Code of Conduct PBL
In this document:
Part 1: Working versions of GG Basic Code of Conduct and the Full code of Conduct.
Part 2: Governance Guild PBL Course - Code of Conduct
Part 1
Basic Code
Zero tolerance policy
Governance Services Guild has a zero tolerance policy in respect of anyone who trolls, abuses or doxes our members. We will not work with such individuals and will call out this behavior where it is encountered.
This policy only applies to anyone GSG works with. We claim no disciplinary responsibility beyond this scope
Decided - https://docs.google.com/document/d/16xvnegr94aACzq0qT-jvWQZfi3WT6_yWyq-94BBvnjI/edit?usp=sharing
Full Code
Governance Services Guild Code of Conduct
Google Doc Draft - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YQ2CsmUmB5R1lH4BtAxUgD8LUMDW-dFAaiQnHGIv7is/edit?usp=sharing
This policy only applies to anyone GSG works with. We claim no disciplinary responsibility beyond this scope
Overall Disclaimer:
Governance Services Guild has a zero tolerance policy regarding anyone who trolls, abuses or doxes our members. We will not work with such individuals and will call out this behaviour when and where it is encountered.
Our Values
Honesty in how we interact with others
Fairness in how we balance perspectives
Equality of all members, at all times, without exception
Expected Behaviours
All members of the Governance Services Guild are expected to…
Participate in all meetings in a manner that is open, inclusive, and welcoming to new ideas;
Show up on time to meetings;
Advise other members as soon as possible once you know you will not be able to attend a meeting;
Act as a chair and/or note taker on an agreed-to schedule that shares the work;
Volunteer to participate in a variety of activities in support of the Guild;
Engage in a manner that is constructive and addresses problems head on;
Be willing to hear a variety of perspectives even when they challenge our own held beliefs;
Support and be responsive to other Guild members both within and outside of Guild meeting times, as appropriate; and
Remain committed to the Guild’s ongoing efforts.
All members of the Governance Services Guild are expected not to…
Engage with any other Guild members in a manner that is rude, disrespectful, or non--constructive to the Guild’s efforts;
Be disruptive or disconnected during Guild meetings;
Publicly shame, defame, or undermine other Guild members;
Act in a selfish or thoughtless manner; and
Provide false or misleading information to anyone within the Guild, or to the broader community about the Guild.
Conflicts of Interest
Within Project Catalyst, and the Cardano Community more broadly, it is often necessary that individuals wear many different hats and participate across a diverse array of groups and projects. While it may be impossible to avoid all conflicts of interest at the outset, it is incumbent on Guild members to be open and honest about other efforts they are working on, and whether a conflict of interest (perceived or real) may exist.
Examples of a conflict of interest:
Being paid multiple times for the same activity/role performed;
Creating empty tasks or activities simply to be rewarded;
Providing internal Guild information to outside individuals; and
Participating in other community Governance groups providing similar services, without disclosing it to other team members.
Ejection and or Replacement of Guild Members
Ejection
In general, it is desired that all Guild members are able to conduct themselves in such a manner that ejection is unlikely to occur, however, as we are all human there is a possibility that the Guild may need to eject a member for one reason or another. Given that this is a very serious course of action, prior to any attempts at ejection, the Guild should follow these steps:
Receive a written complaint from the complainant (either anonymously or through a proxy) regarding the proposed individual for ejection;
Inform the potential ejectee about the complaint, and provide the official complaint;
Set up a meeting to allow the complainant and respondent an opportunity to resolve the issue in a collegial way;
Invite all Guild members to participate in the meeting and understand both sides of the complaint;
If no consensus can be found, the complainant may request a vote to be held with all sitting Guild members;
The vote must have at least 75% of Guild members in favour of ejection in order to pass;
If the vote does not achieve a minimum of 75% of Guild members, the ejection will not pass and the individual will not be removed from the Guild.
If the ejection does not pass the vote, the Guild will hold another meeting and identify a potential path forward with all parties.
Replacement
Guild members are considered part of the team so long as they continue to contribute to the Guild’s efforts and participate in team activities. It is our hope that Guild members will stay on for a minimum of four months, or along the funding cycle schedule. To the extent possible, Guild members should provide ample time prior to leaving so that the Guild can identify a replacement for the leaving member. However, as we are all human there is a possibility that the Guild may need to replace a member for one reason or another. To the extent possible, those Guild members seeking to leave the Guild (not including through the ejection process highlighted above) should follow these steps to reduce their impact of leaving:
Inform the Guild members via discord or the weekly meeting that you intend to leave the Guild and will need to be replaced;
Identify the last day which you will serve as a Guild member;
When possible, identify a potential individual to act as your replacement;
Provide the Guild with a list of any outstanding projects or activities you are part of;
To the extent possible, tie up all loose ends on your specific projects; and
Support a smooth handoff to your replacement or the Guild member who will take on your workload.
Appendix A - Process for creating a Code of Conduct
Agree as a team that a Code of Conduct is required for your group’s operations.
Consider what circumstances need to be included in the CoC.
Teams can choose to undertake a framing exercise to understand the particular use of the CoC and to ensure that whatever format is selected that it reflects and addresses the team’s needs.
Guiding Notes: *
What is the purpose of your CoC? (Guiding behaviour, onboarding new people, resolving disputes, clarifying the team’s vision?)
What are you trying to solve?
Is this being developed prior to an incident? In response to an incident?
Are you trying to mitigate any risks?
If there has already been an incident in your team and you are building a CoC in response you may need to navigate its development so as to not narrow the scope only to the incident in question.
If you are a team with diverse or conflicting viewpoints and/or are concerned that a previous or existing incident may skew the development of the CoC, teams may request a facilitator to support the negotiations.
Does the CoC only apply to the activities of members when they are working on the specific tasks, or is it expected that team members adhere to the identified values and behaviours across a variety of places and spaces?
Identify level of legality/formality required
Following the framing activity above, teams should have a better sense of the items that need to be included and those that don’t.
REMEMBER: A CoC will likely not solve every single issue at the outset. Consider adding in an amending formula so additional items can be added as they arise throughout the team’s operations.
Identify potential template/format (you can start with either web-based examples or begin brainstorming as a team on format).
Many codes of conduct follow a similar pattern with varying levels of legal jargon and positivist/normative statements. Select a code of conduct format that aligns with the level of formality/legality required for your purposes.
Key components may include:
General introduction (preamble) outlining the reasons for the CoC.
Mission statement and/or a List of values/high level principles.
A CoC does not require all pieces of information. Teams may choose to focus on a few of the most important to identify the primary operating principles.
Part 2
Onboarding
Onboarding PBL video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15JqckFAqaPlBz8HV-KAgVtUY4pHrHedh/view?usp=share_link
Onboarding slides
What is a code of conduct
A code of conduct is an important policy for any team that outlines the standards of behaviour expected of everyone involved in your project. The code of conduct should be written down to give clear instructions about how all project and community members are expected to conduct themselves.
Why do you need a code of conduct
A code of conduct clarifies a team’s mission, values and principles. The code articulates the values the project/team wishes to foster in its members and, in doing so, defines desired behavior. Once written down, codes of conduct can become benchmarks against which individual and team performance can be measured.
Additionally, a code is a central guide and reference for individuals and teams to support day-to-day decision making. A code encourages discussions of ethics and compliance, empowering employees to handle dilemmas they encounter in everyday work. It can also serve as a valuable reference, helping members locate relevant documents, services and other resources related to the expectations of the project/team.
Externally, a code serves several important purposes:
Compliance: Projects may decide to implement codes or clearly to show new or prospective members the expected behaviours and mechanisms for addressing contravention of said behaviours.
Marketing: A code serves as a public statement of what the project stands for and its commitment to high standards and right conduct.
How do I know if I need a code of conduct?
It is good practice for all teams to have a code of conduct in order to avoid confusion once a problem arises. Being proactive in drafting a code of conduct can help teams ensure they are prepared to address any problem that arises when a team member’s behaviour goes counter to what is expected.
Building Background Knowledge
Building Background Knowledge PBL video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KyfGfPZiomlfEDLf6bftozjFVxcidtOy/view?usp=share_link
Building Background Knowledge slides
What makes a good code of conduct?
There is no standard wording for a code of ethics/conduct. Each group should develop one in defining expected behaviors and in addressing the risks, challenges, and customs in the countries in which it operates, as well as to fit their specific industry and situation. However, there are some basic points to keep in mind when creating or modifying a code.
The code language should be simple, concise, and readily understood by all employees.
The code should apply to all employees and be global in scope
The code should be written, reviewed, and edited by a multidisciplinary team in order to be reasonably confident that it is consistent with other corporate communications and policies, addresses relevant risk areas, has buy-in across the organization, and represents the organization’s culture. Consider inclusion of representatives from the following areas: Risk Management, Human Resources, Communications, Internal Audit, Security and relevant business units
The code should be revised and updated as appropriate to reflect business and regulatory changes
The code should not be legalistic - written as “thou shall not” - but rather state expected behaviours.
What makes a bad code of conduct?
A code of conduct is only as good as it is useful. If a team creates a code of conduct but does not adhere to any of its principles or expected behaviours it will likely not have the same effect.
Specializing
Specializing PBL video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15JqckFAqaPlBz8HV-KAgVtUY4pHrHedh/view?usp=share_link
Specializing slides
Getting Started
Agree as a team that a Code of Conduct is required for your group’s operations.
Teams can choose to undertake a framing exercise to understand the particular use of the CoC and to ensure that whatever format is selected that it reflects and addresses the team’s needs.
Consider what circumstances need to be included in the CoC.
NOTES:
What is the purpose of your CoC? (Guiding behaviour, onboarding new people, resolving disputes, clarifying the team’s vision?)
What are you trying to solve?
Is this being developed prior to an incident? In response to an incident?
Are you trying to mitigate any risks?
If there has already been an incident in your team and you are building a CoC in response you may need to navigate its development so as to not narrow the scope only to the incident in question.
If you are a team with diverse or conflicting viewpoints and/or are concerned that a previous or existing incident may skew the development of the CoC, teams may request a facilitator to support the negotiations.
Does the CoC only apply to the activities of members when they are working on the specific tasks, or is it expected that team members adhere to the identified values and behaviours across a variety of places and spaces?
Identify level of legality/formality required
Following the framing activity above, teams should have a better sense of the items that need to be included and those that don’t.
REMEMBER: A CoC will likely not solve every single issue at the outset. Consider adding in an amending formula so additional items can be added as they arise throughout the team’s operations.
Identifying what needs to be included
Identify potential template/format (you can start with either web-based examples or begin brainstorming as a team on format).
Many codes of conduct follow a similar pattern with varying levels of legal jargon and positivist/normative statements. Select a code of conduct format that aligns with the level of formality/legality required for your purposes.
Key components may include:
General introduction (preamble) outlining the reasons for the CoC.
Mission statement and/or a List of values/high level principles.
A CoC does not require all pieces of information. Teams may choose to focus on a few of the most important to identify the primary operating principles.
If teams have a mission statement already with multiple values or principles they may choose to conduct a prioritization exercise to select a shortlist to include on the CoC. .
If teams are beginning with no mission statement or identified principles/values, they may choose to conduct a selection exercise where team members share their desired principles/values/mission which then gets discussed and prioritized by the team.
Expected behaviours
Positive (members should…)
Negative (members shouldn’t…)
If applicable, Workplace policies and procedures.
Industry compliance and regulations (if applicable).
Onboarding practices.
Disciplinary action.
Drafting the code of conduct
Draft skeleton with high level ideas/information.
Canvas group members for content to populate skeletal outline.
There are many ways groups may choose to go about identifying the key components to be included. Some examples that teams may choose to follow include::
Use a simple brainstorm approach where all ideas are submitted and discussed in turns.
Use a platform such as pol.is
so team members can provide inputs asynchronously and then vote on submissions to help prioritize.
Adopt the CoC from another group that is similar to theirs or addresses the same areas of interest.
Set a limit on the amount of time members have to submit inputs.
Once the deadline lapses, collate all inputs into revised versions.
Share again with team members for final comments, red flags, or missing pieces.
Teams should identify the level of input desired. In some instances it may be desirable to keep the reviewing group to a limited subset of the group, depending on size. Other teams may decide to share the CoC broadly with all members of their community.
There are trade offs to both small and broad review processes. When keeping reviews narrow, teams may be able to act more quickly but may miss elements that would be identified by the broader community. When going broad with the review, teams may decide to provide explicit instructions on what is being asked of the community or narrow the focus to a limited portion of the CoC.
Selecting the approach you plan to take at the beginning can help teams structure the CoC development to suit their needs and to help set expectations on how community members may/may not be involved.
Collect and collate all remaining comments.
Team members should confirm that the CoC in the near-final format matches their own values and mission statement as identified, and that all input has been accounted for, whether accepted and integrated, or not.
Does the CoC include what was identified by the team?
Does the language selected match the vision/principles/mission?
Is the language inclusive so that all community members are represented?
Does the CoC address/resolve the problems/issues identified above?
Do you have rationales for why some items may have been suggested but not incorporated, why?
Contributing
Contributing PBL video
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZs06oyqBUY5IyS1dJMuv8OzHjwghlI2/view?usp=share_link
Contributing slides
Supporting Resources:
Examples of CoCs
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