Announcement: Group Mod Challenge
Hello Moderator Team
I’ve got a challenge for you! Are you ready?
- Take a look at the communication styles as shown in the image above. Which four of the styles fit your communication style best? Let us know that in the comments below!
- Find a mod to partner up with to go mod and foster healthy conversation in the chat rooms for half an hour at least 6 times in a two-week span.
- Observe and take notes on the communication approach of your mod partner and the mod partner will be doing the same for you. (Please note that communication styles and approaches can and will vary and that’s alright!)
- Participate in the Group Mod Zone Room and compare your notes and share with fellow mods to learn about each others’ communication styles. Also, share the vibe of the room you both were modding to share in the Mod Room. The vibe of the room here means how was the room environment at the start of joining and when you left. You could share it on a scale of 1-10 where 1 would be “Meh” and 10 as “Awesome”.
Your mod partner can be:
- Any community moderator on shift (just let them know 1-1 before you join as a partner with them on their shift).
- A fellow community-centered chat room moderator of the same community who could be present at the same time as you will be able to participate in the room.
- A global moderator who could be present at the same time as you will be able to participate in the room.
To complete the challenge of visiting and moderating the rooms at least six times in a two-week span, your mod partner can be different if the same mod partner can’t be present. If you have more than one partner, you will simply take notes of different mods' communication styles and approaches and share them with them and fellow moderators in the group mod zone.
Every time you complete one session, drop it in the comments of this thread to log your active participation.
The goal of this challenge:
- Identify your own communication approach in the group dynamics and how it changed/evolved as the situation in the room changed.
- Identify how having a partner with you changed/ helped to foster a supportive and compassionate environment in the chatroom.
- What were the challenges? What surprised you? What type of communication approach works best for you?
At the end of this two-week challenge, you will receive information for the next one! And at the end of the quarter, the top 3 chat room moderators who complete all the challenges successfully will be awarded the most prestigious award: Award-Winning Mod!
Criteria of Award-Winning Mod
- Being passionate about group support chat rooms
- Being compassionate and engaging with the community members
- Being professional and ensure the safety of the room
- Using active listening and de-escalation with all chat participants.
- Being supportive to the fellow chat room moderators and room supports
- Being an open-minded communicator
- Being yourself and having fun while being there in the rooms.
Fun fact! To this day, only 12 chat room moderators have earned this exclusive award! And for extra incentive, every chat room moderator will be awarded 100 cheers per activity they complete.
I am signing up for the challenge and I invite every moderator to accept the challenge too! May we grow together as the best moderators of the community!
Activity #1
Partner: @AnnaTess
Session date: April 14th, 2021
Session time: 2:44 pm
Room: Teen Community Room
Notes: @AnnaTess told me that I was a socializer. Super energetic. Issued gentle warnings, and made sure the chat was staying supportive for all.
Activity #1
Partner: @richuyulin
Session date: April 14th, 2021
Session time: approx 19:00
Room: Support Room 24/7
Notes: very calm, attentive, reflective and prompt in responding. Compassionate listening style.
I can relate to it. I was more passive to focus on learning about their listening style and I didn't want to interfere. They communicated well, it was great team work.
We discussed later what we observed and we learned we both mender between all 4 roles but mostly avoid the director role as it is described here. I see myself and Lin as mending in the areas "open relationship" and "slow paced to fast paced"
Activity #4
Partner: @kindSoul10
Session date: April 14th, 2021
Session time: 6:45pm-7:15pm
Room: Support Room 24/7
Notes: During this session, I kinda took the lead on the situation and was quick to join in on the conversation. Where as Soul was a little more reserved and took their time to assess the chat before joining in. I learned that Soul's style was relator and I was told that I'm a socializer. ^_^
Activity 1
Partner: @Richuyulin
Session date: April 14th, 2021
Session time: 5:00pm-5:30pm
Room: Support Room 24/7
Notes: This was a great experience for me as I normally spend my group support time in Sharing Circle, but given that SC may be too structured to really see someone's style of moderating Lin suggested that Support 24/7 might be a good idea (which it was!). We came to the conclusion that although Lin tends towards being a thinker and I tend towards relator, we both have traits from other categories (e.g. Lin can work well cooperatively as well as alone).
Activity #5
Partner: @AnnaTess 👻
Session date: April 14th, 2021
Session time: 8:30pm-9:00pm
Room: Member Community Room
Notes: After discussing, I came to the conclusion Anna was a socializer during the session. And I was bridged between thinker and relator. I've noticed that I'm someone who tend to observe and adapt my moderation style depending on who I'm modding with. ^_^
( Sunisshiningandsoareyou [forum mentor] edited the activity number from 4 to 5 , as Lin mentioned the mistake )
Oops this is meant to say activity 5 not 4. Forgot to edit.
Activity #6
Partner: @CommunityModLynn
Session date: April 14th, 2021
Session time: 9:30pm-10:00pm
Room: Sharing Circle / Support Room 24/7
Notes: During the 'activity', I was hosting Healthy Habits session in Sharing Circle room with Support Room 24/7 open in another tab watching how Lynn moderates. I could be wrong but my impression is based on what I saw during the 'activity', I think that Lynn's style would be thinker. And I would have been socializer. ^_^
Activity #1
Partner: @richuyulin
Session date: April 15th, 2021
Session time: 12-1 am EDT/EST
Room: Sharing Circle
Notes: Richy joined me for the SC which I regularly host. Richy is one of the sweetest people I know, and is always wiling to lend a helping had. I think both of us were relators during the SC. Really grateful to Richy because they've been helping me navigate modding: I've only just become a mod myself. I think having a partner made me feel a little less stressed because I'm still getting the hang of this.
Activity #7
Partner: @jovialButterfly6752
Session date: April 15th, 2021
Session time: 12:00am-1:00am
Room: Sharing Circle
Notes: We both have a similar style, as we both are relator during the session. We even 'jinxed' each other a few times during the session. It was like we were in sync with each other without communicating haha. But my results surprised me this time, as this would be the first time I've been told I'm solely a relator in style. Thank you so much for hosting with me! It was a great supportive session. Looking forward to working with you when we can. Timezones can be annoying. XD
Activity #8
Partner: @jovialButterfly6752
Session date: April 15th, 2021
Session time: 1:30am-2:00am
Room: Support Room 24/7
Notes: It was interesting to see how the difference in room brought out a different side of our moderation style. In this room jovial's style was socializer, where as I was a thinker. I struggled to keep up with the chat as I was confused as to what's happening with multiple conversations happening at once. But jovial was amazing and responded to everyone. It was a pleasure hosting with you!
@richuyulin
You're the best 
Thank you!
Activity #2
Partner: @richuyulin
Session date: April 15th, 2021
Session time: 1:30 -2 am EDT/EST
Room: Support Room 24x7
Notes: Richy was super nice and said I could join them as a mod in SR 24x7. Thanks for the opportunity Richy :) I haven't actually "mod-ded" in that room before so I'm glad I had Richy's support! I think I was a Socialiser? I guess my ADHD can be useful in situations where is a lot going on at once because I can pay attention to many things and react fast.
Richy seemed to be a combination of a Thinker and Relator. I could see them being methodical and deliberate which is important: good to read the room! They also thought about the task - whether we should host a topic specific discussion or provided continued support as mods as members were chatting. I'm not familiar with being a mod in SR so they showed me the ropes which was very helpful. We work well together as mods! Look forward to doing it again soon <# waffle heart
