1/20/10 Collective Call Notes—Mad Mapping TIP

Personal Check Ins

Working Group Updates

Angel-Distro/Campus:  All thank you packages ready to go by Thursday.  WRL gave access to use postage meter.  Checking in w/campus organizers returning for new semester.

Molly-Support Network:  PM thank yous have gone out/getting positive feedback.  Community call 1/17 good/small turn out.  Trying to focus on transition/delegation of tasks.

Will-Media/Publications:  Attended WRAP for orgs webinar.  Floating/different directions. 

Annie-Admin/Outreach:  Reel Abilities Film Fest in NYC.  All major donors thanked.  Need clarity about role.

Madigan-VisionKeeper:  Reading past notes/thinking about various TIP incarnations.  On Community Call.  House keys not handcuffs, action in SF.

Eric-Web:  Talking with volunteer members/forming working group team for back end web.  Working w/Nick to debug upgrade.  TIP twitter account.  Moving towards web working group meeting soon. 


Mad Mapping The Icarus Project
Molly & Angel-Co-facilitate 

A map shows us where we are, have been and where we want to go.
A guide helps find paths/trails, specific action steps towards ideal. 
Kiran will join us on 1/27 to help guide us. 

Ground Rules for this call/Comfort Agreement:
Be Honest while considering others feelings.  Ruthless Compassion.
Know this process will continue beyond this call.  There will be follow thru.
Give time checks around agenda. 
Try to stay focused on collective rather than individual. 
Two parts to this call macro/micro. 

Big Picture-What does TIP look like/feel like when it is well? 

Communication is flowing to all parts, open, healthy, regular check ins. 

We are connected to larger movement of collective liberation.  We know how to be good allies and have good allies. 

Mutual aid, shared work, tools for how we share the work, skill sharing, rotation of tasks/delegation/follow thru. 

We know what the “basics” are and how they will be covered. 

We know how we’re interconnected, show respect/compassion in all interactions/communications.

Roles/tasks prioritized brings us closer together.  This happens when we are in “crisis” mode. 

Clarity on who is doing what/status of what is being done/regular updates.

Challenging/diverse spaces with different styles.  From different planets.

Fluidity/multiple points of view. 

Triggers/Problem Areas:

COMMUNICATION!
Afraid to offend so we speak in general rather than specific. 
Lack of clarity creates paranoia and ongoing background tension.

Lack of time and technology we use to communicate. 

We get derailed by tone and miss valid/valuable content.

Patterns of toxic behavior rather than thoughtfulness and professionalism.

Atmosphere of caution.

No space to hear valid concerns/no structure/process around grievance. 

Tension around how we came to do this work. 

How we hire/ask someone to step back.  How we do the dance. 

Interpersonal gets exasperated by shifting/changing containers.


Ideas/needs:

Call out behavior (tone) while hearing content/addressing need. 

If triggered, step back, check in w/3rd party, use phone/not email.

Create process around policy (grievance/wellness).  Strengthen containers. 

Prioritize wellness work on regular calls.

Assess organizational “basics” that need to be covered.  What would it look like if only one person stipend to cover basics? 

Routine report backs. 


Questions for Kiran:

What are the possible containers TIP could move into?  Stronger working groups/nonprofit/coop/etc. 

What are the “basics” for projects/priorities?  How do we integrate individual/organizational needs? 

How do we capture moments of clicking/flow?  What elements are in place making it happen?  How do we evolve/grow follow natural flow to solid and concrete?

How do we create a container that can disepate tension/ create resolution around interpersonal/grievances?  

How to move toward more vibrant working group model and eliminate tension between coordinating collective and rest of TIP (the in-between space)?  What about stipends? 

How to make people notice/appreciate? 

More radical honesty!
Continue to work on internal (collective) process, sharpen and share skills as organizers. 

Move towards something specific, Highlander or other larger collective training. 

Create process we’re all committed to.


Next Call Wednesday 1/27/10 3pm (est)
Follow up with Kiran as support/guide.