Chain of Command
What is Chain of Command?
The order of authority, delegation, and responsibility. Instructions flow downward and accountability flows upward.
Why is Chain of Command Important?
KSI’s Chain of Command is how everything gets done. Without a proper functioning chain there are no boundaries around who does what and when. Properly following Chain of Command is crucial to the success of both yourself and KSI as a whole.
An analogy: A chain is stronger than a rope, but a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
Basic Squad Chain of Command
Common issues and concerns can often be addressed by a variety of different people in a squad in KSI. As a member of a squad KSI, this is the order in which the chain of command is used:
1. Lieutenant/Captain2. Major/General3. Co-Founder4. Founder/Division Leader
Open Door Policy
All members have the ability to use the “Open Door Policy”, where they may go to any leader about an issue they may have. It is within the rights of said leader to ask you to report through your chain of command, but we understand there are times when this is not possible or not logical. At the discretion of Senior Leadership, the Open Door Policy may be suspended if abused.
Conduct Policies
KSI strives to provide a positive, inviting, and enjoyable experience for all members. It is with that goal in mind that KSI has several policies in place that govern the conduct of all members. With that being said, these policies are not all inclusive as situations can occur that fall outside of written guidelines. KSI Leadership reserves the right to act in the best interest of KSI and its members should the situation require us to do so. As a KSI member you are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times.
Harassment
KSI does not tolerate harassment in any form. Harassment is defined as any unwanted contact between two people, especially once one party has made it clear the contact is unwanted. This also includes racism, sexism, or any other discrimination.
Dating
Dating within KSI is strongly discouraged, however it is not prohibited. All relationships between members must be reported and documented through the Chain of Command and members are not allowed to date a direct superior without approval from Senior Leadership. If it is found that your relationship is causing unnecessary drama you may be asked to leave KSI or be removed. KSI is not a dating app, so please don’t use it as one.
Nepotism
Nepotism, or the act of using your power to unfairly promote friends, family, or loved ones, is strictly prohibited. Any member found guilty of nepotism is subject to an immediate Removal or placement on the Do Not Hire list.
Significant others may be in the same squad. However, when one becomes the direct supervisor over the other, one must be transferred to another squad or division. Any less than a one rank gap between them is considered a direct supervisor.
Mutual Respect
All members, regardless of rank, are expected to show respect at all times. This involves acting in a professional manner in parties, lobbies, game nights, on Discord, etc.
Multi-Clanning
As we put considerable time and effort into making this Community the best it can be and ask that you honor that by allowing KSI to be the sole community you represent. There are rare exceptions to this rule. If you are unsure if you are multi-clanning, please consult your chain of command. In general, communities that offer games, services, or are in large part different from KSI in their scope and nature do not fall under this policy
Statement of Neutrality
KSI Global is a neutral gaming community. We do not engage in hostilities toward any other community. This includes, but is not limited to, booting, DDoSing, hitting, or any variation of said points. Any member found to be breaking this rule is subject to immediate Removal or placement on the Do Not Hire list.
Progressive Discipline Policy
KSI has put in place various policies and rules of conduct in order to facilitate the environment we want to provide to our members. In addition to rules and policies that are in place, there is also a procedure with which discipline can be issued to members who violate the community rules and policies. We believe in using a progressive discipline approach to rectify conduct that violates KSI’s rules. Below is a general outline of how we handle rule violations. It must be noted that depending on the severity of the conduct as well as the totality of the circumstance, steps in this procedure may be skipped over at the discretion of leadership.
Step 1: Verbal Warning For minor violations of rules and policies, a verbal warning can be given. These warnings do not get logged and are done as a courtesy to the member. Examples of things that could lead to a verbal warning include but are not limited to: Minor violations of Discord rules (such as spamming, tagging, etc). Unprofessional behavior Excessive cursing
Step 2: Written Warning A member may receive a written warning after a verbal warning has been given already and the same behavior continues, and may also be given when the leader feels that the conduct goes beyond where a verbal warning would be effective. Written warnings are logged for each member. Examples of conduct that could receive a written warning include but are not limited to: Repeat violations of Discord rules Disrespect towards another KSI member Repeat instances of conduct prohibited in KSI
Step 3: Disciplinary Probation A member can be placed onto disciplinary probation when repeated warnings are given but the member continues to violate our rules and policies. Disciplinary probations last a period of 90 days and are at their core a final warning. Once a member is informed that they are being placed on disciplinary probation, any further violations of KSI’s rules and policies will result in the removal of the member during the probation period.
Step 4: Removal from KSI Removal from KSI can result when a member has been given multiple warnings, or if the member is on disciplinary probation and continues to violate the rules. Removals from KSI must be approved by a Division Leader + even if the removal is a result of a discipline probation violation.
Members who are removed from KSI are entitled to rejoin KSI after 60 days. If a member chooses to return, it is at the discretion of that division’s leadership which squad the member will be placed in.
If a member feels as though they were wrongfully removed from KSI, there are two ways that a member can be reinstated before the 60 days have elapsed. If their appeal is successful, it will be up to the division leadership which squad the member will be returned to. A member may also be transferred to a different division depending on the circumstances of their removal at the discretion of that division’s leadership. Below are the two ways a member could be reinstated within the 60 days:
Appeal their removal in the KSI Court System. When you appeal, a panel of judges, who are members of the community, will review the merits of the case and determine whether they feel the removal was appropriate or not. All rules and regulations of the court system must be followed.
Directors + are able to reinstate a member in the following circumstances:They feel that the member should not have been removedThey feel a lesser disciplinary action would have been sufficientThey feel as though, based on the totality of the situation, that the member deserves a second chance
Examples of conduct that can result in removal include but are not limited to:Repeat instances of conduct prohibited in KSICode of Conduct violationsInsubordination or severe disrespectHarassment
Step 5: Placement on Do Not Hire (DNH) List
KSI maintains a list of people that are prohibited from joining KSI. Placement onto the DNH list means that the member may not join KSI at any time as long as they remain on the Do Not Hire list. Being added to the DNH list may or may not be in conjunction with removal from KSI, meaning a non-KSI member could be placed on the list.
Placement onto the DNH list must be approved by a Senior Director +.
There are two ways that a member can be removed from the DNH list:
Appeal the decision in the KSI Court System. When you appeal, a panel of judges, who are members of the community, will review the merits of the case and determine whether they feel being placed on the DNH list was appropriate or not. All rules and regulations of the court system must be followed. The Executive Director or Operations Director are able to remove members from the DNH list at their discretion. Below are some examples of when a member could be removed from the DNH list: An appropriate amount of time has passed and having a particular member on the list is no longer necessary. The person has shown that they have rectified their behavior and leadership would like to give that person a second chance. When one of the above leaders feels that placement on the DNH list was not appropriate. The court system declines to take a case and leadership feels as though the appeal was meritorious
Examples of conduct that can result in placement on the DNH list include but are not limited to: Racism, Sexual harassment, Poaching, DDoS/Booting/Hacking, Threats of violence or threats of booting/DDoS/hacking, Code of Conduct violations, Conduct violations after a prior removal from KSI
Recruitment: How To and What Next?
Proper Recruiting Process
Verification of the standards:
Age, Microphone, Discord Are they currently a member of another community. Were they ever a part of another community
If possible, send a link to the following steps to allow the recruit to follow along
Explain the KSI Code of conduct
Explain the KSI Rank Structure
How to use it when communicating with a higher ranking member
How they can rank up and what it means to be an officer. They will only be promoted as high as they feel comfortable.
Give a Brief History about KSI
Add them on any necessary In-Game Clans, Platform Communities, etc.
Add them to the KSI Discord
Introduce them and show them where their squad chat is
Show them where to ask for help
LFG Channels, Discord Problems, Officer’s Responsibilities After Recruiting
Maintaining Contact: Your Recruit is your Responsibility.
Checking in with them from time to time.
Inviting Him/Her to Game Chats and introducing them to other members.
Encouraging them to be a part of Game Nights and Meetings.
KSI Departments and Their Purposes.
Leaders Council
Something new as of 2022, you may see members around our servers holding a role “Leaders Council.” This is a group of gamers that are have ranked out of KSI that stick around after to help new leaders continue to grow and learn. Although this role has no real rank and has no authority in KSI, they provide insight from there recent leadership to help ensure new leaders continue to learn and KSI continues to grow.
AAP
The Achievements and Awards Program (AAP) is the department dedicated to awarding members of the community. An AAP member is detail-oriented, dedicated, and excels at rapid decision making.
Events
The Events department is responsible for regulating and organizing all community events. Events team members are excellent organizers, detail oriented, and patient.
Education
The Education department is responsible for the education of all members of KSI. Their primary method of education is via workshop. Education Instructors are calm, knowledgeable, patient, and have excellent verbal skills.
Graphic Design
The Graphics department creates all of the KSI banners, gamerpics, forum signatures, etc. As one would expect, the Graphics team is looking for those who love to create, innovate, and serve.
Social Media
As the name would suggest, the Social Media department is tasked with maintaining all of KSI’s social media handles and increasing presence. If you would like to be on the Social Media team you must understand how social media works, be an excellent writer, and have high energy.
Wiki
This team is charged with preserving and recording KSI’s history by putting it into condensed and readable format. These team members should have well developed writing and research skills.
Courts
The KSI Court system is one of the most important departments we have. All Removal, DNH, and Ban appeals go through the court system. Judges are required to be calm, focused, and, above all, impartial.
Member Services
This department exists to serve the community through support, mentorship, and analysis. Members in this department should be helpful and innovative and possess the desire to help KSI and its members at all levels.
CMS
CMS is the community management system for KSI, used to keep track of squad members, training, and DNH/removals.
Discord
Discord is where most KSI day-to-day activities take place. Squad, division, and community leadership chats and the LFG live here.
Forums
The forums house the archive of communication in KSI that took place prior to Kik and Discord’s use.
Wiki
KSI’s Wiki is a constant work in progress to put together and display information and history about KSI and its members.
PlayStation Communities
The PlayStation communities are one of our most powerful tools. They allow for the hosting, posting, and attendance of Game Nights. They also give a list of all members in the squad or division, giving you instant access to a large group of people playing the same game.
Xbox Clubs
Similar to the Communities on PlayStation, the Xbox Clubs for KSI are vital to the operation of the squads. Again, they allow for hosting, posting, and attending Game Nights as well as giving a list of everyone in the squad.
In-Game Clan Sites/Recruiting Sites, Apps, and Forums
Some games have internal clan systems which can be used for game perks. Gamerlink, the Bungie app/forums, Facebook groups, etc. are all extremely powerful recruiting tools. To learn how to recruit, please see one of the squad officers.
KSI Uniform: What It Is and Why We Do It
The KSI uniform is how we are identified both by players outside of the community and by members within the community. Uniforms are used to validate that you are in fact a member of KSI and represent your rank within the community.
PlayStation Uniform
Playstation Uniforms are located in your “About Me” section. The format is as follows:KSI Squad > Division Acronym > Rank Acronym >Recruited By: RecruiterJoined: Date
Xbox Uniform
Xbox Uniforms are located in your Bio and Location. The format is as follows:Under the location section: KSI Squad > Division Acronym > Rank Acronym >In your bio: Recruited By: Recruiter on Date
PC Uniform
PC Uniforms are located in the About Me section. The format is as follows:KSI Squad > Division Acronym > Rank Acronym >Recruited By: RecruiterJoined: Date
On Discord
Each squad/division member should render their Discord nickname as their PSN ID/Gamertag/Steam ID followed by the abbreviation for the squad and rank.
Ex: KSI Member (PSP)
Community Structure
KSI is the overall name of the community. It is further broken down into Divisions and Squads as follows:
Divisions
Divisions have two or three word names and are denoted by a two or three letter abbreviation. They consist of 100+ members across two or more squads. Division Staff refers to leaders at the rank of Co-Founder or higher.
Leave of Absence
Members may take a Leave of Absence (LOA) from KSI at any time. These should be done when a member will be unable to play or interact with the community for a period longer than 1 week. During LOA, the member is exempt from their normal duties for their rank. For extended LOAs, it may be necessary to fill the person’s position while they are gone. When this happens, a reasonable effort will be made to accommodate the member’s rank upon their return from LOA.1. LOAs must be approved by a squad Major or above, dependent on rank. When taking a LOA, we ask that you provide an estimated length of leave or an expected return date.2. LOAs lasting longer than 30 days must be approved by a Director+.3. LOAs lasting longer than 90 days must be approved by a Senior Director+.
Activity Standards
Members who are not active within the community may be subject to removal. To be considered active, a member must make attempts to engage with squad members on the gaming platform of choice, within Discord, and attend squad/division activities such as game nights, meetings, and events. Failure to meet said criteria for longer than 30 days without a communicated Leave of Absence may result in removal from the squad and/or division.
Leaving KSI
KSI is an entirely voluntary community, and anyone is free to leave the community at any time. Members who leave and rejoin within 24 hours may be eligible to retain their previous rank. Anyone who wants to rejoin their previous squad must get clearance from the Co-Founder. If a member leaves KSI and wants to return but to a different squad, the member must either wait 30 days or obtain an approved transfer from their previous leadership as detailed in the Transfers section of this handbook.
Updated 7s Policy
It will no longer be automatic. At the rank of Co-Founder, the Director(s) will look over the candidate qualification to decide if they feel at this time a “7” is warranted for the member. Upon Unanimous decision (or if only one Director is Active) the Director will send the nomination to the Senior Director (If no Senior Director, simply the Director) will create a Proposal to the Executive Staff for vote on the awarding of the “7”.
Eligibility for earning a “7”
– Rank of Co-Founder in Clan Ops OR position of Supervisor in other Departments
– Achieving rank of Founder will result in automatic nomination and review
– Minimum of 3 Months within KSI with no negative remarks
– Successful Squad Split OR Successful area within your department
– Exudes the KSI acronym and is a role model for future 7s to aspire towards.
Revoking a 7
In exceedingly rare circumstances an individual may be stripped of their right to a 7. The Executive Staff handles these cases. Examples of reasons a 7 may be removed are: intentionally causing harm to another member’s self or property, being disgracefully removed from a position of authority, or acts unbecoming of a 7.
Members wearing “7” not meeting the rank requirements above.
You may see members who hold a “7” but are not of the rank required. These are typically returning or retired members of the community who have been granted permission to place the “7” back in their name. They are typically considered the “old guard” of sorts. They are to be respected and appreciated for their previous service, but they are not owed a previously held rank at any level.
Members who have joined and earned their “7” from the other KSI are recognized as “7” upon verification if earned prior to 2022.
Members who have joined and earned their “7” from Killjoy Network (KN) prior to 2022 (Dec 31, 2021 and previous) are recognized as “7” upon verification.
Members not meeting “7” criteria
When changing your gamertag/PSN ID/Steam ID, it is your responsibility to understand the above policy. If you add a “7” to it and do not meet the requirements, you will be asked to change your game ID to remove the “7”, at your expense. Should you choose not to, you may be subject to removal.
KSI Terminology
DNH: Do Not HireBanned: Banned from the Discord serverFluff: Fluff(ing) is the act of removing an inactive memberGame Night: A Game Night is a get-together of squad members where they play a specific game or game modeHeadhunters: The competitive teams of KSILeave of Absence: Taking a break from KSI as you will not meet the required activity levelsTransfer: Moving between squads or divisionsUniform: Your “About Me” section on PlayStation or PC / Your “Bio” on Xbox
CMS
The KSI Clan Management System (CMS) is the community management system for officers and staff to view the list of squad members, add notes, and track statistics. Lieutenants and up have access to CMS with the following abilities per permission group:
Lieutenant
Edit notes about promotions within the squad or other general commentsCaptain (in addition to aforementioned)
Edit notes about trainingMajor (in addition to aforementioned)
Add and remove members from CMSEdit notes about demotions within the squadGeneral (in addition to aforementioned)
Ensure accurate member count, cross-referenced with Discord and Community/Club
Train junior officers on CMS duties
Discord Policies and Information This section details how to navigate the KSI server, the uses for each chat, and other necessary things you need to know about Discord.