Editor’s Note: Signal Cartel (SC) is an EvE Online counter-culture in more ways than one. One of our motto’s is “be the content you wish to see”. In other words, leadership is not expected to provide content for its members, but rather members are expected to step up if there’s something they’d like to see. Likewise, members are expected to request promotions, training, and other needs as they qualify or want. I should also mention that Signal Cartel takes advantage of the in game medals nominated by members for members as well as awarded by leadership to members for their efforts and hard work.
In this particular request for promotion, a new member of Signal Cartel – Geek Explo, who’s an executive of a large healthcare company in the US in real life, shared how SC has impacted him since joining. Talking with him in Alliance chat, he mentioned he’s used SC as an example in a doctorate paper about organizational leadership. Basically saying, and I’m paraphrasing here, having a strong culture around behavioral expectations drives success. In the case of Signal Cartel, the Credo really helps to drive the mission. So, from an organizational leadership perspective, holding people accountable to behavior, giving them the tools, and mentorship to be successful will lead to better outcomes toward the mission.
Also, what’s not to like in his bio! 😉 “Space travel is life-enhancing, and anything that’s life-enhancing is worth doing. It makes you want to live forever.” – Ray Bradbury
Note: Some wording edited for clarity of terms and what not’s. 😉
Promotion
From: Geek Explo
Sent: 2020.07.04 13:07
To: Thrice Hapus,
Thrice o7,
I’ve been with Signal Cartel now for over a month. I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with the culture of the entire SC community. I’ve played Eve for several years, and in a past life have been in Null Sec, Wormhole, and High Sec corps. None of them felt the way that SC does. It might just be because I’m partial to the exploration life and that was never a focus in those corps, but I think part of it is also that SC really tries to make a difference for good in Eve.
I mentioned in Discord last week that I have played MMO games for over 20 years. Not once have I ever been publicly awarded for the time and effort I have put into the game. Something as simple as a medal for sowing is an incredibly powerful recognition for effort and dedication (and more satisfying than ISK). I really appreciate you having that be a part of what SC is about. One last thing on that: I run a large healthcare company in the US, and while I understand the value of culture and recognition, I often times lose focus on this. Because of my experience this month with SC, I have put a renewed focus with my team on employee engagement and recognition.
Last thing: I have sown 7 rescue caches and tended 263 others since joining. I love this activity and want to be a part of its growth and leadership moving forward. I am available for whatever Igaze needs with this division of SC.
I’m asking for a promotion not because I need access to hangars and free ships, but I want to get my hauler alt into the alt corp to start helping with running things. I’ve been very fortunate to not have to worry about ISK, I just like to do activities that help others.
Thanks again for leading a great online community, I know how hard that is and the time it takes to manage all this stuff (and you aren’t getting paid to do it). Thanks for being awesome and making a difference.
Geek
From: Thrice Hapus
Sent: Jul 5, 2020, 10:27:00 AM
To: Geek Explo
Subject: Re: Promotion
Your application for C1 is technically a day early, but I think we can let that slide. 🙂
This is a terrific email and I am very moved to learn that your time in SC is having some real-world impact. It has been the same for me in so many ways. I am by far a better human being today than I was 4-5 years ago, and my time in SC has played a role in that development.
Would you mind if I shared your email to me on our blog and/or the EVE forums? This is the sort of thing that I love to share with the world and our wider EVE community: This game makes a difference IRL, all the time. It is far more than a mere escape from reality for a few hours each week. it is more of a hobby, at least, and an actual life-changing experience, at best!
Thanks again for being part of Signal Cartel. And welcome to C1!
Thrice
Of course permission was given and here we are! Thanks Geek Explo for sharing your story, it’s great to see how EvE is Real. <3
Thank you for sharing this. I have been delving into the stickiness of some of the bigger organizations in EVE, especially in relations to building meaningful friendships and social interactions. Culture and organizational capability is playing a bigger role than I had previously expected, and stories like this only confirm my growing suspicion. I would love understand this better if you have more sources, documentation, stories or etc. on this topic.
Respectfully
CCP Ghost
Feel welcome to reach out to me via in-game email or at thricehapus @ gmail.com any time. I’d love to discuss our “sticky” culture here in Signal Cartel. 🙂
Thank you, I will reach out 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and reading. We appreciate it. 🙂 I’ve relayed our contact information, so please feel free to reach out directly to Thrice and Geek. o7
Thank you, it is received, I will reach out 🙂