How might we...
- How do we ensure the approach remains rooted in political analysis while holding tension and calibration needed in the current moment and care needed
- How might we find ways that integrate the meaning of care and collective care in a politicized way (based on political read of our role) that will allow for coherence and cohesion in JASS?
- How might we not cause a high level of instability but could allow us to try a different way?
- How might we use the openness in people in the moment to try new things?
Hypothesis
I am a resource for myself and in my leadership transition in this moment, I am being asked to calibrate JASS’s compass for the staff, our donors, and our board. Having kitchen table convos will help me to do this.
Design
This moment is a moment but not a moment, it is bigger. Impacts are bigger. For that reason I feel it is important to have a sounding board or a set of sounding boards.
Have three kitchen table conversations that support me in calibrating JASS’ compass. 30-90 min convo about my leadership and aspects of something needing to think through. This could be mutual.
Who is at the Sounding Board Kitchen Table:
- People I know really well
- Trust politically
- Bring different regional perspectives including organizational stuff
- These people are all also super super busy. That is a challenge.
- They support of my leadership.
Email: Reaching out to say hey, here we are a month and a half into me taking the helm of ship at JASS and I’d like to have a convo about some things I’m thinking about at JASS and check in about how you are
Metrics
- Have at least 3 kitchen table convos in the next month
- Leave convos with mind sparking with ideas
- I would have built and or tested the possibilities of these relationships informing the thinking moving forward.
Learnings
- There are people always out there if you invite them into support. People are generous. Had 8 convos!
- There are a gazillion resources in wisdom and knowledge of people and those people don’t need to be in the mold of JASS. Mistake is to think that we only need to engage with folks in our own image (in political tradition: Marxist with jeans and tshirt and union shoes). Reminder to tap into broader knowledge base.
- Particular understanding of leadership and work culture in the US, JASS office hasn’t been immune to that. Overwork of hours, focus on production and a struggle on your own. No. There are a range of ways of holding the tensions that exist between self and collective care and leadership and a million ways of doing things that don’t mean you’re buying into the narrative of what leadership needs to feel and look like.
- Shereen was clear she wasn’t going to kill herself at the altar of JASS. 3 months into her leadership, beginning to shift culture at a deep organizational level.
Decisions
Leadership developed and board approved, three options to hold different working contexts.
Principles:
- Acknowledge different working contexts
- Don’t be punitive in this moment.
- Assess every 2-3 months based on contexts and working with unknowns.
- Acting into context changes, different categories of work:
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- People who are working overtime, have a day a month off
- Reduce by 25%
- 3 hours or less a day: 2 or more children under 7 or elder care.
- If person contract COVID 19 what are provisions for sick leave and recovery
Focus is not on hours worked but meeting prioritized deliverables.
Also one meeting free day a week! (Friday)