Help:Project Leaders
Categories: Projects | WikiTree Help | Project Leader Help
Almost everything on WikiTree is done by volunteers. Some volunteers become very active in the community and committed to its mission. They start and lead projects, take responsibility, and help others. From among these natural leaders, a very small group has been given the official status of "WikiTree Project Leader" with special powers and ongoing responsibilities.
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Project Leader Powers 
Lead projects
Project Coordinators can lead projects — and any Wiki Genealogist can start a free-space project — but only Project Leaders have the power to:
- Add and remove any project badge.
- Add and remove Project-Protected Profile (PPP) status.
- Adopt 200-year-old profiles that are duplicates of PPPs or should be project-protected.
- Deliberate on pre-1500 certification requests.
- Deliberate on and remove pre-1700 certification.
Help resolve problems
Project Leaders head-off problems and help resolve community conflicts. They have the power to:
- Moderate the G2G forum.
- Block vandals and spammers.
- Refer members for special assistance.
- Mediate conflicts.
Shape the future of WikiTree
Project Leaders help shape the future of WikiTree. Although most policies, style rules, and technical changes are proposed, discussed, and decided in an open and public process, Project Leaders often hear about ideas before they are ready to be proposed, or generate the ideas themselves. They may also be involved in testing and experimentation.
Project Leader Responsibilities
Project Leaders have ongoing responsibilities that go along with their powers.
(1) Active Leaders must maintain a high-level of participation, including:
- leading or co-leading at least one[1] project, and
- serving as a Ranger, Mediator, Moderator or Mentor.
(2) Project Leaders need to maintain their understanding of how WikiTree works. If they don't understand or agree with something, they need to communicate about it. Ultimately, if they can't understand or agree with significant policies they cannot remain as a Project Leader.
(3) Most importantly, Project Leaders must always be outstanding practitioners of the Honor Code including point III (assuming that mistakes are unintentional) and point IV (being courteous to everyone, even those who don't act accordingly). Project Leaders must show respect for all members of the WikiTree community at all times, despite how hard this can be.
If you see a Project Leader violating the Honor Code please contact Abby. Specify the Honor Code point, explain why you think the Project Leader is violating it, and link to any relevant G2G discussions.
If you are a Project Leader and aren't sure you want these responsibilities, perhaps just temporarily, see Leader Emeritus. Being a Project Leader isn't a lifelong commitment! :-)
Becoming a Project Leader 
WikiTree has thousands of outstanding contributors, but only about 100 Project Leaders. In fact, we have a 1,000 to 1 limitation. There can only be one Project Leader for every 1,000 registered members.
When there is space, new Project Leaders are nominated from among the "Super Stars" of our community. Super Stars are given by current Project Leaders when they notice someone going way beyond their own family and spending a significant amount of time helping others and generously growing our shared tree.
A Super Star is only the first requirement. To become a Project Leader, a member must already be showing leadership in one or more projects, and they are usually already showing a commitment to the community by serving as a Ranger or Mentor.
The most important requirement is what was discussed above as the most important ongoing responsibility of Project Leaders: to be an outstanding practitioner of the Honor Code. Points III and IV are an especially high bar. It is unusual for a member to be so patient that they can always rise above the frustrations of collaboration and consistently be the bigger person in misunderstandings. So that we can confirm that a nominee has this high level of patience and compassion, they must have a long history of participation and communication in the community. This usually includes a large number of G2G posts that can be reviewed during the nomination process.
- ↑ If the project in which a leader is involved already has two or more Project Leaders, they may be asked to lead or co-lead a second project.
This page was last modified 15:23, 7 February 2023. This page has been accessed 22,321 times.