:palm_tree: Cryptography.dog Retreat Playbook :palm_tree:

--- path: 2018-retreat filename: 2018-11-28-retreat-playbook.md --- :palm_tree: Cryptography.dog Retreat Playbook :palm_tree: ========================================================= **Status**: *Finalized Nov 28, 2018* After finalization, all members can fork their own hackpad copy for using the playbook. [TOC] ## Background A [group of individuals]( https://hackmd.io/BqPYmfK1RfCRG7Yi_aEk0A)–community organizers, researchers, technologists, designers, and dreamers–have indicated their desire to form a worker co-op. We're holding a retreat to establish our collective vision, align on shared values, consider ways of working together, and plan future activities. This **Retreat Playbook** is designed by a sub-committee of volunteers. It contains context, pre-read material, and solo exercises to be conducted *before our retreat* to accelerate the process of finding common ground *during our retreat*. In addition to this playbook, we will be using [Loomio](https://loomio.cryptography.dog) for remote collaboration on certain decisions. ## Expected Outcomes at the end of the Retreat At the end of 2 (3 hour) sessions on 2 different dates (Dec 4th and 8th of 2018) we will establish: 1. *Consensus* on our **vision** and **mission** 2. *Alignment* on shared **values** 3. A *list of considerations* on **governance** 4. A *road map* of **milestones** ## Pre-Retreat *Time Required: 3-6 hours* To ensure the sync time we have together is productive, we are asking all meeting attendees to do the following before the meeting: - Sign up to [Loomio](https://loomio.cryptography.dog) and fill out your profile :v: - Read essential and selected [Readings](#Readings) - Complete the [Solo Visioning Exercise](#Solo-Visioning-Exercise) - Complete the [Solo Values Prioritization Exercise](#Solo-Values-Prioritization-Exercise) - Review the [Summary of Legal Requirements](https://hackmd.io/s/SJwTqa767) ### Readings *Time Required: 1-4 hours* *When to do: Before Day 1* During the retreat you're encouraged to share a few thoughts from the following readings: #### Suggested Starting Point - :speaker: [Worker Cooperatives: Widening Spheres of Democracy](https://www.upstreampodcast.org/workercoops1) #### Required Reading on Co-op Principles - :globe_with_meridians: [ICA Cooperative identity, values & principles](https://www.ica.coop/en/whats-co-op/co-operative-identity-values-principles) for further clarification on any of the cooperative principles see [these guidance notes](https://www.ica.coop/sites/default/files/publication-files/ica-guidance-notes-en-310629900.pdf) #### Additional Thematic Readings Select at least one reading from our [Retreat Planning Reading Pool](https://hackmd.io/s/SkFciiKYm). **Thoughts** ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` ### Solo Visioning Exercise *Time Required: 1 hour* *When to do: Before Day 1* If you are unfamiliar with or would like a refresher on our use of the terms **mission**, **vision**, and **values**, review the reference material (if needed) in [Appendix A](#Appendix-A-Reference-Material-on-Mission-Vision-Values). The solo activities that follow will help us establish the shared vision of this cooperative. Organize your thoughts around the following questions to share during Day 1. You could write 2-3 sentences or a few bullet points for the following: - Who do you think the co-op should serve? ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` - What exactly does the co-op serve? ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` - How do you think the co-op should serve them? ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` - What does successful cooperation mean to you? ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` - Why does the establishment of the cooperative matter to you? ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` - What might a collaborative ecosystem (perhaps a network of solidarity) look like? ``` _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ ``` The answers to these questions will be used as starting material to co-draft the following template (often called a "positioning statement") on Day 1: ``` For ____________________ (who we serve) who ____________________ (the needs we serve) our co-operative is a ____________ (classification or category) that __________________ (compelling reason for us to work together) unlike ____________________ (current state of affairs) our organization _____________________ (primary point of difference) ``` We will use the above as a starting point to iterate from to develop finalized mission and vision statements. ### Solo Values Prioritization Exercise *Time Required: 30 mins* *When to do: Before Day 1* Reflect on your most important values with this exercise to share on Day 1. Pick **5 values** that are important to you and **explain why**. These could be values that you've sought to preserve in the past while making difficult decisions or they could be aspirational. ``` Value 1: _________ Why: _____________ Value 2: _________ Why: _____________ Value 3: _________ Why: _____________ Value 4: _________ Why: _____________ Value 5: _________ Why: _____________ ``` If you need a starting point, [Appendix B](#Appendix-B-Reference-List-of-Values) has some words from a creative toolkit to get you thinking. ### Understanding Co-op Requirements for Incorporation, Development, and Compliance *Time Required: 30 mins* *When to do: Before Day 1* Please review the following worker co-op facts and broad overview of steps required to start a worker co-op. This material came out of retreat research to understand the regulations in Ontario, see the ["Summary of Legal Requirements"](https://hackmd.io/s/SJwTqa767). #### Worker Co-ops Facts - A worker co‐op exists primarily to create employment for its members - All members of a worker co‐operative must be employees, but not all employees must be members. There are two specific requirements: - At least 75% of all employees must be members - At least 75% of permanent, full-time employees must be members - 2 Governmental Bodies Overseeing Co-ops: - *ServiceOntario*: responsible for the incorporation of co-operative corporations (co-ops) in Ontario - *Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO)*: oversees regulation under the Co-operative Corporations Act - The following is a list of critical steps required for us to incorporate and start: - Identify 3 people who will incorporate (majority based in Canada) - Pick a co-op name that meets *Act* requirements - Do a [NUANS Search](https://www.nuans.com/intro-en-fr.html) - Have a head office address - Prepare articles of incorporation - Identify restrictions on business, classes of membership, stakeholder groups, share/loan capital, other provisions - Host annual meeting and adopt bylaws within 18 months *NB: For more information see [Ontario Co-Operatives Association on Worker Co-operatives](https://ontario.coop/sites/default/files/SS02_Worker%20Co-operatives.pdf)* #### Starting a Worker Co-op This is a broad overview of the steps required to start a worker co-op that should be useful to inform the roadmapping activity. Some recommendations have also been included. | ACTIVITY | RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS | |----------|----------| | **PHASE I - DEVELOPING THE IDEA** | | | 1. Assemble a Group of Interested People | :heavy_check_mark: | | 2. Conduct a Pre-feasibility Study | :heavy_check_mark: We have project ideas on the go | | **PHASE II - CO-ORDINATING PRE CO-OPERATIVE ACTIVITIES** | | 3. Hold an organizing meeting | :palm_tree: Retreat meetings on Dec 4 & 8 :palm_tree: | | 4. Conduct a viability study | Draft business plan and conduct feasibility study (including approach to Y1 financing) | | **PHASE III - ORGANIZING AND GETTING STARTED** || | 5. Organize the association Set up adhoc committees such as: - Planning - Tools - Drafting by-laws | Draft bylaws and recommendation to submit articles of incorporation Early identified issues: - Nature of Board (all, subset?) - Nature of Membership (tiers, flat?) - Nature of Capital (shares, buy-in?) - Nature of Profit (how to manage surplus; see FSCO Guide) | | 6. Organize the enterprise - Plan the operations - Plan start up financing - Recruit and train staff - Ensure legal compliance | Consult a lawyer over by-laws Prepare member handbook: - Connecting by-laws and our working processes through our values - Plain-language duties and checklists for required roles (president, secretary, finance person) - What it means to be a good member - Archive of agreements and minutes - Guide to our ways of working | | 7. Hold the initial General Meeting | By-laws must be adopted within 18 months | *NB: Based on [Industry Canada's The Seven Steps in Forming a Co-operative](http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/106.nsf/eng/h_00073.html#seven)* *NB: Details on [FSCO Legal Requirements](http://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/coops/Documents/legal_reqs.pdf)* *NB: For more details on resources see dcwalk's hackpad ["Summary of Legal Requirements"](https://hackmd.io/s/SJwTqa767)* ## Day 1 - Visioning *Length: 3 hours* *Format: Video call* | Time | Length | Description | |---------------|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 - 00:15 | 15mins | [Introductions](#introductions) | | 00:15 - 01:00 | 45mins | [5-minute sharebacks of solo visioning and readings](#5-minute-sharebacks) | | 01:00 - 01:15 | 15mins | Break! | | 01:15 - 02:30 | 75mins | [Co-drafting vision & mission template](#Co-drafting-vision-amp-mission) | | 02:30 - 03:00 | 30mins | [Finding value alignment](#Finding-value-alignment) | ### Introductions *Facilitator: Dawn* *Scribe: Ben (ensure how we work is documented)* - How we got here - What the retreat is for and our aims for today - Logistics: - Recording this meeting - [Shared notepad](https://hackmd.io/PbNVbPUhSTKL7oEtnrzpuw) - Making decisions will be through full consensus of those present - How we will work together, proposed group agreements: - Shared responsibility for conversation (step up listening, step up speaking) - One person speaking at a time - Honest respect with each other - Focused, on topic discussion - Keep each other on time - Device-free ### 5-minute sharebacks *Facilitator/Scribe: Ben (ensure vision/values comments are captured)* *Timekeeper: Dawn* - Each person will spend 5 minutes to share their thoughts from the solo activities - Prompt for break: > What impact do we want this co-operative to have on its members, on society, and on larger ecosystems (bioregions) over the next 10 years? ### Co-drafting vision & mission *Facilitator/Scribe: Udit (filled out positioning template)* *Timekeeper: Ben* - Co-draft Positioning Template ``` For ____________________ (who we serve) who ____________________ (the needs we serve) our co-operative is a ____________ (classification or category) that __________________ (compelling reason for us to work together) unlike ____________________ (current state of affairs) our organization _____________________ (primary point of difference) ``` - Consense on Vision & Mission completed template - Develop potential draft Mission and Visions statements to be iterated on Loomio - Remember: the words don't have to be perfect! The final wordsmithing happens afterwards ### Finding value alignment *Facilitator/Scribe: Dawn* *Timekeeper: Udit* - Co-draft list of values - Consense on **broad alignment** present in collected values as reflective of the participants of this cooperative - Remember: the values are not finalized! This is an early group of collected approaches, motivations, and commitments ## Retreat Async Work *Time Required: No more than 2 hours* *Format: [Loomio](https://loomio.cryptography.dog)* - Vision & Mission proposals and voting on suggestions using Loomio (Shepherd: Udit) - Proposal-based addition of vision and mission statements - Individual capacity assessment using Loomio (Shepherd: Ben) - Revisit your [statement of intent](https://hackmd.io/s/S1C5R1YHQ) from the summer and updated on your capacity - Think about the various ways you may want to be involved (e.g. governance, bylaws, technical work, funding, accounting) - Co-operative namestorming using Loomio (Shepherd: Dawn) - Share your ideas for what we should be called! ## Day 2 - Roadmapping *Length: 3 hours* *Format: Video call* | Time | Length | Description | |---------------|---------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 - 00:30 | 30 mins | [Recap and consensing on vision and mission from async work](#Consense-on-vision-and-mission) | | 00:30 - 01:30 | 60 mins | [Roadmapping (capacity and milestones)](#Roadmapping) | | 02:15 - 02:30 | 15 mins | Break! | | 01:45 - 02:30 | 45 mins | [Roadmapping (prioritizing and working groups)](#Roadmapping-priorities) | | 02:30 - 03:00 | 30 mins | [Governance needs and future plans](#Governance-and-future-plans) | ### Consense on vision and mission *Facilitator/Scribe: Udit* *Timekeeper: Ben* - Recap what happened at last meeting, our agreements on logistics and working together - Reviewing results of Vision & Mission topic in Loomio in order to consense on final form ### Roadmapping *Facilitator/Scribe: Ben* *Timekeeper: Udit* - Important conversations and actions: - Legal requirements (Pre-retreat work) - Individual availability and needs (Retreat Async work) - Membership status and constraints - Grants, supporting ourselves, and work opportunities - Understanding risks - Anything missing? - Generate list of milestones together and discuss scope: - What needs to happen based on above? - Order list of milestones chronologically - What's the most important and what are the dependencies? - How will we work moving forward? ### Roadmapping priorities *Facilitator/Scribe: Dawn* *Timekeeper: Ben* - Identify dates for each milestone according to previously discussed factors - When will it happen? - Cluster identified milestones and activities by category, eg: tools, legal, etc. - Establish working groups (including a shepherd) for determined categories and assign milestones to hit ### Governance and future plans *Facilitator/Scribe: Dawn* *Timekeeper: Udit* - Check in on current tools and practices we use to facilitate decision making - Consense on checklist of how working groups will make decisions and describe practices and workflows - How do people make decisions - How will working groups communicate - How can people participate - Consense on how we will use existing tools (or test others): - Loomio - Shared Calendar - GitHub (GitLab) - Matrix - Email ## Appendix A: Reference Material on Mission, Vision, Values ### Why are we creating a shared vision? A shared vision and mission is important for any organization because: 1. It tells us why we're committing our time to work together 2. It tells others what we as an organization want to achieve 3. It inspires action and generates enthusiasm 4. While we may have conflicting viewpoints, interests, and perspectives, we can use our vision to establish shared understanding 5. It provides focus and direction for future strategic planning 6. It clarfies our objectives and provides a framework for measuring success ### Definitions of vision, mission, and values Although some organizations use the words *vision* and *mission* interchangeably, we're using the following definitions of these words: **Vision** A vision must encapsulate our hopes and dreams; what has brought us together; and inspire our cooperative vision for our society, our ecosystem, and ourselves. **Mission** A mission clarifies answers to questions like *who we serve*, *what we serve*, and *how we serve*. **Values** Values are ideas or guiding principles that we hold very dear to our hearts – something we strive to preserve in any work we do. ### Examples The following are examples of how some organizations have converged on their mission, vision, and values. They are intended to help understand the purpose of visioning in guiding strategic direction. **[Patagonia](https://www.patagonia.com/company-info.html)** (Clothing retailer) *Mission:* Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. *Vision:* A love of wild and beautiful places demands participation in the fight to save them, and to help reverse the steep decline in the overall environmental health of our planet. **[Oregon Woodland Co-op](https://www.oregonwoodlandcooperative.com/our-story.html)** *Mission:* We serve the Oregon woodland community by providing services and assistance through the power of cooperative actions of our members *Values:* - _Forest Stewardship_: We, as landholders, work hard to be good stewards and have a kinship to the land. It is a way of life to care for the land and grow forests that we wish to pass on to future generations. - *Sustainability*: We believe that careful management coupled with long-term planning leads to healthy forest ecosystems that can sustainably provide many benefits, including clean water, wildlife habitat, and a variety of products. - *Cooperation*: As a cooperative, we work together to support one another's efforts to learn the best ways to grow, create and sell products that are in keeping with the goals of forest stewardship and sustainability. - *Integrity*: We are committed to selling authentic, high-quality products, made with natural ingredients, and to achieving customer satisfaction. **[Root Systems](https://www.rootsystems.nz/context/vision.html)** (Tech-worker Coop) Root system has synthesized their mission, vision, and values in to the following: - *Interdependent abundance* - We wish to work on what we want to work on and don't do what we don't want to do. - By sharing our values, we hope to connect our wants and offers with those around us for explicit interdependence. - *Always be learning and teaching* - We aim to always be learning and always be teaching. - We strive for nurturing environments for creativity, so everyone is supported to excel on their personal journey. - *Life support infrastructure* - We share all our work with others, building up a pool of re-usable modules, knowledge systems, and living ecosystems, and sharing them virally to others who might benefit. - We want to live in a world with ubiquitous, location-agnostic localisation that supports all living beings **Facebook** Facebook has recently changed its mission from: *Making the world more open and ++connected++.* to: *Give people the power to build ++community++ and bring the world ++closer together++.* This shift in mission demonstrates that Facebook acknowledges its role in what is said on the platform and (for better or worse) will work towards bringing communities closer together. ## Appendix B: Reference List of Values ``` Accountability Achievement Advancement Aesthetics Authority Balance Belonging Celebrity Challenge Community Co-operation Creativity Credibility Curiosity Determination Discipline Dynamism Effectiveness Excitement Excellence Fame Financial security Financial gain Freedom Grace Growth Harmony Helping others Helping society Honesty Humour Independence Influencing others Integrity Intellectual status Innovation Joy Justice Knowledge Leadership Loyalty Meaningful work Monetary gain Openness Originality Peace Power Public service Quality Recognition Reputation Resilience Respect Responsibility Self-respect Spontaneity Stability Status Sustainability Teamwork Tolerance Time freedom Tranquility Trust Variety Vision Wisdom Work/Life balance Working alone ``` *Word list adapted from [Nesta's Creative Enterpise Toolkit](https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/creative_enterprise_toolkit_english.pdf) (CC-BY-SA 4.0)*

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