Five things Star Trek taught me about community management

There are two kinds of nerds: Star Wars nerds and Star Trek nerds. I’m a Star Trek nerd. So I figured I’d use my love of Star Trek as a jumping off point for some thoughts on community management:

Like Spock, don’t get emotional

photo © 2010 Brian Garrett | more info (via: WylioAs community manager, you’re a target. Every member who finds the community or your company lacking will blame you. When you discipline members who make it hard for others to benefit from the community, you’re the bad guy. It’s easy to get angry. What you’ve got to understand is that these people aren’t criticizing you personally. They’re criticizing the company, the rules, or whatever else they’re upset about. Maintain your cool like Spock and keep your emotions in check.

Sometimes, you need to violate the Prime Directive

The Prime Directive was the rule that Star Fleet could not interfere with the different civilizations they came into contact with. As every Star Trek fan knows, Captain Kirk violated this rule on more than one occasion. Your community needs to have rules that are clearly spelled out and easily accessible. And it’s important for a community manager to be consistent when applying these rules. But sometimes situations arise that were not considered when the rules were developed. Don’t be so bound by rules that you refuse to bend them when special circumstances arise.

Keep hailing frequencies open

As communications officer, Lieutenant Uhura always kept hailing frequencies open so the Enterprise could receive transmissions from other ships and planets. Community managers need keep their hailing frequencies open and listen to what the community is saying. That doesn’t mean that you do everything community participants tell you to do. But it does mean that you need to listen and take their sentiments into account.

You need the good Kirk and the bad Kirk

There was one episode where the transporter created a good Captain Kirk and a bad one. The bad Kirk roamed the ship drinking and womanizing while the good Kirk took command. It turned out that the good Kirk wasn’t a very good captain without his bad side. Online communities need a good and bad side, too. Don’t be afraid of a little negativity. Disagreements fuel healthy conversation.

There’s a cure for everything

No matter what crazy space sickness the Enterprise ran into, Dr. McCoy managed to find a cure. That disease that accelerated aging? Cured. Flying pancake monsters that attach themselves to your nervous system? Cured. Those spores that made Spock lovesick? Cured. Likewise, there’s a cure for everything that ails your community. If you can’t find the cure yourself, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are tremendous resources available to you like the #cmgr Twitter hashtag, the weekly #cmgrchat, the Community Roundtable, and great community management bloggers like Rich Millington, Blaise Grimes-Viort, Sue  John, Patrick  O’Keefe, Philip Wride, Martin Reed and others.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a ship to tend to. Au revoir.