How to Make a New Group Successful

I didn't call anyone needy or desperate ... I described a type of behavior as being such (slightly tongue-in-cheek), since I thought it deserved mentioning. You're not the only one who's taken liberty to advertise a group within another group.

(a) I don't take credit for anything ... I don't feel a need or desire, and you won't find me bragging ... it's just the role I play. I already stated that the group's status is owed to the activities of the members, rather than the owner (as are all groups). You can't force participation, only enable and encourage (to some extent).

(b) I'm not inexperienced in these matters ... quite to the contrary. These forums mimic the dynamics of earlier Web forums, IRC chat groups, MUDs, and numerous other groupings (yes, even real-life group dynamics). They follow a fairly consistent cycle.

I was part of the earlier "popular" groups as well as now. They gain popularity mostly due to initial popularity ... people don't like to chat in empty chat rooms, and they don't like to post in empty groups. This may be a factor as to why the Dating forum (aside from it being the first and most general category) tends to receive the most attention.

(c) CSC gained much of its membership through people wanting to join others. Not because of the original owner and much of the membership is unrelated to "IC". I've worked to maintain abidance of board policies, within the group, without stifling others' enjoyment (though there were a small number of times this took restraint on my behalf, when views were expressed diametrically oppositional to my own) ... while also encouraging "ownership" of the group by those whom participate, such as how the group photo came about, and managing issues that pop up from time to time. I think I've done a decent job.

At the same time, I've watched a lot of groups strangled by their creators ... their membership is largely inactive (if they ever were) and the vast majority of threads were created and dominated by the owners ... owners need to recognize when they move from encouraging participation to hampering it. We really don't need eHA littered with inactive groups or soap boxes.

Apart from these things, group owners can't really do all that much ... the groups will form, grow, and die on their own accord. Yes, even CSC.

Most of the eHA members active today were not here a year ago ... and most of the currently active members will not be here at this time next year. Newer board members will coalesce into new groups, which will then divide into smaller groups, and then they will wane as well.

Cue Elton John.