Don't Break the Shadowbind: Lazy Days and Sunshine.

It is blazing sun outside, I am at work, and my room at home is a bombsite due to the impending chaos of moving on Friday. How is this all relevant and connected? AHA!

Well, I am definately feeling lazy today and I generally believe that the sun has 2 effects on people. The first, is to affect a certain air of disgruntlement and idleness amongst the masses who would much rather be outside enjoying the clement weather than being cooped up at work, the second is bring every dried-out, emotionless crone, every ill-tempered and highly strung waif and every slightly insane and demanding loon out from out under their rocks, that they hibernate under for the winter months and inflict them at large on people in the service industry.

I suppose this impending air of restlessness is stemming from my forced absence from FFXI for the next two weeks as the slow cogs of bureaucracy edge into position to breathe life back into my internet connection after moving.

It throws into sharp profile an interesting point that every linkshell leader needs to consider. No one person should ever try and shoulder the entire responsibility of running a linkshell, you will burn yourself out if you do that.

However, the path to chosing a new sack holder in your linkshell is a delicate and difficult path to follow. Your choices should not be spawn from obsequeious fawning or a misplaced opinion that it is a fellow members given right to that postion.

Instead you need to pick a team you can work with, and who can work with you equally to keep your linkshell running smoothly, whether you are there or not.

Inspiration for your leaders might not always come from the most likely sources as far as the linkshell entitiy is concerned, but as a leader you can single out those who have caught your eye or your attention for a particular reason.

It might be that they are reliable, consistent and communicative, or have some quality that lends you to believe with enough coaching and support they can become a fully functional and stable leader.

Leadership is a responsibility as well as a privilage, one that your sack holders need to be aware of, as the prime leader your decision IS final, regardless of what anyone else says, but you have to make sure that it is a situation of give and take.

Respect your team's opinions, even if they run contrary to your own. It is a good thing to have a melting pot of opinion and people who are prepared to stand up and say I disagree with what you are doing. Of course at the end of the day they do need to understand that if you decide against their favour, they have to accept that and equally if it becomes devisive, you have to accept that it could result in the person leaving.

Personalities are a complex thing to harness and use to their full advantage in a situation like this, it is about delegation of responsibility so your team feel like they actually meaningfully contribute, while you pull the overall strings that keep the linkshell on the straight and narrow.

Leaders have come and gone in Versus over the 5+ years of its history, through one means or another, all in their own respective right brought something positive to the linkshell at one point in time. What is interesting is seeing how some choices prove excellent, while others flounder and mire themselves in horrible detail and problems.

Not everyone is suited to the task, it is a mine field, but one that you have every capability to cross if you wish, after all you retain the right to change your mind on a decision. As hard as it can be, if it is having a negative impact on yourself and the morale of the linkshell you need to reverse that decision.

Cater to your needs as well as that of the linkshell, and swap and change the scenery until you have a stable, commited team and you will enjoy a much smoother and happier linkshell.