How do I deal with a toxic community member? with Andrea Middleton, Community Empowerment Leader at Reddit cover
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In this episode, we’re hearing from Toxic Member in Toronto. Our letter today deals with a toxic community member stirring up trouble to revolt against the community manager.
To better help Toxic Member in Toronto, I invited Andrea Middleton **as my guest expert. She is a seasoned veteran of the community space who loves finding paths to productive and powerful collaborations with opinionated and skeptical communities, which is perfect for our letter today.
So, tune in for a lot of wisdom from someone who’s dealt with a toxic community member or two and some really practical tools on what to do when your community turns against you.
In this episode:
(03:34) When Andrea fanned the flames without a gameplan
(06:21) 3 strategies for conflict de-escalation
(11:57) The communitea: Toxic Member in Toronto’s letter
(15:08) How to protect yourself against toxic community members
(17:49) Having a strong code of conduct in place and tips to get there
(28:32) The diagnostic phase and possible plans of action
(34:44) Fighting fire (conflict) with a vacuum
Resources Mentioned:
❤️ Sign up for Heartbeat. Bri’s recommended all-in-one community platform.
💛 Join Ember. The place for go-getter community creators building community-powered businesses.
Noteworthy quotes:
“You don't need to agree with someone to understand where they're coming from. But without understanding her goals and motivations, you're never going to be able to form a strategic plan for how to address her behavior.“ - Andrea Middleton
“You don't need to arm yourself with all of these rigid guidelines and rules when really, as “the protector” of the community, your job is to bring forth the spirit of the community, not to just enforce the things people aren't supposed to do.“ - Bri Leever
Andrea Middleton
Andrea is a veteran community organizer who loves finding paths to productive and powerful collaborations with opinionated, skeptical communities. She spent 10 years working in community efforts in the WordPress open source project, and joined Reddit in 2021 — the last 3 years at Reddit she’s had lots of exciting moments, including working with mods and communities through the API protests of last summer. In her spare time, she loves reading sci-fi/fantasy, cooking, fine wine, and goofing with her teenagers.
🖥️ Website
📱 Linkedin
Bri Leever
Bri got her start building a community and growing it to a multi-million dollar revenue stream for a social enterprise in Portland, OR. Now, she supports folks used to running their business on content, coaching, and consulting to create their community offer. She's a Community Strategist by day and a Campervan host by night on the Big Island of Hawaii and you'll usually find her on, in, or under the water.
🖥️ Website
📹 Youtube
📱 Linkedin
And before you go…
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That helps the podcast more than you know and I deeply appreciate it. 🙏
Want your story to be next? Submit an anonymous letter about your community conundrum, fiasco, drama, or other dilemma here.
- Dear Bri is produced by Ideablossoms.
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
About Dear Bri: Community Strategy, Fiascos, and Drama
Welcome to Dear Bri, an advice column for community conundrums, fiascos, and drama! In each episode, host and community strategist Bri Leever brings on a guest community expert to read and advise on an anonymous letter from a real-life community creator in distress.
From online community-building mishaps to community engagement tactics, this podcast will help you master the art of community management by providing oh-so-relatable community stories (in a dramatic retelling) while approaching the issue with sound community strategy and advice.
The mission? Helping community creators and community managers feel a little less crazy and a lot less alone.
You're in the right place if you are...
• Community Curious: Creators or brands interested in exploring the benefits of a community for their business. Learn the basics of community-powered marketing and building a community-powered business from scratch.
• Community Hatchlings: Newcomers to online community building looking for guidance and support. Discover best practices, tips for growing and engaging your community, and learn from others' experiences.
• Senior Community Folks: Experienced community managers seeking expert advice on the toughest situations. Get insights into advanced community engagement tactics and innovative growth strategy.
Dear Bri combines relatable storytelling with expert community strategy, making it a unique and valuable resource for community pros. Each episode provides real-life scenarios, practical solutions, and actionable steps you can implement in your community management practices.
Community creators listening to Dear Bri will feel a little less alone in the important work of community building and a whole lot less crazy as each episode normalizes and provides strategic insights for some of the toughest online community scenarios. Whether you're curious about building a community, just starting out, or a seasoned professional looking for advanced advice, Dear Bri has something for you. Episodes drop weekly on Tuesday. Hit the follow button so you don't miss out!
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
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