The #SocialCafe Community and Team

We have expanded our team over the past three years and require some definition for those applying for positions. You know. All that fun legal stuff 😉 .

But, this allows us to truly promote those who have worked so hard on our team!

Of course, with promotion comes the alter-ego of demotion, but it is pretty easy to stay on the team. All it takes is trustworthiness (which is really based on communication and Business 101). All of it is laid out for you, below, including how to get promoted (and demoted). Or, you can just participate when you can, with #SocialCafe events and you are already automatically at Level Two, as a #SocialCafe Ambassador!

Level 1: Community Member

  • Qualifications: Attendance at at least one #SocialCafe event.
  • Demotion: None.
  • Promotion: If you attend #SocialCafe events regularly or tell others about #SocialCafe, you become a #SocialCafe Ambassador (Level Two) automatically.

Level 2: #SocialCafe Ambassador

  • Qualifications: Attendance at more than one #SocialCafe event (i.e. regular attendance).
  • Demotion: None.
  • Promotion: If you have proven yourself at this level and would like to be promoted to the next level, you can request a review of your trustworthiness and a request to be invited to be promoted to the next level. The next level requires the completion of an application, after the point where you have been deemed as passing the trustworthiness classification.

Level 3: Probationary Weekly* Co-Host (Temporary)

  • Qualifications: A determination (by the Executive Team) of trustworthiness and the completion of the application, demonstrating adequate experience to step into a position of #SocialCafe Twitter Chat Host.
  • Demotion: Any trustworthiness classification demerits. Also, if a promotion to Level Four is not requested within 90 days, you automatically revert to Level Twp and your selected week is up for grabs for another Level Three or Level Four #SocialCafe team member. But, if you are already trustworthy, you are likely to be invited to be promoted to Level Four. 🙂
  • Promotion: If you have proven yourself at this level and would like to be promoted to the next level, you can request a review of your trustworthiness and a request to be invited to be promoted to the next level. The next level requires the review and approval of the Executive team, after the point where you have been deemed as passing the trustworthiness classification.

Level 4: Weekly* Co-Host

  • Qualifications: A determination (by the Executive Team) of trustworthiness and consistency in that trustworthiness and #SocialCafe Twitter Chat co-hosting capability, as demonstrated while at Level Three.
  • Demotion: Any demerits to the trustworthiness classification.
  • Promotion: If you have proven yourself at this level and would like to be promoted to the next level, you can request a review of your trustworthiness and a request to be invited to be promoted to the next level. The next level requires the review and approval of the Executive team, after the point where you have been deemed as passing the trustworthiness classification.

Level 5: BEHIND-THE-SCENES Team

  • Qualifications/Description: This level is for those who are, in the truest sense, the Twitter Chat hosts. It includes ALL aspects of the #SocialCafe Twitter Chat except the chat and the promotion of the chat. Granted, it is expected that this team attends and participate in the chats, but their main role is the content strategy, preparation, social resources, planning, etc. This team is primarily comprised of Deborah as well as her virtual assistant.
  • Demotion: n/a
  • Promotion: By invitation only.

Level 6: Executive Team

  • Qualifications/Description: This level would be similar to what would be called the Board of Directors. While it may not be defined as including attendance at the #SocialCafe events, that is generally presumed. Since this level is by invitation only, if you have arrived at this level, you have demonstrated that you are trustworthy.
  • Demotion: n/a
  • Promotion: You are already at the top of the ladder 😉

Determining Your #SocialCafe Level

You can use the following questions to help determine what level you are at, in the #SocialCafe community.

  1. Number 1: Have you attended at least one #SocialCafe event? If yes, go to #2. If no, please come join us! You are at Level Zero currently.
  2. Number 2: Have you been attending #SocialCafe events regularly? If yes, go to #3. If no, you are at Level One currently.
  3. Number 3: Would you like to be considered for trustworthiness for Level Three? If yes, contact a member of the #SocialCafe Executive Team (Level Six). If no, you are at Level Two currently.
  4. Number 4: Has the Executive Team (Level Six) deemed you trustworthy and personally granted you Level Three status? If yes, proceed to #5. At that point where you want to be considered for a promotion to Level Four, contact a member of the Executive Team (Level Six). If no, you are at Level Two currently.
  5. Number 5: Have you had any trustworthiness classification demerits? If yes, you are at Level Two (or One) currently. If no, please go to #6.
  6. Number 6: Ok, you say you have been granted Level Three status by the Executive Team (Level Six).  Are you at a point where you would like to be considered for a promotion to Level Four?  If yes, you are currently at Level Three and need to contact the Executive Team to request the promotion to Level Four.  If no, you are currently at Level Three.  At some point, you will need to request the promotion to Level Four or choose Level Two.  Go to #7.
  7. Number 7: Has the Executive Team (Level Six) personally granted you Level Four status? If yes, you are at Level Four currently ONLY if you have not had any trustworthiness classification demerits (in which case you are at Level Two). If you have not had any trustworthiness classification demerits, you are at the highest level available right now and will remain there as long as you do not have any trustworthiness classification demerits. If no, you are at Level Three currently.  You will need to consider requesting the promotion to Level Four or choose to go to Level Two. 

Definitions and Additional Explanation (FAQs)

As much as I don’t particularly care for labels and especially not the word, “demotion,” it becomes required in any organization situation. This is something you learn when you are pursuing the completion of your doctorate in organizational psychology. So, out of that need for definition, the following levels have been defined, along with the definition of how one can be demoted or promoted.

The primary factors that affect one’s demotion or promotion has to do with trustworthiness and attitude. As a part of trustworthiness, it is a requirement for the upper levels to have stellar communication. This is the same as what would be expected in a work situation. If you do not intend to show up for work, it is expected that you would let someone know. Granted, these are not paid positions, but they still require trust and without trust, there is no organizational foundation or structure. Remember? You are talking to the future Dr. Deborah, Psychologist specializing in organizations and organizational behavior.

Oh, also, there is no negativity allowed. That type of behavior instantly demotes you, potentially to a point of not being a part of the #SocialCafe community and even being blocked, if the behavior is severe enough. The behavior that is considered negative would be negative attitudes, negative posts, pouting, whining, belittling, rage fits, sharing of personal information, publicly (i.e. social media), passive aggressiveness, and the like.

What is With This Demotion Stuff?

You are right, why should you care? You don’t have to care and can remain at the Level One or Level Two. We have had so many people ask to be a part of the #SocialCafe team. But, we need to be able to trust each other before that title or label is bequeathed.

Oh, you are still wondering why? Well, quite simply, if you “drop the ball” by committing to something and then not completing it (without any notification/communication), someone has to pick up the ball. If your attitude in life is that it is not your problem, so why should you care, then keep on being one of the pack and that is fine. But, in the case of #SocialCafe, it is my baby. So, if you are the babysitter and you NO SHOW with five minutes to spare, I may have to call into work and take a sick day so that I can care for my baby, #SocialCafe. It may be that I lose my job. Or, worse, one of us covering for you may have a relationship hiccup or a health hiccup. So, my question to you is why should you withhold communicating as soon as you know that you will be unavailable to cover your week? Is it because it isn’t your baby? If babysitters respond like that, with their charges, they are not employed and not employable. And, quite honestly, it is selfish to hold off communicating out of laziness or entitlement, expecting that someone else will inconvenience themselves to cover what you committed to cover. So, don’t commit. Don’t go for the leadership role if you cannot handle it.

You think I am being unkind in listing these demotions, etc.? Well, #SocialCafe is my baby. #SocialCafe is not able to protect itself and so I am charged with taking care of it. The people on my Executive Team have earned their position because they have demonstrated that they have character. Quite honestly, it is called business and after over a quarter of a century of experience in business and upper-level management, well, I have earned the right to say I am experienced and, that fun “business psychology” degree that is in the works for Dr. Deborah.

Weekly means the selection of the week of your choice, from the weeks available, as in the second week of every month, the third week of every month, etc. Weekly does not mean that you are required to be the co-host every week.

Trustworthiness Classification is defined as keeping one’s commitments or communicating in cases where the commitment cannot be kept. It also includes timely communication (within 24 hrs). Life happens and there is no requirement that you absolutely always keep your particular week, but there is a requirement that in cases where you are unable to keep the commitment made, that there is timely communication. For the co-hosting positions, the team member chooses which week of the month is desired (from those available). Then, they commit to helping to host that event, promoting the event (resources provided) starting six days prior to the event and promoting the summary (same link) for the day following the event. This can all be scheduled with most social media platforms, with Twitter being the primary.

Communication is required within 24 hrs. So, for example, if you start promoting your Twitter Chat on Wednesday and then on Friday, a personal something happens, you notify one of the Executive team. Already, you have covered two of the days and someone else can step in and finish the promotion days and the chat and the summary promotion. However, if you just stop and then notify the Executive Team five minutes prior to the chat, there have been five days lost on the promotion (at least) and there is not enough time to find someone to cover your chat. That is unacceptable and detrimental to the rest of the team (relationships, commitments, and health).

This is the same thing as what is expected of a first grader attending school or a high schooler working their first job at a Fast Food joint. It is not about money, it is about character. If there is a lack of character or lack of trustworthiness, there is no need for you to be at this level of the #SocialCafe team. We would love to have you as a part of the community, but if you are not able to be trusted to keep the commitments that you selected or communicate when you are unable to do so, please do not request this promotion.