David Gerard wrote:
Robert Scott Horning (robert_horning@netzero.net) [050117 22:56]:
I've also been involved in other volunteer organizations (political, social, and youth groups) and the need to keep the volunteers happy should never be underestimated. The fickle thing about volunteers is that if they don't like what is going on, they will leave quietly... often without the leaders or those "at the top" even being able to percieve that there is a problem. If you hire somebody in any role (developer, PR work, accounting, etc.), you have to make sure that individual is committed to the goals of the organization, and if possible would be a volunteer if they would not get paid for their work. This is true for Wikipedia as it is for the Red Cross.
I have considerable experience in managing volunteers (both as a volunteer and being paid to manage them). One question I'd like a better answer to is how to keep volunteers from each others' throats better ... en: is large enough to be qualitatively different from any other wiki, anywhere, ever.
:-D Let's face it, we're in uncharted territory. The number of volunteers is huge, and each one has considerably more power than a volunteer in most much smaller organizations. Many have strongly opposing (usually sincere) views of what is right, and are totally convinced that any other position is idiotic. Even our management philosophies are radically different, running the entire range from laissez-faire permissiveness to literal totalitarian strictness.
With apologies for this note of pessimism -- Good luck!
Ec