Our organization is unique in that we aren’t simply aiming to care for a specific problem, such as unhoused folks needing meals, we’re addressing a root problem: a lack of safety and connection in our core community.
Since we are part of that same community, what we’re doing is intrinsically about changing things from the inside out. Everything we do has to be a little different, approached differently, and held to a more compassionate standard.
Creating Safe Spaces Starts with Us
We work to eliminate fear, in ourselves and in our work together.
Fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of new things, fear of being misunderstood, fear of being disliked, and fear of disappointment. We understand that innovating and creating takes courage and we empower each other to combat those fears.
We are all working towards a common goal: to bring community, empowerment, creativity, and healing to marginalized identities. We must keep in mind that we are those people too.
We are part of our community, not separate from it. What we do inside Autonomy Project will trickle down to the people we serve, so we need to practice what we preach.
We are doing something that no one else has ever done before and that comes with uncharted, murky territory. If it was easy, anyone could do it. But we are not “anyone.” We are an impressive, dynamic force that can do anything.
Burnout
We aim to be proactive, not reactive. That means planning for the future and looking to make things easier for our future selves.
If we find ourselves in roles where we are unhappy or stressed, we don't suffer through it. We ask to move to roles where we can be most effective and help find people to replace us.
We take breaks when we need them, by empowering others around us to take over so we can rest. Rest is necessary to do the work we do and we come back with fresh energy and perspectives. It is not a badge of honor to shoulder a burden alone.
When life happens and things get hard, we ask for help from our teammates and leadership to help distribute tasks and responsibilities so that we are not consumed with feelings of letting others down or abandoning our posts.
No one person is an island. We talk to each other freely. Going it alone is a recipe for burnout and we do our best work when we collaborate.
Power and Leadership
Our teams are cross-functional, so that people of different views, perspectives, and talents can provide new ways of thinking.
No person here has more power than anyone else. We utilize leadership roles as a way to distribute responsibility and keep things moving, but no one is your “boss.” Leaders should act as facilitators, not controllers. Team leads and org leadership should support and enable their teams, rather than dictate.
We try to inspire everyone in the organization to take on leadership roles in projects or initiatives, regardless of their formal title. This helps cultivate a leadership pipeline and encourages a sense of responsibility across the board.
No matter what team you're on or what skills you have, your views are wanted and valid. Every person's contributions have merit and it's our job to collectively find the best path forward. This means not everyone will agree, and we need to put aside our egos and be willing to try new things.
Everyone is empowered to fix problems when and where they see them. Everyone. We fix them together.
Ideas
We are not our ideas. Our ideas are not a reflection of our worth or value. An idea is neutral, a raw chunk of possibility, and it needs to be shaped and refined. We strive to do that together.
Ideas, processes, and systems are meant to be improved. The only way we do that is by constantly looking for ways to make them better, because no great idea starts out great.
Creating new things and innovating takes guts to go in the face of what currently exists, and we do not back down from that challenge.
Ideas need to be developed into actions so they can take shape. Actions are formed into plans. Plans become reality.
We don't believe in failure. Every thing we do is a chance to learn, grow, experiment, and innovate from. We need to do things “wrong” so we can discover how to do them differently.
Creativity
We will allocate regular times where team members can explore new ideas or work on passion projects related to the organization’s mission. This not only drives innovation but also keeps team members engaged and motivated.
We adopt Pixar’s “Braintrust” model, where diverse groups come together to review projects at various stages and provide candid feedback in a constructive environment. We call these creative think-tanks.
We know that creativity is fragile and it must be nurtured, and we try to find a balance between ideas and execution.
When we share an idea as a possibility but it can't yet be developed, we write them down and commit to coming back to them later. We don't let ideas perish.
Collaboration is a process. We strive to ask questions instead of criticize.
Communication
We share as much information as possible about decisions, challenges, and the state of the organization with our team. This transparency helps build trust and a unified vision.
Assume the best story about the intentions of others. If you are being asked about your process, flow, tasks, etc. It is not a critique of you, curiosity and data is a necessary step in creating process improvements. We need to understand you, the flow, what works and what doesn’t work in order to make advancements, we are here to make your work easier, not to judge you.
After major projects or events, we should conduct a reflective analysis session where teams can discuss what went well and what could be improved. These are learning opportunities and not blame sessions. If something goes wrong, if someone did not fulfill a responsibility, or a solution did not go as planned, we need to ask: how do we allocate resources to find a way forward? Who didn't get what they needed? What aren't we seeing?
We ask for help when we need it. It's a badge of honor to ask for help, because it says “I'm doing something so impressive it cannot be done alone and I trust you to do it with me.”