As a former clan leader, I know how hard and frustrating it can be to run a clan-wide clan meeting. Once the discussion gets rolling there are always people butting in with disagreements and counter arguments. Many times, at the end of the meeting I felt like we had accomplished nothing. It became very clear to me that the next time we were to hold a large meeting, there would have to be some sort of order. Through trial and error, I developed these useful tips for clan leaders having the same problems I had run into:

1) Use a chat client that features moderation

I would personally advise that you use IRC. It is the most easily accessible and widely used chat client that features moderation. You need to be able to control the conversation if things get sidetracked or out of hand. If you can, try to find a chat client that allows you to allow 1 speaker at a time. I would advise against using AIMchat. While it is probably the easiest and most accessible for your clan, it has no moderation features.

2) Develop A Speaking Order

Things will never work with people speaking out of turn. In the chat room or on your forum, post a speaking order. You bring up the subject at hand, then go down the list and allow everyone to comment on it. If you feel you need a second go-through for rebuttles, don’t hesitate to do so again. Give everyone a chance to express their opinion in an orderly fashion. Hopefully this way everyone feels their viewpoint was strongly represented.

3) DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BAN

If a member continues to speak out of turn, and constantly disrupt the flow of the meeting after several warnings, go ahead and ban him, and explain to him the situation on AIM. Perhaps this will help him to see what you are trying to accomplish and settle down if you decide to unban him and give him another shot.

4) Be prepared before the meeting starts

Don’t just wing it. That will almost certainly lead to a disorganized and unproductive meeting. Beforehand, post on the forum asking your members what they feel needs to be talked about. Brainstorm yourself as well. Then write it all down in a notebook in an order that seems to flow, and go down the list. This will help you be productive and get through all the subjects in a timely fashion.

5) Upload the chat log for all to see

Show off your results. Let your members know that you really do value their opinion, even if they couldn’t attend the meeting. Post it up on your forum for comments/critisism. Factor in these new opinions before making any drastic changes. This is also great for showing your members that you are capable of running an effective, organized community.