Tuesday’s Food for Thought: The Opportunist

Today I had planned to have a fun post about my mini-me and my sentimental journey through WoW before Cataclysm hits. However, something else came up this morning that has been eating at me and so my mini-me is just going to have to wait! What I’d like to talk about instead is the concept of The Opportunist.

This thought needs to start with a story. Why? Because everyone loves story time! Well, at least I do…

Once upon a time, there was a guild that had just gone through a guild split as an expansion loomed. It was a very difficult time for the guild, and many people worked very, very hard to rebuild the guild. It was a very challenging period, not only for progression, but for exploring how the guild needed to grow to make it an enjoyable place to be.

During this time, this particular guild also had absolutely horrible luck in acquiring rare, boss dropped enchants. And then one night, both enchants dropped, and a member of this guild acquired them, and there was much rejoicing. However, the next day that we everyone had logged in, this member was gone; no gone fishing sign, no thanks for all the fish. They were just gone, and the guild was not pleased. Bridges were burned.

Strangely enough, very shortly after this the guild made some changes in how they raided and it worked very well for the guild. And the guild got a breath of fresh air and was rejuvenated, and killed this nasty naga lady and some over dressed blood elf guy, and was on their way to save some sort of special tree and kill some elf demon thingie. And things stopped being so difficult, and the guild celebrated. However, what was even more strange was that Mr. Ex-Guild Mate contacted the guild again shortly after their kill, dropping hints at wanting to return. The guild was puzzled.

Fast forward to today: A certain very sexy druid in said guild *ahem* may have looked at the guild’s recruitment boards; and said druid’s jaw may have dropped when she saw an application from said ex guild member.

The Opportunist

Now, in all honesty, we really have already filled the rogue/feral druid position that we had open in our roster. We had a number of surprisingly good applications for the position and offered it to a gentleman who should be transferring over to our server today. So, it does cleanly let me tell this ex-member that the position is no longer open without having to go into the mess on how burnt bridges are difficult to rebuild.   So, our applicant fell through…and this position is actually still very much open, which makes this question even more interesting for me to consider.  But what I do find very interesting is that this particular person has only sought to return to us when we are past a progression point of his current guild.

Now, people will leave guilds for any number of reasons. Wanting to find a guild that is more in tune with your progression desires is certainly a very viable reason to seek out a new guild, and not something that we have ever faulted anyone for doing if we were unable to offer them what they were looking for out of the game. However, I have always felt that there is the right way to leave a guild…and the wrong way. You can leave your bridges standing, or you can burn them.

When our guild split, a number of people left. Some said goodbye, and some were like thieves in the night, and just disappeared. Those that truly thought through their decision were thought of well. When the other guild disbanded, a number of these members actually were offered homes within our ranks once again, and returned; many humbled by our generosity and understanding. We will not fault people for seeking out different opportunities, as long as it is done with class and grace. But, leaving your guild silently, without a word to anyone, generally isn’t going to put you on the top of anyone’s favorite list. And that is fine, and it may be the departure method you are most comfortable with, but you also shouldn’t expect a warm welcome should you expect to return.

But this really isn’t what we are here to talk about. I’m here to talk about the guy from my story above. The Opportunist. The guy that left for greener pastures without even putting up a for sale sign; but then looked back over the fence on his way out to see that the pastures he just left were still pretty damn green. The guy that hops from one place to the next, ruthlessly climbing to the top however he can and taking his spoils, without regard to anything else on the way. And while perhaps a good business model for getting to the top, it is a very poor model for keeping friends along the way.

Now, with this particular Opportunist, I’m conflicted. There were certainly times in that very dark period that I thought about moving on somewhere else, and I will never fault anyone that is unhappy for doing the same. But I certainly wouldn’t have taken some very coveted items from a guild that I knew I was going to leave. I wouldn’t have just slipped away, wondering when people would miss me. And I probably wouldn’t have re-applied to that guild after having left in such a fashion.

And it’s this last part that has me questioning why. Why apply now? You indicated yourself that you are only in touch with one person in the guild still. Are you applying because we are past the progression point of your current guild? Do you truly want to return, or is this just another opportunity for you? I mean, I want to give the benefit of the doubt to you Sir Opportunity, but actions always speak louder than words and I can’t help but be skeptical.

I mean, if there weren’t people unhappy with their current guilds, you’d never be able to recruit. But I do think that there is a difference to finding something that fits your needs better, and being an opportunist. Isn’t there? I’d like to think so…

What about you? Do you know any Opportunists? Would you be skeptical? Would you fault someone for being an opportunist?

edit: to update that we still have a rogue/feral position at large!