I have been friends with BooBear on Meepcraft for as long as I can remember. If you remember me from back then, think longer. I can count on my hand the number of people I would bother logging into the forums to write a +1 for, however I feel a tiny bit more is deserved….
I outlined a few key metrics that are typically indicative of a “great” team member. Although this is buried well into this application I do hope some of the higher staff read this and understand how important these qualities are to staff, current and future.
1. Honest and Straightforward.
+1 I cannot think of very many people I have ever met on this server who are as qualified in this aspect, being part of the staff requires trust as the members are privy to sensitive information about other players and the server itself. Mistakes have been made in the past in this regard with other staff members, the server and its players have paid the price dearly for these errors.
2. Shares the Load.
+1 It is not just about helping new players and banning the occasional aberrant individual, a great deal of importance should also be placed on how one improves the staff team as a whole, after all the team is only as strong as its weakest link.
Being part of the team requires one to actually like the team they are on, be liked by the team they work on, as well as possess a willingness to “work” with and around the other team members, regardless of their own personal convictions, biases, and beliefs. BooBear does this casually to all players many times at her own detriment, as in the past being a staff member only strengthens this resolve.
3. Reliable.
+1 She IS someone people can count on. I can say with certainty that BooBear sacrifices more of herself to this server and it’s players than almost anyone else I have seen thus far, so much so that it pains me to remember that prior staff have abused this quality in the past. Luckily the current team seems to be more caring and loving than years past, after all that is one of the reasons I am playing currently.
4. Fair.
+1 When dealing with players I can’t really imagine to many people willing to go out of their way to give them the benefit of the doubt or “more chances”. BooBear relentlessly tries to see the best in everyone and to treat them as such. I did have to round up because she does sell herself short when it comes to giving herself credit for her merits and there are plenty, but as with all humbly intelligent individuals that is a battle to be waged within. Being part of such a supportive and tight-knit team makes me think there are plenty who will shine the light on these when needed.
5. Complements Others’ Skills.
+1 If any of you don’t know BooBear’s skillset or her strengths, you are either new to the server or have a single brain cell. For many people life seems as though it is a never ending uphill battle that will never end, and if we are alone we often decide that walking uphill is a waste of time, however once we discover that someone is walking with us, it merely seems like a trip. BooBear does this for so many people by on the server even for those whom others deem unfit for such compassion. Sadly her weak spot is her commitment, it is too great.
6. Good Communication Skills.
+1 This is a key part to being staff, it is not about wanting to be staff, or just wanting to help, it is about being ABLE to function well with the other staff. From my ballpark count ~100% of staff enjoy this individual on a daily basis and look forward to interacting with her. This did not come easily, years of interacting tactfully with nearly every person in chat and while previously on staff resulted in this quality. This one of the most important things when building a strong team and you would be fools to let this person sit out.
7. Positive Attitude.
+1 Encouragement is paramount to helping others through their strife, many of you on here have undoubtably been helped or encouraged by BooBear in one way or another, whether you’re a young kid with issues at home, or just someone with a desperate need for distraction. In nearly ever instance BooBear has forfeited her own time and mental well-being to lift others up. Need more proof? Just read every post written before this.
TOTAL:
+7
Co-incidentally it is her 7th year on the server, hmm.
