Letters & Thoughts

The Cardano Ecosystem and the one-sided way of working

The blockchain universe is, for many, something distant and unreachable, in addition to being highly complex. However, apart from the fact that it is a very interesting new technology, which allows tracking the sending and receiving of certain types of information, through various checks in a connected, extensive and inviolable network; the way of thinking in this universe also deserves our attention.

Decentralization here is generally taken really seriously. When thinking about a traditional system of work, centralized, pre-shaped, permeated by bosses and subordinates, we are far from what - at least in theory - blockchain preaches, both in technological aspects as well as in human and behavioral issues. When we reflect on the Cardano Ecosystem, which is nothing less than the junction of various entrepreneurs, groups, initiatives, projects, games, marketplaces and everything that revolves around the Cardano blockchain and our Ada cryptocurrency, we are talking precisely about that. But what would be the advantages and differentials of working more unilaterally, where everyone involved has a voice and space to develop, whatever their instances and inspirations?

The traditional way of working is proving more and more obsolete and unproductive. This can be seen in practice: on the one hand, we see more and more employees - whether they are from different areas of activity - resigning. In contemporary times, there is even a “quiet quitting” modality, which consists of when work voluntarily leaves their job because they realize that they work more than agreed, and usually without receiving bonuses, whether they are various promotions or increases in the pay itself. . This is due to the simple fact that employees do not reap the rewards of their efforts - those overtime hours are not counted and the results generated will be restricted to their employers.

In addition, there is also all the physical and emotional exhaustion that is experienced daily by employees, resulting in problems such as burnout syndrome, or even anxiety and depression. In addition to so many losses that people suffer as a result of their overwhelming work routines, businesses are also directly affected. The situation of superiority and exploitation in working hours results in products (either products or services) of declining quality; quantity is more targeted than quality and the entire reputation and productivity of companies and businesses are in trouble in such situations. In general, everyone loses, with workers deluded by a possible promotion that will never come and other employers deluded by a maximization of profits that will, at any moment, result in a collapse.

Of course, this scenario is not definitive, not all traditional business models have these flaws and problems; but it is undeniable that, with the passage of time and with the news we receive from everywhere, such scenarios become more and more common. The field of innovation, therefore, should not be limited only to the technological application, to the computing part, to the making of blockchain technology itself. In the Cardano Ecosystem, most employers and entrepreneurs think a little differently, in a more decentralized and egalitarian way so that the projects in question are really successful - after all, it is a third-generation blockchain that needs carnally projects that generate profit and greater adoption of our network, so that it can actually be adopted on a global scale, strengthening both Ada and all the solutions proposed in the various Catalyst funding rounds.

But after all, what is this decentralized model of work like? There is no formula, a definitive model that must be copied, pasted, used in different projects. However, some principles are used. First, the fact that there is no boss, a superior in itself. Obviously, there are those who came up with the ideas, who submitted them to the catalyst and who were successful in financing, thus being responsible for passing on payments through the money received monthly by the IOG. However, in some groups - most of them in our Ecosystem - this person is seen as a leader but not a boss.

And what would be the difference? In groups, we all have roles to perform - jobs to be done, tasks to be completed. Each member is singular, unique and important, and in the same way that he has duties, he also has rights. In the Ecosystem, it is common for those assigned to certain functions to have the freedom to refuse certain specific activities, for whatever reason. Leaders delegate activities to those who are most aligned to carry them out successfully; however, there is no enforcement. The violation of the right and personal space cannot/should not be carried out within our community.

This way of working, at first, may seem a little too favorable for employees and not so interesting for leaders. However, the exact opposite occurs. While employees are aware of their duties, but also have enough respect in that work environment to refuse tasks on certain occasions, they (us) feel much more motivated and engaged to contribute in the best possible way. Quality over quantity. By having a pre-arranged financial support, it is known what must be done. Trust must be the basis of this work model, because while leaders will assign tasks knowing that one or the other may not be carried out (at least at that moment), they also have the freedom to talk frankly with their team if the situation is out of balance. In case the project is not actually progressing, the partial results expected for each month, for example, are not being observed, etc.

A worker who is happy, calm and who really wants to make the project in which he is inserted progress is certainly worth more than some workers who carry out activities on automatic and do not have an extra-curricular involvement, let's say, with what is being done. . In addition to greater comfort for employees - and also the fact that leaders have the possibility to make the necessary adjustments for a functionally organic, healthy and productive - this work model also encourages employees to increasingly improve their attributes . The logic is simple: the more training and higher quality deliveries, more and more tasks will be assigned, which will result in networking and greater financial rewards, in a progressive and measured way. By reversing the logic of exploration and exhaustive work, a much more welcoming environment will be installed, and with it the overall performance of the team will be higher in terms of quality (without the quantity being subjugated, as this is also necessary to be measured in most of projects).

Furthermore, the Cardano community is increasingly moving towards self-governance, that is, an internal organization that allows the activities and projects developed to progress and generate the desired results. And self-governance would never be possible without each individual member feeling necessary, motivated and seeking constant improvement in the execution of their tasks, always seeking to train themselves and deliver increasingly satisfactory results - be it a member of the Catalyst School team, or maybe from the WADA group, Catalyst Swarm, Gimbalabs and so many other diverse nuclei that make up this diverse and rich community. We then conclude that, despite being a little shocking initially, a more alternative, unilateral, egalitarian, fair and comfortable way of working for all involved should be considered - because each member of each team that makes up the Cardano universe matters and is deserving of investments.

Written by Livia Corcino, August 2022