I'm always late but I figured I'll throw in my 5 cents because I benefit from the site and have been here, for a long long time. Regarding AB's point of ownerships. It really isn't that simple. If FB was 10 people the ownership point will have merit. But since it's 1.11billion they have to be more aware of decisions that would cause them to loose people. SWO are at a point where they too have to be conscience of management decisions that may cause them to loose people. I would define the relationship as posters entrusting their views to capable management. The views create the community and the management creates the platform.
The word is SCALABLE... Like FB, SWO can scale up or down with the understanding that if the action fails we can try something else. So if you put someone as a moderator and it doesn't work, then it didn't work. That stuff shouldn't be personal. SWO should stand by their decision take responsibility and try something else. At this level it's only a reflection of poor leadership/management if you decide to die on a hill that obviously didn't work. But I think the community has enough grace to say hard luck dey and move on. Regarding the system of electing moderators. IMHO it was never an issue with the system. SWO just choose the wrong person. The system worked great with Eman,Palos and others. Bakes had to much water under the bridge with various forumites. So by extension it's your guys fault because you picked him. Don't feel like you have to stand by that to prove anything here about your process, fairness etc. That's not the issue. If you want to defend Bakes you could say.
Let me apologize to our SWO community. etc etc. This was all my fault.....Had I seen the dialogue between Bakes and other forumites I would not have put him in that position, whereby he becomes the brunt of accusations regarding him as moderator. I take sole responsibility for this. Bakes is one of our treasured members, he's passionate about our site and would do anything for us. In my opinion Bakes would have made a great moderator for us but the timing was wrong. etc etc etcThat alone may have stopped some bleeding.
Instead I'm still hearing stuff like "Everyday people complaining about Bakes in PM"...... "If Bakes wants to come back he can"
What that says to the community is that the system of raising concerns does not work unless it's something that management wants to hear and if ya'll don't like the decisions we make you can leave. That's not what you are saying but that's what they'll hear. And they will stop posting and leave.
Flex this site have a lot of love and respect for you bro...Feel free to make adjustments mid stream without the pressure of trying to appear perfect systematically. It's impossible to know how things would go unless you try them. Then in 6months they don't work you got to try something else. Thank you for an awesome site and doing a great job.