Ranking At WA
Kia Ora,
Good Afternoon, From New Zealand, Friends and Colleagues
I almost dread to write this post because of the conversation that it might stir but I feel moved to anyway.
My View
This is purely a personal view which make it neither right nor wrong.
But it is the view I have formed of the ranking and particularly the top 200 and Ambassador Ranks which get listing honour, in the 116 days in which I have been here.
Yes I am a newbie!
Observations
From time to time we see various posts, here at WA, about ranking. Is it right, is it wrong, what special privileges does it confer what does it signify etc?
So for those that are new to WA and who might be wondering what ranking is all about, here is is a simple breakdown, without going into some emotive chatter, that I have read in my short time here.
Some Facts
The only authoritative written guidance is here: Ambassadors
As you can see from the date this is now 4 years out-of-date and some of what it says has changed over time and might even be considered misleading.
Kyle and Carson are aware of the foregoing. I know because I PMd Kyle after reading a particularly pointed post by another well respected, ranked, member in order to get some clarity.
I received a reply from Kyle and that reply confirmed two things the first is that there are no special privileges accorded to anyone in the Top 200 including Ambassadors.
Kyle and Carson have plans to develop the Ambassador Programme alongside other initiatives but they are not in a position yet to divulge the details and fair enough.
Why Would Anyone Want Naming in the Top 200
Well, there is an old saying that babies cry for it and soldiers die for it; recognition.
Some people get motivation from recognition others shy away from it and each to their own in this regard.
But what is the recognition for?
Is it, as I read in one rather jaded comment (my opinion again) a glorified popularity contest?
It might well characterised as that if viewed in a negative connotation (my opinion)
The Enduring Truth in Kyle's Post
The recognition is about paying forward or about helping people. The more time you give to helping people on this platform whether that be coaching, mentoring, answering questions, providing training or whatever it is the higher you will rank.
But perhaps the unfortunate thing is that word rank, because rank is often confused and interchanged with authority or status.
Indeed, this last point has been the root cause of some the heated discussion I have witnessed over this subject in my short time here.
WA ranks confers no judgement or validation of expertise or experience in business. Nor does it confer a status or authority on anyone, it purely recognises that you are willing to be selfless and give of your own time to help others.
Me
I am an example of just this I hold a relatively high (note I didn't say senior) ranking in the Top 50 and I know this is because I spend a lot of time posting WA Blogs, helping people with what I can help with, and playing my part in making this a fun, informative and inviting platform for people to be around.
I even do my best to answer questions but a lot of the time this is not because I know the answer but because i know where to find the answer. You don't have to be an expert in every facet at WA in order to help.
I do know I have strength in encouraging and motivating others though because I built a career on it and I am more than happy to share my knowledge and expertise in this area.
Recognition
I believe in recognition because experience has showed me in a 45-year career as a leader that it has a viral effect on teams and organisations. Celebrating achievement, success and
contribution is healthy (in my opinion).
I respect the views of those who are reluctant to be recognised, but I would ask them to consider recognition not from the context of themselves but from the point of view of all those who may be encouraged, motivated and enthused by your recognition
...and with that, from New Zealand, Friends and Colleagues I'm off to help some folks before I settle down to write my latest Website post this evening............
Kia Koa, Kia Kaha
Hamish 🧐
Recent Comments
161
Personally, I couldn't care less about the ranking. But I do feel it's my obligation to provide as much technical help as I can to new folks, as I was helped when I first joined. Maybe earning a ranking provides just that much incentive to do this - I dunno.
I must say, (and I do it while ducking), I do find wading through the myriad "Isn't It A Wonderful Day!" posts to be rather tedious. If that's what it takes to maintain the ranking, it's just silly.
No, for me it's more like keeping in touch with all the wonderful friends I have made here! There's many things I don't care to read either, and I simply pass them by! It's GREAT that we have this choice to do so since we are all different people with different tastes!
Enjoy your new week, Don! Keep being successful!
Jeff
Congratulations on reaching ambassador status Hamish. With the amount that you post and help on the platform I’m surprised it didn’t come sooner 😉
I think people just need to remember that if they can spend that much time to WA and also in their own businesses (that actually make them money), then to me that’s what I look for in someone I can learn from, regardless of their rank.
Having also been in a career that involves rank all my life (both military and civil life), it’s about following people that have reached goals that I want to get to eventually.
Having said that, WA is a BIG place and there are lots of people with different communication, computer, and technical skills that if I can help someone and make their life better, then that’s all I need without getting something in return.
Again, congratulations mate and I always love learning from you. Have a great weekend.
All the best.
Thanks that is kind of you.
I write a lot more for my websites than I do here, I just am well organised (just celebrated 45 years of continuous uniformed service on Tuesday, 2 commonwealth Forces, 9 hour break between a 30 years stint in one and a 15 year stint so far in the second).
Glad that my stuff serves a purpose🧐
Great post Hamish and in my opinion I think you've nailed it there!
I've seen numerous posts on WA rankings during my relatively short time here.
It is not something I ever became fixated upon, I notice the more time (or not) that I spend interacting and helping on the platform dictates the daily change in the position of my number, and that my friend is exactly how I view it!
So for me, it merely reflects how much time I can allot in my 24hrs each day to spending here at WA.
I have noticed that the more blogs I write here at WA the easier it is for me to write on my sites and to be more engaged in updating my site, so for me, there is a correlation in doing that.
Hope you are having a wonderful FriYAY!
All the best, Jules
Hamish, you have said it better than I ever could have.
We all appreciate the recognition, whether we want to admit it or not.
And you know what?
For many, many of us, a financial gain is not what we strive for.
I believe that once your heart is in the right place and you support others along your journey, blessings and success will befall you.
There are many people at WA who live in our Community this way. You are definitely one of them.
Thank you, Ambassador Jim, for all that you bless us with here, every day.
Cassi
I went to bed after writing that and did not know until just now that I was an ambassador LoL🧐
Thanks Cassi you have been, and are a great supporter🧐
Looking forward to Rami, you and I being able to imbibe the waters of youth well good single malt anyway in each other’s physical presence.🧐
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Kudo to that Hamish, I had seen this post when you wrote it and didn't make a comment at that time because I had decided to make my mark towards Ambassador and you are right on the mark. I have always believed the same.
All of WA posts on ambassador has been to pay it forward. We come to WA to learn and if at any given time you have anything to say that will help new members we pay it forward.
I have been up and down the ranking scale and to me it has been a blessing for my own edification. I never wrote to much but when I did it was always to make a statement or a concern.
You are at this station because you have a lot to offer other members. There have been many that have come and gone.
There are two that stand out to me Marlon and Loes they are two great ladies. The oldest members and have a wealth of training that they have provided the members and where always in the highest-rankings. Loes was in # three rank for many years and Marlon very close, Marlon Australian and Loes European. you can count on them at any time even today. Know we have a Scott(O: Why because you are paying it forward.
My purpose to arrive at Ambassador was not for ranking sake I wanted to pay it forward with my humble efforts and share my success. Because I believe that I arrived at that success through the training I received from this platform.
I will be saying my goodbyes I hope you join me there
Linda
Congratulations Linda, delighted to see you in the Ambassador ranks.
I think that Alex Evans, one of the longest serving at that position, has it right when he says WA is about seasons.
I would not expect to be here longer than a season, as I will at some point be displaced, rightly, by some enthusiastic helper who has fresh energy and a bent for helping others and I will go head down on business building, I have time available and energy for now.
Well done again will be pleasure to be alongside you for however long it might be 🧐
yes, Alex is a very talented person we both have been here for a while I think he was about two years ahead of me and we became very good friends.
Alex is the longest-serving that you know of. There have been many Ambassador that I became very good friends with each and everyone had there share time to pay it forward.
Linda
👍🏼🧐