Providing Equal Opportunity In Leadership Roles

[lune]

What's your Minecraft Username?: Lunere
What's the title of your suggestion?: Providing Equal Opportunity In Leadership Roles

What's your suggestion?:
By the title of this suggestion, I’m sure you are all confused by what I exactly mean from this. Not to fret, I will clear up any confusion you may have as you begin reading.

As we all know, SRP has a Discord server that is used for useful information whether its updates, school related subjects, applications, and anything else. The Discord is great and efficient, and I have no issues with it existing. However, I do have one issue I’d like to bring up and I hope you will consider thinking hard about this. That issue is voice channels. Now before you stop reading here and scrolling down to reply to the thread saying “Voice channels are useful! It’s how you bond with other people on the server and make OOCLY friends!” I hear you, but I am asking that you will let me borrow some of your time before you assume that’s what the issue is. I need you to hear me out.

Currently, and from most of my knowledge, any sort of higher up leadership position, whether its staff, community team, or even being captains in a sports faction it is required to speak in calls. For those who are comfortable speaking in voice calls, they have no issue with this and have an opportunity to take on those higher level positions. However, for those who are uncomfortable speaking in voice calls, whether it's due to anxiety, privacy, disabilities, or even personal reasons, they will never have that opportunity to take on that higher role because they don’t meet that requirement. The people who are affected by this might feel excluded and have their self confidence be brought down because of something they choose or can’t do. Even if these affected people have the extraordinary skills to fulfill that position, they will be overlooked and not get an equal fair chance compared to someone who can speak in voice calls. Someone who can’t speak in voice calls shouldn’t define what they’re capable of. It shouldn’t and doesn’t reflect our ability to lead with strategies and to contribute to their team.

Being a leader isn’t only about having a voice, it’s about demonstrating responsibilities, communicating in different ways, organizing and committing to that duty. All these qualities I have listed, can be demonstrated effectively through text, team coordination, thoughtful planning, and in-game leadership.

From reading all of this, I hope you are understanding my point and will consider reviewing this carefully. As I mentioned, alternatives can be made if you put the time in and effort. Adding this change for the server will open up a lot more opportunities for people who are in my shoes when it comes to feeling excluded. I want to change that and have everyone feel included and supported through different communicative styles. Not everything has to be done through vocal notes, even if it’s the easy way.

How will this benefit the server and community?:
Everything what I said above will explain why it's beneficial. Thank you for my time.

 

[urufu]

+1
I would do anything necessary to get on the event team, however I don't talk. I understand how important communication is but I feel as though there are alternatives that can be used in a VC (i.e TTS) and we aren't allowed to use them... I like this idea a lot.

 

[celexaprozac]

+1

 

[DarkEclipic]

Neutral

Hi there! I understand your frustration and it is completely valid, but I must correct you under certain aspects of your post and I will be as detailed as possible. Now this is coming from someone who has been a higher-up in a few factions and held leadership for groups within SRP and from what I have seen within SRP my four years on the server.

Currently, and from most of my knowledge, any sort of higher up leadership position, whether its staff, community team, or even being captains in a sports faction it is required to speak in calls.

For some Factions/Community teams/Staff, having a Mic is not REQUIRED for all positions but it is nice to have one just in case. Some community teams that don't require a mic, but nice to have one are: Build, 3D Modeling, Lore Teams. As for higher-ups within factions, you are not required to have a mic as long as you are able to communicate via chats. in certain roles, I completely understand why a Mic would be more required than other positions on the server, as you have to understand that those roles have a lot of explaining for the position that it is necessary.

From my experience, MOST if not ALL factions and sub-factions(Fight Club, Business owner, etc) are not required to have a mic. But you do have to see it from a Staff Standpoint about the role itself, and what is expected of the leadership of said role. For example, and one that I saw a lot in this chat is about Event Team. It is good to have it be mic only since you have to be able to communicate flawlessly during events and not waiting that time in writing a response, especially is something out of the blue happens or something turns during the event. Or like in Jock Teams, it is nice to have that mic to be able to communicate with the team and other teams without having to standby to wait for people to send out a message about something that is going on during a jock thing or even a jock/school event that needs to be able to be communicated oocly.

As I do understand the frustration, but at the end of the day it is up to the faction lead/community team lead on what they will and will not accept into their team or how high you get without having a mic.

 

[wethecreature]

I totally get why this is dissapointing as someone who prefers not to use a microphone, and who has definitely thought about making this suggestion before.

If it does bring any ease to you, no factions currently require a microphone, it's just that a few highly recommend it. I'm currently an HD of Professor and I don't use a microphone (I'm still able to fulfill the role's duties overall).

I don't think you're right about responsibilities- I know many people who I'm sure would have a chance at Staff or Event, and that's because of their qualities and responsibility overall, and I'm sure there are many people like them who can't ever go for that because they don't use a microphone.

I can see both points of views though. Staff members (especially faction leads) will need a microphone to communicate most of the time. Even if there are workarounds, it does hinder some of the communication abilities. As for Event Team, I was one of the few (if I remember looking over past applications correctly) members who did not use a microphone, and while it did leave some gaps in communication (very little overall, mainly just waits in DMs), I felt that I was able to communicate with the rest of the team and Tippie pretty well. In the end, though, I can see why Tippie would choose to require this.

Communication in VCs can easily be substituted by chat messages on many occasions, in my opinion, but in the end it's Kimi, the faction leads, and coordinators' choices on if they see fit that their members need it.

 

[gmxr]

-1

I understand where you're coming from, and it makes sense to give everyone a fair opportunity but I feel as if it shouldn't be complete catering to the individual who won't speak. If the person tends to have a problem with speaking up due to various conditions or shyness, they should be encouraged to speak up, and have their peers motivate/support them. Assuming that that individual isn't retired, they will have an occupation some time in their life. Majority of careers and jobs require some type of communication skill, and if that individual doesn't gain that skill, they can suffer later on in life. If we encourage them to speak up and motivate them, it'll be easier on them, and they can gain the ability to speak up and it'll help them overall. If they simply just don't want to speak but aren't opposed to, that's kind of on them. If there's a problem with them owning a mic, they can either use a phone (which most teenagers/adults have). If they are physically unable to speak (which happens to be around 0.1% of people meaning out of around 400 players, there'd be a 0.4% chance of them to be mute making it extremely unlikely), then TTS or something else can be used. Also, if you are unable/don't want to, why apply for a position on a Minecraft server that requires you to speak. If you really want some type of leadership position, just apply for one that doesn't require you to have a mic.

 

[KimiNoUso]

Reviewed
Thank you for your suggestion!

- Sadly, it's unrealistic for us to say we will do this in future. Roles like OOC Staff Member, Captains, etc. require the person occupying the role to use a microphone at times, and 9 times out of 10 you'll find the topic in a voice chat quickly moves on before the non-microphone user has had time to give their input, for that reason we don't feel it's possible to occupy these roles without the occasional use of a microphone; undertaking these roles is completely optional, and whilst it may be disappointing, it would be unfair for us to allow this in most cases.​