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Reason and emotion are not antagonists. What seems like a struggle between two opposing ideas or values, one of which, automatic and unconscious, manifests itself in the form of a feeling."
Branden, Nathaniel This is a entry of the most sensitive topics in community leadership, handling conflicts and relationships in the community free software (and in others communities) and is completely based on the book The art of Community by Jono Bacon and I try to make a brief summary.
The Nature of the Beast
Conflict is part of every communities and projects, sometimes people just don’t get on in, and so you should handle them.
Conflict is the acid that slowly erodes community, then it causes an uncomfortable and unpleasant environment for volunteers, for that reason Community Manager (CM) should handling conflicts as soon as possible and in a properly way.
On the other hand, it is important to note that maybe conflicts are proof of a alive community.
- The Structure of Strife
The members of a community has confident/free-thinking personalities, different incompatible goals/values and personal way of interaction. Typically the participants in the conflict are often strong personalities who are not afraid to speak up when they are unhappy. Community Manager should perceive goals and values of members. The manner in which these personalities interact that causes the strife, and Community Manager should perceive the real reality of members in conflict.
Conflict resolution in a volunteer community is very different from conflict resolution in a formal organization such as a company or a government agency, because community members usually are volunteers and also don't want lots of conflicts in their "hobby".
The Calm Before the Storm
Frankly, experience is the academy for handling conflicts, every conflict teaches you a new lesson. CM should have the ability to detect a conflict as soon as possible, although every community and member is different, Community Manager should have the enough knowledge for that.
- Contentious Personalities
In principle, everyone in a volunteer community is welcome to join and participate, there is not filter about personalities, openness as the norm.
Community Manager should profiling the polemical understanding personality differences, there are reasons for that differences: age, culture, opinions, and experience. it is essential to understand the importance of allowing people to mature in these attributes.
Sharing feedback about personality issues: Communicating feedbacks sometime are unpleasant, but it is the right thing to do. CM should gently and sensitive manner share every feedback, and for doing that it is important to note the email and chat channels are not the right mediums for this kind of feedback.
It is a pity but in community sometimes are poisonous people. But we should keep in mind that expressing concern does not make people poisonous, but privately discussion against community does, discussion and debate must be in the common communication space. CM should identify poisonous people and watch them carefully.
- Barriers to Input: The community ought to have the slogan "community should always feel that their input and contribution is welcome". Therefore it is important for Community Manager to handle communities with commercial sponsor and members paid for it and volunteers.
There should be resources that encourage people to submit their ideas and views, for instance, mailing lists, brainstorm website, public IRC channels, sponsored developer participation.
Community Manager should ensure that feedback, opinions, and ideas are discussed, considered, and engaged with.
- In communities are usually leaders in some areas where may appear problems with responsibility, like governing members, team leaders, community managers, and sponsored leaders. And for each of them the community will expect a certain degree of professionalism, responsibility, and responsiveness.
In community should avoid a single person has too much responsibility and control over a given part of the community, because it could be a bottleneck.
- Lack of Justice: Justice must be done and it must be seen by community to be done. Every member's conflict must be dealed by Community Manager.
The Conflict Resolution Process
- Calm and reassure.
- Get the facts.
- Discuss.
- Document.
- Reflect and maintain.
The Role of a Facilitator
Community facilitator or mediator must secure the trust and confidence of the conflict parts. The profile of the facilitator must
Be objective: There are a few simple best practices: Be honest, admit when you are wrong, don’t wear the flame suit, don’t be afraid
Be positive: Conflict is not fun for anyone involved, but positive stance and good humor can break down strife.
Be open: Equality with all participants in the conflict
Be clear: Facilitator has to communicate clearly to all parties involved the expectations: Solutions are the goal, evidence is central, conduct must be under control, and compromise is the modus operandi.
Dealing with Burnout Detecting and Treating Burnout
Required rest and relaxation
Work/Life Balance
Addiction
Handling Absence Firstly, it is to ensure the community member is ok, and help him it is possible.
There are many reasons why people may leave, but they can be broadly divided into three categories: Planned, gradual and abrupt. The community manager should always encourage a culture in which your community members inform one another when they are going away for a while and also encourage a culture of leaders stepping down gracefully.
Handling BereavementThe death of a community member can be a challenging and difficult time. Although this was a sad time, the way the community came together to support one another, celebrate member’s memory, and be there for one another as a family was a memorable and
warming experience.
References:
[0] The Art of Community (Jono Bacon)
http://www.jonobacon.org/2012/12/06/the-art-of-community-update/
