Posts with tag group dynamics

I have never been a part of a successful guild merger. I have been involved in three, and in each case the downfall of the guild has been imminent. Why is it that when two (or more) groups try to combine their resources and members, they fail most of the time?

1. A guild merger is often a symptom of deeper problems within one or both of the guilds. Guilds with no problems a far less likely to be interested in mergers than those with lots of discontent among their members.

2. Officers don't like to give up respect and privilege. Guild officers earn respect from members. That’s why they are officers. In a guild merger, some officers are bound to get demoted, and those who aren’t have to earn the respect of a whole new group of members. That inevitably leads to friction within the larger group.

 3. Play styles and rules are bound to be different. Loot rules…the bane of a guild’s serenity. Even if members aren’t thrilled with the loot rules that a guild uses, they learn to deal with them. If a new group comes in and has a different way of determining looting, who gets to lead and go on raids, or the way that promotion within the guild structure is handled, it leads to accusations of favoritism.

conclusions after the jump.