FIRST IN, LAST OUT or SOME OTHER BUTCH MILITARY SLOGAN

    When leading a dungeon, you should be first in and, if possible, last out. If your game allows it, do your group-building while standing at the summoning hub for your dungeon. Not only does this speed summoning, it sends a message to anyone who /whos you: "This leader has his stuff together and is ready to go." DO NOT use group-building time to quest, hit the auction house or do anything else that requires most of your attention. Note that being first in doesn't mean the first person into the dungeon so much as the first person AT the dungeon. You should always be physically present for every summoning to make sure everyone's present and accounted for.

    Once the dungeon is over, try to be last to leave. Don't spam-click the mage portal or hearth out the very second the last bit of loot is distributed. Wait patiently till you're the last person in the dungeon, then head out. Obviously, don't miss mage portals by letting the mage go first, and don't wait for someone to return from AFK, but you should be the last person to leave the instance if such a thing is reasonable.

    If you use a VOIP like Ventrilo or Teamspeak, these rules can and do apply. Be on your channel before anyone else is, though you should set your message to something like "Away From Mic Until Group is Full." Likewise, try and make sure you're the last non-regular VOIP user (anyone but a guildie or friend of the guild) to leave the channel and generally make sure the group has dissolved before excusing yourself. This shows you're ahead of the curve and allows you to drop an eave or two on party dialogue. By the way, if you're serious about leading, YOU DO USE VOIP, full stop (later.)

    As a leader, you must exude professionalism. Being first in and last out of a dungeon are ultimately minor details, but any West Point cadet will tell you, details make the officer. When it's just you and your best buds off on a dungeon for laffers, relax a bit. But when you're leading with a purpose, leading is your job. Yes, you should have fun, but you should exude professionalism and crispness, so the people following you feel secure. The smart players, the exact sorts of players you want to spend time with, will appreciate and respect your devotion and come back for more.

    Next time I'll let you in on my thoughts about WoW's new LFG feature, and what it means for leadership and for my admittedly meticulous group-building techniques.