It's been a while that I haven't posted on this blog. I have to say that I'm quite demotivated with all the Squidoo changes these past months and totally smacked down with the new Giant programme.
I'm a 100 Clubber on Squidoo; which means that I worked hard in the past to build 100 outstanding lenses. Well, I thought I was a good lensmaster, I thought my work was worth a special status. I thought... Oh well. They just put everything in question and I feel smacked down.
The new Giant programme has entirely changed and we have to reapply to get a status that we worked hard to get in the past. I'm really demotivated because of this. First, they took my oustanding badge back; it looked like a shield, it was a very classy badge, that they replaced with a horrible and silly looking so-called "monster badge". Yeah, monster... for a monster, that is a monster. There's nothing more horrible than that!
As for the new changes to the Giant programme, here are a few of the motives behind it:
Quoting Megan, from Squidoo HQ:
The Giant Squids is a club. You have to earn your way in, and you have to work to stay in it.
Ok, I worked hard to earn my way in, I have to work to stay in the club - why would I work when you always come up with demotivating decisions?
"It’s about access, reputation, and acknowledgment that you are part of a group of the best writers on Squidoo."
How can I even believe I'm a good writer when you require from me to reapply for a status I already earned the hard way? You question my status and at the same time, want me to think I'm a good writer. There's some kind of contradiction here, hm... Worse: if I don't reapply, I won't be considered as a good writer any more!
Quoting Robin, community organizer:
"The positives are that once we get through the renewal process, we'll have a club full of great writers.who are active, inspired, and inspiring within the community".
How do you want us to be positive when you question our earned and deserved status. How do you want us to be gladly Squidoo-ing when you demotivate us so often?
Quoting Fanfreluche, a lensmaster:
"I suspect this new system is also a disguised way to get ride of some bad apples".
How are they going to get rid of some the bad apples? How are they going to select the good lenses in the millions of existing lenses? Are the community organizers going to work 24/24 and 7/7? Are they going to take drugs to stay awaken? Or are they going to "greenlight" and award the status to everyone, just like they did before, when the number of Giant applications became so huge that they weren't enough with 2 people to check the accounts in three days?
Quoting Bonnie, community organizer:
"We feel strongly that the new changes will benefit the entire community".
How is this going to benefit the community? We're supposed to agree but we didn't receive any detail, explanation, apart from promises that HQ's not sure to be able to keep.
"...a lot of people have either gone below 50 lenses (in which case they can apply for Level 25) or they haven't logged in for years. By renewing a Giant is showing us that they are an active Giant who logs into Squidoo and keeps things updated and fresh".
I'm sorry but I don't want to refill a form to prove that I'm active: my lenses are constantly updated, I log into my Squidoo account every day. The system knows it. It's easy to find out who hasn't the minimum lenses required and those that never log into their account.
The Giant Squids is a club. You have to earn your way in, and you have to work to stay in it.
Ok, I worked hard to earn my way in, I have to work to stay in the club - why would I work when you always come up with demotivating decisions?
"It’s about access, reputation, and acknowledgment that you are part of a group of the best writers on Squidoo."
How can I even believe I'm a good writer when you require from me to reapply for a status I already earned the hard way? You question my status and at the same time, want me to think I'm a good writer. There's some kind of contradiction here, hm... Worse: if I don't reapply, I won't be considered as a good writer any more!
Quoting Robin, community organizer:
"The positives are that once we get through the renewal process, we'll have a club full of great writers.who are active, inspired, and inspiring within the community".
How do you want us to be positive when you question our earned and deserved status. How do you want us to be gladly Squidoo-ing when you demotivate us so often?
Quoting Fanfreluche, a lensmaster:
"I suspect this new system is also a disguised way to get ride of some bad apples".
How are they going to get rid of some the bad apples? How are they going to select the good lenses in the millions of existing lenses? Are the community organizers going to work 24/24 and 7/7? Are they going to take drugs to stay awaken? Or are they going to "greenlight" and award the status to everyone, just like they did before, when the number of Giant applications became so huge that they weren't enough with 2 people to check the accounts in three days?
Quoting Bonnie, community organizer:
"We feel strongly that the new changes will benefit the entire community".
How is this going to benefit the community? We're supposed to agree but we didn't receive any detail, explanation, apart from promises that HQ's not sure to be able to keep.
"...a lot of people have either gone below 50 lenses (in which case they can apply for Level 25) or they haven't logged in for years. By renewing a Giant is showing us that they are an active Giant who logs into Squidoo and keeps things updated and fresh".
I'm sorry but I don't want to refill a form to prove that I'm active: my lenses are constantly updated, I log into my Squidoo account every day. The system knows it. It's easy to find out who hasn't the minimum lenses required and those that never log into their account.
And then, the form to fill - that doesn't match my culture and my personality: they ask me why I wanna be a Giant... perhaps because I'm already one?
They also ask me to praise my own lenses: I'm not a self-licking lollipop and love all my lenses but it is NOT in my culture to shout it at the world. I do NOT nominate my own lenses for LOTD or purple star and certainly do NOT bless them either, once again, judging my own work is NOT in my culture.
They also ask me to praise my own lenses: I'm not a self-licking lollipop and love all my lenses but it is NOT in my culture to shout it at the world. I do NOT nominate my own lenses for LOTD or purple star and certainly do NOT bless them either, once again, judging my own work is NOT in my culture.
Squidoo members come from all parts of the world and HQ should take it into consideration.
Personally, I feel like HQ is trying to punish me for the mistakes THEY did:
Personally, I feel like HQ is trying to punish me for the mistakes THEY did:
- Allowing Giants to do whatever they wanted right from the start - no rules, no check, freedom and then, problems. The situation has become worse over years mostly because when you see that someone seems allowed to do something that's supposed to be a no-no, what do you do? You do the same, especially if you don't have a high respect for ethics!
- Another mistake was to not DEEPLY check future Giant accounts because there were too many applications! Everybody and their dog have been pushed to apply for the Giant status! How can a small team of 2 people DEEPLY check 100s of different accounts filled with 50 up to 150 lenses?
Many lensmasters reapplied already. I'm still hesitating... Reapplying would mean that I agree with the new decision and that I'm ready to accept whatever HQ comes up with, even if it doesn't benefit me. Right now, I just can cite a childish quotation which says "giving is giving, taking back is stealing". And I feel like if Squidoo is stealing my Giant status.
Upstet, disappointed, smacked down.
Taking a break for the entire weekend. See you :)
Upstet, disappointed, smacked down.
Taking a break for the entire weekend. See you :)
Posted by Squidoo Angel Prosperity66
I feel the same way!
ReplyDeleteI think we're not alone in this boat, my friend :(
ReplyDelete