Hope your days in the Wikimediaverse are going awesome!
Do you know about the Leadership Development Working Group (LDWG)?
If so, that’s great! And if not yet, no worries! You’ll find all the information and the recent updates on the meta page. Besides meta, this thread here will also work as a place for discussing, sharing important resources, sharing your leadership stories and receiving easy-digest updates from the group!
Please discuss anything significant relating to movement leadership in the thread below, share any resources that would be helpful while working on leadership, and offer suggestions that might be helpful to the group.
And I’m not finished yet! If you’ve ever worked as a project leader for any wikimedia project, have served as a mentor within the movement, or simply like making other wikimedia folks happy, please tell your story below! The group will learn a great deal from your experience. You can also use this thread to identify, communicate and connect with other movement leaders and supporters from around the world. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Hi guys! So happy we could chat in a more informal way!
I am Flavia Doria (XenoF) and I am also part of our LDWG. I am one of the organizers of the Wiki Editoras Lx - a group to include women and non-binary people, focused on creating content about women and non-binary people in Wikipedia and sister projects. We work horizontally, always prioritizing marginalized communities, with an intersectional vision in our work.
As a Brazilian and a woman, leadership reminds me of popular leadership. The greatest examples that I think of of leadership come from women in the indigenous communities of South America. From autonomous communities and the capacity of people to organize themselves with a common goal. Just like in my editors group, I see leadership as a plural force that we can multiply.
I am also an ambassador of the Wikimedia Structured Data Project for WMF. I am currently working on a communication and translation project about the Movement Strategy as well. My goal is to increase access to information about the strategy and its resources to more people in our community. - Let’s not forget that Leadership Development is part of the strategy, and for many people this is a new subject!
I want to bring into this conversation my colleague @LPiantá_WMB who is researching leadership in the Brazilian community through the Calibra project, of which I am also on the steering committee.
And I want to invite anyone else who knows of research or debate projects on Wikimedia leadership to come talk to us!
thanks for posting this here. I would be very interested in hearing about the efforts of the LWDG, and also perhaps discussing some of their goals and ideas. I’m very encoraged to see you posting this great topic here.
thanks so much for your post and for taking the time to open this topic for discussion. pleasse keep us posted. thanks!
Whoa, @XenoF working with you for several months but didn’t know briefly about your work!
This forum is really giving us the space to chat (and discuss important matters) in a comfortable and easy environment!
Thanks a lot for telling about your work so briefly! Loved it!!
Hi @Sm8900 !
It is really great to hear from you! Yes, of course, we started this thread for this very reason-to openly talk about LDWG’s work and receive your feedback!
The latest update is, as stated in the monthly update of July, 2022, LDWG is now working on a leadership definition and finalizing it for community feedback! Isn’t that crazy?
And the group has set 3 goals for them, drafting the leadership definition, creating a leadership development plan and guiding the implementation of leadership development. The group is working on it’s first goal now and all these information are available in the monthly update!
And please don’t forget to share your stories of leadership, I can’t wait to hear them!
@Mrb_Rafi , that is all helpful to know. I would like to offer a few suggestions, as things develop, not necessarily all at once right now.
One suggestion that I might make is that in addition to laying out a core definition of leadership, you could also provide some formulation, core definition, or overall summary of some of the key resources or processes which might form the key platforms for putting leadership into practice.
one suggestion might be the MS Forums, but not necessarily referred to specifically by their name; for example. you could simply call for the creation of web-based forums, which would be easily usable and useful with anyone who simply has an internet connection.
ok, what do you think of that? open to any comments. I envision having a full dialogue on this topic over time. I’m glad to have a discussion periodically, with its first steps now. thanks!
This is so great, @Sm8900! You know, it really feels good when we see that our movement activists are actively thinking about how to develop leadership in the movement. This is the very thing that our movement strategy wants to say, involve, engage, and empower everyone, literally everyone in the process; we, together, will build our movement’s future!
Sorry for replying late, I was out of my home and a lil bit sick for the last few days.
Your suggestions are very precious and will help us make our perspective wider. The first thing you mentioned, mapping the key resources or platform, where the leadership development can be put into practice is a crucial step undoubtedly. I think that will fall under our next goal, preparing a leadership development plan - it’s my personal opinion tho.
And the second thing, using web forums and other easy-accessible platforms to connect to the community is already in our minds! We are already trying to identify possible outreach platforms and engaging in this post in the MS forum is a part of this! Thanks for mentioning this. Look! We all are thinking in the same way! Isn’t that crazy?
Please share your thoughts here with us, I’ll be looking forward to your response. Take care!
Ooops, I forgot to tell my story!
Sometimes people forget to count themselves while doing headcounts LOL
I am Rafi (User:Mrb Rafi) from Bangladesh. People often ask me, what does it mean by Mrb?
The thing is My full name is “M. Rafiul Bahar Rafi” - pretty long, right? So, I made it shorter and use Mrb Rafi; ninja technique
I am quite a newbie in the movement, started working for the movement in 2020 actually, during the boring lockdowns, but was hyperactive, always open to learning new things was able to be on the frontline of the Wikimedia movement in my country.
At the very first, I led some projects for our local chapter but later could feel that I need my own team and I want freedom. So, I formed a whole new team in my college! Learn more about it here.
This team is completely independent and only accountable to the authority of Notre Dame College, Dhaka; and of course they run their projects following all the rules of the wikimedia movement.
Currently, I am passing some wholesome time training my team members and planning projects. I’m also a certified trainer of WMF Education Team’s flagship program, Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom. I am a member of the Leadership Development Working Group. I am also connected to the Wikivibrance project.
I and my team are always open to any global collaboration, we love to hear from people from all over the world! We are always with the force for good!!
I will love to be connected with you over Facebook or LinkedIn!
Have a great day!!
I would also like to share my experience of leadership.
I was not a leader on Wikimedia, but on a translation project on Crowdin. My team consisted of only 5 members and they seemed to listen to me, following my instructions in everything. It was a good team. Then, 3 years ago, a person came along who seemed nice and determined, and I let her be my leader partner. Everything was good for a while, everything worked well. Then one “nice” day I noticed he was giving new orders to my people that she hadn’t discussed with me. But she decided to be the sole leader. We had a confrontation and I quit, leaving without a word.
I know it’s a negative example, but I have learned from it.
Now I’m not trying to be a leader, I’m just writing this so that you don’t trust people you don’t know very well.
However, I’m not unhappy or depressed. I feel very happy to be able to contribute to the development of the movement with my modest knowledge (with my translations)
Whao @Mrb_Rafi! nice write up about youeself. I’m also a certified trainer of WMF Education Team’s flagship program, Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom.2nd cohort. I have trained students, mentored people and now I am training professionals.
My short story: I joined the movement in 2021 and ever since i joined i have had this passion to keep contributing.
My name is Kemi Makinde from Nigeria, and a member of the WikimediaNigeria User Group. I am the leader of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism Fan Club. I am a Journalist, Fact-checker, archivist, and also WordPress contributor.
My passion for contributing:
I developed an extreme passion for contributing to Wikipedia because I realized that Wikipedia is the only place to store and document that notable information without it going into extinction for our generation yet unborn. I am a graduate of history and international relations. My background in that field of study made me realize that we are underreported and represented as a nation with over 200million people living in it with a rich multicultural heritage, the knowledge gap is huge.
Wikipedia can only be a safe place to document our heritage and everything related to Nigeria.
With this notion in mind, I decided to start promoting Wikipedia everywhere I go. I started by letting them know the importance of Wikipedia to our great nation and also talked about the misconception they have about the reliability of Wikipedia. The Reading Wikipedia in Classroom training helped me immensely with my advocacy to convince people to use and contribute to Wikipedia.
It has been an exciting journey for me. This journey has given birth to my project, which I am about to start and still working on improving the project, it is called. ‘‘Wikivoices’’.
Wikivoices will use the media to tell our stories and promote various projects by volunteers in the movement. I would be interviewing the different global volunteers (starting with my country.) who have used Wikipedia to impact lives and their communities.
Many are doing great things; you might not know or hear about it. Telling our stories and how impactful it has been can change the narratives and bring more people to contribute to Wikimedia projects.
It is still a work in progress. ( I am open to collaborations).
I want to learn more so that I can lead my team well.
Hello everyone.
Wasiul Bahar from Bangladesh here. I am not a leader, but rather a small contributor to the wikimedia movement. I’d like to tell you about my experience!
My elder brother, who was also a wikimedian, inspired me to begin my journey in wikimedia almost 1.5/2 years ago. For about two and a half months, I was extremely active. However, my study pressure increased, and I lost my only smart device, which I used to contribute to wikimedia. As a result, I was no longer able to contribute. From then until this June/July, I had no inspiration that would lead me to the movement. But, wikimania 2022 appears to be a turning point for me.
My brother encouraged me to take part in the Wikimania 2022. I participated in Wikimania as both a participant and a volunteer. I was one of the volunteers for trust and safety. My job was to enforce the event’s friendly space policy. I gained some friendly coworkers and volunteer managers, which increased my enthusiasm to rejoin the wikimedia movement.
I felt excluded from the community at times because I wasn’t an active wikipedia editor prior to Wikimania. The organizing team and volunteer manager at Wikimania, on the other hand, created such a welcoming and encouraging environment that I felt included and that my small contribution would be beneficial to the Wikimedia movement.
Now I’m looking forward to participating in any wikimedia-related event as a volunteer, driving force, or organizer. Please keep my name in mind if you need assistance with any project or event. I’ll be there with my full participation.
Hi @Lois131 ! Thanks a lot for sharing your story. I know how it feels when someone makes sudden changes in the power dynamics. As I don’t know about the situation briefly, I can’t make specific comments in my personal capacity. But it really feels bad when someone does something like that.
I love the spirit you have. Trust me, we really need leaders in the movement with this type of motivation. And we must train our movement leaders - to be strategic, to be strong, to be bold - who know which path they are following, who know where the path leads, who know what’s best for their followers, who never give up on the face of hardships, who falls down and stand up again with renewed vigor.
I really love your enthusiasm. And my request would be, never stop working for the movement if you find peace working for it. All the best!
You know, leadership in our movement is extremely complex and dynamic. The movement is soooo huge that it’s quite tough to bring everything in one place, sometimes we feel nervous while working on the movement leadership. But your stories keep us boosted. I, personally really feel proud when I think that I’m putting my very tiny contribution for these super amazing people who are working relentlessly, devoting their days and nights - just to ensure open knowledge for every person on the planet.
The wikivoices project is amazing, we really should take some time to celebrate ourselves! Best of luck with your project and never hesitate to contact me if you need any help, I, personally, will try to do everything possible.
I, personally want to give a huge shoutout to the wikimedians of Nigeria! They are doing so awesome. Nigerians are working with professionalism everywhere in the movement!
And yes, Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom program is an amazing initiative, ToT really empowered me and gave me the courage to work for the movement being bold. Now I’m trying to find a way to implement the program in my country.
I must appreciate your growth mindset! Trust me, that is the very thing we find in every movement leader!! I would love to be connected with you and your team; I believe that our teams can make real-life changes if they get the opportunity to work together. Feel free to reach me anytime, I’ll look forward to starting collaboration with you!
I love this forum, you know. It just connected me with you, with another amazing leader of the movement!
Isn’t that crazy?
¡Genial, @La_Mantis! Mil gracias por compartirlo. Le echaré un ojo (el tema de desarrollo de liderazgo me parece especialmente importante para nuestros territorios latinoamericanos).
Hello rafi,
I am a small contributor in wikimedia. I am not a leader but I want to talk about my leader who inspired me to come and contribute to wikimedia to whom I am grateful.
I am from Bangladesh, I am a student of class 11 in Notre Dame College, in my college there are many clubs one is english club there I found my leader who is the founder of A wing based solely on wikimedia. I at first started there only to know about wikimedia because I was always curious about it. When I started my 1st edit, it gave me a lot of joy and I liked it but because of study pressure I was going to stop but then I met with the person I am talking about. He then encouraged me to start again and I did so. It paid of now because of him I am a small contractor to this movement and till this day he always monitors me and encourages me to do more and more. He is a great leader and a great big brother to me.
Now I know a lot about movement and came in contact of many great people. I hope I can contribute to this movement till my last breath. All thanks to my leader …
