The appropriate amount of time has passed between then and now. It’s time to finally write up a little bit of commentary on recent events. However, since the following rant may have very little relevance to many people, read on only if you understand the context. Otherwise, do not, because it is not going to make much sense to you.
I am the head admin of a couple of projects that have been near and dear to my heart. One of which has existed for over six years, the other for nearly five years. Both projects involve(d) some of the same people, and both projects were related to one another. One is actually dependant on the other. As I said before, both projects involve some of the same people and so when a person abandons one project, it’s somewhat of a disappointment and tends to affect the other project some.
As a head admin, I’m given to making certain policy decisions that not everyone is going to agree with. In fact, being a leader holds those tougher decisions as a primary function. When something is working against the greater good of the project, you have to do whatever it takes to get the group back on track by either resolving or eliminating the problem. If that problem happens to be a member of the group who does not carry their own weight, then you have to dismiss them from the group outright, and either reallocates the resources you currently have or find new resource upon which to draw from in order to pick up the slack left behind by that person.
The decision I made a couple of weeks ago resulted in not only the loss of one, but two people. Do I regret making that decision? Abso-fucking-lutely not. Why? Because the group was suffering due to the inactivity and lack of consistant contribution to the project. One was hardly there to begin with, and was in fact dragging the reputation of the group down due to their absence. The other had displayed such utter illogic in their demands for “rectification” in my decision, which they found fault with, that they left the group in protest. That’s fine. I’d rather they leave than continue to act as obstacles. It had gotten to a point where there was no support for either to remain, though the abrupt departure (rather than dismissal) was just that. In the end, though, the subsequent actions of that individual in relation to the other project, has further solidified my stance. It was definitely time for them to leave and find other things to do with their time. To bring a larger sense of finality to the whole ordeal, it appears that we were better off. Things are flowing far more smoothly than before, though some of the sweeping changes that have been made are a little outside my expectations… they seem to actually be working better than I could have hoped. The new people brought into the group have not only made up for the detriment, but have also exceeded the expectations I had set upon them. If they remain consistant, I don’t see why we would not excel toward our goal above and beyond our deadlines.
Contrary to the belief of one, I am not the same person of old. This is not then, and accomplishments notwithstanding, what you do now is as much important to the goal as what you have done… if not, then it is more important than you realize. If you do not like the way I run things, then all one has to do is leave. However, do not look back at what you left and pine away by lingering on a lack of reason or the supposed hypocrisy of others. You are no better than the other as far as being a hypocrite is, so inasmuch as I love listening to people making judgments on others, I think they need to recognize the faults within before pointing the old finger.
As head admin, it’s my job to make the tough decisions. If in making that decision, I require opinions or suggestions, I will ask for it, listen, and then come to that decision after the last suggestion has been made. Therefore, when I make those kinds of decisions, I expect them to be followed or else the person in question can leave. There are not two head admins for this reason, and if I do not want to spend time having to justify my decision, then I will not. Those who are unwilling to submit to that kind of authority or leadership need not continue to do so. So long as they do, however, then they need to understand something about who has the final word in any decision regarding these projects:
“Mr. Hunter, I’ve made a decision. I’m Captain of this ship, now shut the fuck up.” — Michael Schiffer, Crimson Tide (1995, Hollywood Pictures/Simpson & Bruckheimer Films).
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