It's a raider's market

Heads up, this is a long one...

WoW is an ever evolving game. Fundamentally, sure, the game is the same as it has been since launch, but compare day one to day X (X being today, I'm not going to count all of them, though), and you can see that very little remains of the original game as far as encounter complexity, talent trees, and even classes capable of tanking (from one to four). At its core, however, WoW is a social game, and with that social environment the need to be connected to a group of like minded players is essential. This is where the guild structure comes in.

The guild structure has existed for a long time, in one iteration or another. Topics on guild management are no different. A guild can function in several ways. It can run like a club, with one member presiding over the group to act as the final decision maker, and members are kept on equals grounds. Generally the "club" style system has a very relaxed atmosphere, and is popular with player who either raid a very loose schedule or like to spend most of their time in a relax setting. Guilds like this generally don't focus much effort on being the "Server First" type of players, instead seeking to build up the bonds between members and promote a social atmosphere.

On the opposite end of the scale, there are the more business-like guilds, where the primary goals are the quality of the product and the bottom line. Members of guilds like this are held to a professional level and expected to be prepared for all scheduled guild functions. Raids are set in advance on a regular schedule. Raiders perform to the requirements of their position and are rewarded for doing so, in this case through raid spots and gear.

Upon WoW's release, raiding was srs bizz. Raids were comprised of 40 players which, if you've never had to coordinate a raid, is a HUGE hassle to organize without proper discipline, and players knew this. Raid leaders couldn't afford to put up with poor attitudes, so there was a bit of an iron-fist mentality. During this time, players had a desire to perform well in raid settings because that was the only end-game that really meant anything. So to play WoW, you had to play well, or you didn't get to raid, plain and simple. Guild leadership set the plans and you followed them, because if you didn't, you didn't play for that night. There was little flexibility in this design. Guild leadership ruled, and everyone was fine with it.

Fast forward to today, and we see a paradigm shift in guild relations, particularly as they relate to raiding. Raids have been scaled down to 25, with the option of further reducing that to 10 players, both of which are on separate lockouts. Normal mode raids are less difficult, to the point of being facerollable with a competent group. There are also a lot more raiding guilds per server for this very reason. Anybody can raid now. What does this mean for guilds? Well, no longer do the leaders set the standards. It has become a raider's market. The raider decides what he/she wants out of their playtime, and if the guild won't provide it, there's another guild happy to do so. Raiding is easier, and with the wealth of raid spots available, raiders no longer need to put up with something they don't like. If the guild isn't progressing, there's is another guild that you can join that IS progressing (likely 3 or 4 others at any given progression level). There are more options.

I noticed this trend while serving as a leader during TBC, and it has gotten worse since. Raider turnaround was HUGE, especially after the great raid nerf of 3.0. No longer did you have to be in the top of the top guild to see the best content, you just needed a competent group. Min/Maxing went out the window (save for hard modes, but that's a bit outside the scope for now). There is a huge burden on the leadership to maintain an atmosphere that will not only retain members but also increase applications from new members. The problem was there in BC, but most raiders weren't aware of it. In WotLK, raiders know that they are a hot commodity, especially the good ones, and could easily leave and fit in somewhere else to get what they want from the game.

Guild leaders need to maintain progress to maintain members. Failing on encounters for weeks on end is no longer excusable because they just aren't that hard anymore. For a casual player who is just happy to raid, wiping or not, just being there is worth it. The players who are serious about raiding, however, those who dedicate time to perfecting their art, as it were, don't want to put up with that. A serious player in a serious guild doesn't have the problem of not being satisfied with progress (same for the casual player in the casual guild). Where you see these problems are the middle ground guilds. The guilds that don't raid 24/7, but also put focus on quality play.

These guilds have grown in popularity lately, which I attribute to the increase in other stuff to do (PvP, professions, heroics). Players want to get more out of there game, and are willing to spend less time in a raid to do that. The more casual schedule appeals to this type of player (I would put myself into this category). For me, I like to play my alts, to run heroics, PvP a little, and occasionally (VERY occasionally) have a real life. The distinction, however, between these players/me and the casual players is that we don't take our playtime lightly. When I raid, I do it right. I don't screw around, I play to the best of my ability all the time. This extends to my alts and heroic runs. I like to have fun when I play, but fun to me is perfect execution of a boss fight, or an amazing recover to some bad luck.

Guilds that run a more relaxed atmosphere NEED players like me to benchmark, to be a role model to players that don't have the ability to understand all the math behind theorycrafting, to provide someone to learn from. Players like me give the casual players a more dedicated raider base to play with. Think about a pickup basketball game. You have a lot more fun when the players on your team are good, even when you aren't. You even play a little better because you want to carry your weight. You may also recognize your own limitations and work around them. Maybe you cant make a 3-point shot, so instead of trying to do so, you'll either pass the ball to someone who can or move in closer to where you will help out more. The same effect can happen in a raid. Maybe during Mimiron you get tunnel vision a lot, and forget to move from Shockblast or Rockets. If you have the serious players raiding with you, you might focus more during those phases, trying harder not to make a mistake. It's an important dynamic that helps a more casual guild keep up progression.

The trouble for the leaders is to keep the casual players in the mindset of WANTING to play better so that progression stays fast enough to retain the serious players. It's not an easy task, but it needs to be emphasized in an open environment. Both sides of the raid force need to know that they are appreciated for what they contribute while also working to improve in some regards, specifically that the casual players should strive to step up a little bit each raid (remember the pickup game, play to your team) and the serious players should strive to set a good example and provide assistance to the rest of the raid (note to casual players: don't shrug off when a more experienced player tries to help; it's in everybody's best interest).

I'd like to end with a note from a serious player. I don't think I'm God's gift to casual guilds. Not by any means, actually. I enjoy the atmosphere of a casual guild because I get a chance to play my alts and my skills are respected. I like to help people. I don't have a god complex, I just like to pass along knowledge that I have. Your guild's serious raiders are there just as much for themselves, which, oddly enough, involves them being there for you. Take the time to learn from what they have to teach, ask questions. They will be happy to help, they have the knowledge that you want, and you have something they want. You have the personality they like in a casual guild, and you have the potential to contribute your fair share to the raid. So ask for their help, because by doing so, you are helping them more than they are helping you.