It is my pleasure to announce that Mimi (Elmira_) has been promoted to the rank of server Commissioner, after a very successful run as a calm, collective and helpful Deputy.
Mimi is the embodiment of soft-power, although it wasn't always obvious at first. Small, quiet, unassuming and shy, and with an equally-humbling RL description, it was easy to assume at first that she would be a bit of a pushover. Surely her doe-eyed demeanor meant that she was someone completely allergic to the word "no", incapable of thinking for herself, easy to coerce, mute beyond a simple "hi" and "ok", and with loose-enough lips to sink our mightiest ships. True, she shortly after proved herself to be a wonderfully-dedicated builder, and a very helpful and sweet person, but she still lacked that bite needed to take on the very tough job of overseeing the forum and its many applicants, and certainly communication, one of the cornerstones of our success, seemed all but non-existent, impossible to extract out of her without the use of a crowbar. In short, it was a stretch to call her deputy material.
But she resolutely kept on the path; and much like the proverbial tortoise racing against the hare, she slowly and steadily matured over time, becoming a memorable and iconic player to our server despite the fact that she often did little more than work on her town. It's the kind of unwavering devotion and commitment to her own beliefs that steadily whispered, then spoke, then yelled her presence to us; in fact, her will was so strong that she refused several initial attempts to become a Deputy, appreciating instead the simpler pleasures that our server life had to offer. That too gradually changed over time, as she slowly and steadily considered our offer, and one day finally accepted with that simple and subdued glee she is known for.
And thus her growth continued, at first being a relatively quiet Deputy, unsure of herself and her responsibilities, and dragged around by me like a rag doll in the hopes of setting her up to do road construction. She was met with challenges she was not prepared for, projects she could not possibly accomplish, and questions she was not prepared to ask -- a true test to see if there was anything vibrant under that shell. And two things happened as a result... one, and most predictably, she would never shy from any challenge. She would always strive to do her best, and often times succeed above and beyond expectations, such as when writing her whitelist reviews. And two, and most unpredictably, when it seemed like she could not do something or she needed help... she would ask for it, or she would kindly accept the help. She would actually talk, communicate via Steam without being asked first, offer her services rather than simply waiting around to be told what to do, offer valuable insight and opinions when asked for them (having amassed some great knowledge about bridges).
And so she would quietly and happily work along side her fellow staff members and I, getting massive road projects finished in little or no time, or maintaining the Player Registry knowing that I would fully forget to update it. She would offer tours to novices when no one was around, or mingle with players and their side projects, a far cry from the quiet recluse she appeared at first. She also refused the commissioner role on numerous occasions, voluntarily considering herself unprepared for the extra responsibility -- a true sign of a very deep honesty that should be revered. And now that the time has come for her to feel truly self-confident about accepting this position, I look forward to seeing in how many more ways she can surprise me with her humble soft-power. It goes without saying that you don't have to be loud to be strong, and I feel that Mimi has proven herself to be an individual who can be entrusted with the greater Commissioner powers, as well as our respect and admiration.
Mimi was voted in through a parliamentary-style staff election featuring an admirable 85% voter turnout, with 12 votes in favor and two abstains.
I want to thank everyone who participated for giving Mimi a well-deserved vote of confidence!
No comments:
Post a Comment