Noticed vs. Missed GMs

Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0895


Seth Godin had a great post the other day. He asks whether you’ll be noticed versus missed when you’re gone.

He says it’s easy to be noticed. You can be a jerk, for example. People notice you then.

But being missed….

Yeah.

That’s much harder to do.

You’ve got to be something people trust, value, enjoy, and anticipate.

Hopefully Roleplaying Tips will get missed by some when I get hit by a bus win the lottery.

We should also aim to be missed as game masters.

Step back a moment and think about what qualities you bring to the table.

Ask your friends if you’re not sure.

Could a stranger swap places with you and no one would care? “Johnn, you got a haircut. Cool. Now let’s start the game!”

I think being missed as GM happens where you as a human intersect your GM Mastery:

notice-vs-missed-gms1

When you bring your best self to the game brimming with ideas, enthusiasm, and empathy your players will love you.

No one demands perfection. But it’s a great life to always be trying, learning, and improving.

There are plenty of ways to make yourself the Big Bad Game Master whose Rule #0 is you’re always right. And your players will definitely notice when you stop running games.

But will you be missed?