How to nurture a listening culture in Catalyst

[stephen-rowan]

How to nurture a listening culture in Catalyst

Sources

Google Project Aristotle

• https://thegeniusworks.com/2018/11/project-aristotle-what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team-group-dynamics-emotional-intelligence-and-psychological-safety/

Google reWork

• https://rework.withgoogle.com/
• https://rework.withgoogle.com/print/guides/5721312655835136/

You're not listening

• https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1116206/you_re-not-listening/9781784709402.html

[kenricnelson]

Greg Epstein is the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and MIT. For several years he ran a community group in Cambridge called the Humanist Hub. The groups activities included a discussion group that used a set of Norms to guide thoughtful interaction.

While the Cardano community social media is an entirely different context, both in form and substance, these norms may be useful in thinking about shifting the tone of Cardano's interactions.

Humanist Hub Discussion Group Norms
1.Assume good will in fellow participants.
2.Avoid giving advice. This is not about sharing information as much as sharing personal experiences and views.
3.Use “I” statements rather than “we” or “they” statements. Speak from your own experience and not for others.
4.Avoid groupthink and help ensure this is a safe space for dissent.
5.Disagreement is okay, but strive to understand rather than persuade.
6.Avoid becoming stuck on an issue of concern to only a few. When the subject veers too much, create “parking lots” for those subjects and go back to those topics after the discussion group.
7.This is a discussion, not a monologue, so…
•Share airtime; ensure everyone has the chance to speak.
•Avoid dominating the conversation, and help others avoid dominating the conversation.
•Allow people some wait time between comments.

[kenricnelson]

An interesting approach to encouraging dialogue toward resolution of disagreements is the work by Rome Viharo. He refers to the approach as Aiki Wiki.

https://link.medium.com/5JjHceqYMmb

[stephen-rowan]

catalyst voting

• James Dunuth - Gimbalabs
• 20th January 2022
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_fBKkWACXw

[dimitrifernando]

I think this is great. I think that as much as I am expected to listen to other members concerns about my behaviour and intentions all other members should also be willing to listen actively to my feelings on their behaviour and intentions.
Also that they would respect my right to carry out actions within my constituent community ( Ada holders) and do not necessarily need their input or opinions at all in those regard just as I dont need to insert myself and my opinions about their actions with their group. Here one issue is that since ADA holder is a wider community of which all other groups are a part, some people think that they have a right to have an opinion on my actions which are not really their prerogative. Of course they can have an opinion, they just dont need to be constantly expressing it to me and expecting me to change my actions based on their opinion. Often this is translated into " He is not listening or willing to listen to us" rather than " Why are we trying to tell him what to do? Thats his job, let him do it as hes guided by mentor, or the community wants him to do or whatever" Everyone doesn't need to expect me to agree with their opinions on my survey. They can participate in it. Or they can ignore it. We can have some sort of forum where they can express their opinion in a written form, but I may read it but not feel need to respond to each and every opinion. In which case i would spend a lot more time than i already do interacting with community members.
I feel that there is a subtle or not so subtle emphasis on group think here which may be relevant to the events of the past week. Dissent particularly dissent against someone who is a past circle member is accepted or tolerated by that member, the rest of the members, some of the reps whoever. There is no need to deny. I recognize that everyone has the right to accept or not accept the validity of the community proposal put forward by me, but thats ok, I dont neccesarily think every project on F8 deserves funding either. But to call my survey into question in terms of its being a professionally done survey, and try to thus invalidate it, harrass me in private and then tell me i was abusive to them ( not done by circle reps but another accuser of me) etc, going from group to group, calling me as abusing my position, none of these are aligned with the above mentioned goals/objectives for a listening culture. I think there is a long long way to go in this area. Especially as people like myself come in from different cultures, regions, ways of behaving , valuing human interaction and mindset. I hope this gets the true consideration it deserves and not just a We Talk You listen attitude from Europeans or Americans in the Catalyst ecosystem.

[dimitrifernando]

I am not being harsh or rude. I am just stating the facts based on my experience. Something i was within my rights to ask my constituents as GAH, and put a proposal as any other community member also. This is not a consent issue. Its a community decision to relook at a past proposal they didnt put in th first place. It was put, and they were given a either this or nothing option.

[EJChessher]

Recommended Status: Move to Community Issues for ongoing monitoring
Mentors felt that in their Circle there were no spaces that provided a 'Safe Place for Listening' A Discord Channel was created and since then there has been an explosion of places for the Community not only to listen but to engage in conversation.

I have opened Telegram and Discord Channels for the T&M Role. Felix CCv1 and Tevo CCv2 have joined me and others. We have started looking at the Prioritized Problem Board and just beginning the conversation.

As CCv3 I have no direct projects in motion other than being open for discussion on the Channels.