon.