Here's what I think it takes to run a successful WoW guild.

A personal testimony from the guild master of Prisoners of Warcraft, a casual PvE guild that's been kicking around for nearly a decade. So you can maybe consider this as a successful guild, in that we've built some strong bonds that exist even outside of the game.

I preach the opinion that guilds are critical to social success in WoW; it gives players control and effectively nullifies the problems more players face when looking for groups, or PUGs. Sure, we have different challenges to overcome, but it's well worth the effort.

Don't consider this as a how-to success guide for running your wow or other gaming guild or clan. I just thought I'd share some of our experiences.

This's a piece with only a few visuals, a lot of stuttering and a big head, so feel free to just sit back and listen =). Because of the length of the video, I extracted the reasons for you below:

1. I recruited people, not a class, spec or item level (most of the time).
2. I identify our guild's social environment...and defend it
3. I have no officers (because size). But I empower the team to manage itself.
4. I encourage airing grievances but discourage whispers and Officer Chat
5. I tried to understand toxicity or bad attitudes before taking action
6. I stayed cool. It made me more effective when I had to actually be stern!
7. I handle bad days with a cool head to avoid negative consequences
8. I manage expectations.
9. I set consistent loot rules and prioritize the guild over the individual (and tell people to not be an asshole)
10. I used an easy application for external communication and social connection
11. I ask for input on major shifts, and otherwise value consistency
12. I play on my strengths as a player to support the team and influence their contributions
13. I try to avoid letting cliques disrupt the team dynamic
14. I break the monotony (of our usual activities) from time to time
15. I identified our gameplay style and from that, determine the guild's goals
16. I never gave up.

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