my experience as a hub leader is that it is a dirty job but someone has to do it. the problem is that the framework of the rules doesn't give you a lot of freedom. if you decide to ban someone, it is from all of agoracom, not just the NOT forum. but banning people isn't the hard part of the job. i have expelled many people for high crimes and misdemeanors against the community, and i don't miss any of them.

the real problem is trying to deal with people who make substantial contributions, but are difficult to get along with. in a large group like this, it is inevitable that there will be talented but abrasive people. they make unique contributions that no one else can, but you wish they would just shut up once in a while. and you can't put them on ignore, because you're a hub leader, and you're responsible for policing the forum.

since just about everyone here is vice-president or higher, a hub leader can't even delete offensive posts, and has to go to agoracom for help every time someone breaks the rules. if and when competing factions develop and spitting contests start, the hub leader really can't do much except appeal for everyone to calm down. you can ask people to resolve their differences via private messages, or in the off-topic forum, but for some reason there are always people who have to get the last word in.

some people do not want to lead, others want to, and some (like me) lead if no one else does. if you want to learn more, take a look at the link to a personality assessment. i am an "intj" which is one of the 16 personality classifications. filling out the questionnaire is free, you might learn more about yourself, and if you turn out to be an "estj" you will will want to be a hub leader.

http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t...

this is me, getting fed up with a basher: