Is My /DND Showing?

I've been a guild leader for three years now (ok, not officially until the 6th of next month, but still) and in that time I've talked to many people. I talk to people all the time, sometimes several at once (which can lead to interesting mistells), or while raiding (but that's another story). I like it.

Yes, I like talking to people. I like to listen to their problems, and help to solve them when I can. I also like to talk when there isn't a problem. For some reason though, people seem to assume that I either don't want to hear their problems, or am too busy.

Granted, I am busy. The guild is large, there are a lot of things on my todo list, and I have a couple of adorable 5 and 2-year-old distractions, but I choose to be the guild leader. I volunteered for this job. Nobody pushed it on me, and let me assure you, I'm not in it for the money :P I may not always answer right away, occasionally I miss a tell, but I care, and I do want to listen.

I often feel as if I must have a /DND tag up. I'd say about 90% of my conversations in game begin with some variation of "Sorry to bother you" "I don't mean to intrude" "I know you are busy" and the most boggling? "I know you're on your alt" Hold it just a second...I'm an altaholic, I'm *always* on an alt. But that doesn't mean I don't want to do my job as guild leader...all my alts are guilded and at officer rank in either the main or alt guild. They all have "feather" in their name. If I want to have some quiet time, I'll logout. And even then, my officers have my phone number, and my forums have a PM system.

Perhaps my perspective is just a bit different than most people's. Yes I play the game to have fun, but guild leading and talking to people *is* that fun. Some people play for the pvp, some for the raiding, a lot of my guild members play for the community (I think...) and all of those are great, but I'm not going to resent someone for telling their guild leader when something is up! I certainly wouldn't have started a guild if I didn't want to do the job. I knew what I was getting into. Ok, maybe I didn't know it would last this long, or be this wonderful community that it has grown into, but I've been in, and led groups before, and I knew what to expect as far as work/dealing with stuff is concerned.

Anyway, my point is this: A guild leader is there to help the guild members. As are officers. These are not jobs they are forced to take, they make a choice to be available to help people. Their goal, in these roles should be to help make the guild community run smoothly, and stay content while following the rules. They are there to help with conflicts and drama, not to avoid them. Don't be afraid to talk to your guild leader and officers, they do the job because they care.