Author : Beeradley
Reviewers : Meg, Mary, Shawn
Purpose : Information and feedback
Summary:
During the leadership forum (Wednesday, June 8) we hosted the step-back event. The step-back event was designed to take a holistic contributor assessment of the DAO.
What’s working, what’s not working, steps we can take to improve in Season 2.
The recording should be accessible to anyone with an IC address:
And here’s a link to the Mural:
We plan to take the key themes below, create some actionable next steps, assign owners and bake these into the S2 planning process.
We are aware that (a) not everyone was able to attend the call, (b) sharing critical feedback live can be uncomfortable (c) some ideas might have surfaced after the call, and (d) grouping and prioritizing can be subjective.
Because of this, we want to give everyone the chance to discuss, ask questions, add any feedback and make next step suggestions. We will continue to update the Suggested next steps (action items and owners).
What’s working?
- There is generally a feeling of stronger leadership direction, communication, cohesion and collaboration and an ability to make more difficult decisions.
Things we get to improve?
- We still need more clarity from leadership around remit, delegated token use and conversations defining our reliance (being used as a crutch?) on ICC decision making
- While communication was improved, we still need better communication and transparency from leadership
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Index Council remit to be holistically addressed before next election (not started) @catjam
- Index Council to set up a weekly open office hours meeting for open questions and communication with the community (thank you @funkmasterflex for the idea and help coordinating!) @catjam
What’s working?
- The new nest structure and verticals was viewed as a big improvement over WG’s
- Moving to the contributor server was helpful
Things we get to improve?
- A strong feeling that we need more operational excellence, efficiency, execution and stability
- We need better prepared and more efficient meetings and to revisit our meeting cadence (less meetings, but better use of that time)
- Better defining how we view centralization versus decentralization
- More collaboration between Product and Growth
- Improved ability to discuss issues in real time
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- S2 Org Structure, Proposal, Budget and KPI process shared on forum next week (in progress) @Pepperoni_Joe
- Framework/template for meetings: cadence, transparency and efficiency. Less meetings, but more efficiently prepared, facilitated and communicated. (not started or assigned)
What’s working?
- A feeling of good chemistry, team problem solving (icETH example), more professionalism and generally working well together.
Things we get to improve?
- Narky comments, poor tone and internal communication at times, and some examples of low trust (fewer keyboard warriors and more collaborative talking)
- There is a general inability to have difficult conversations
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Updated code of conduct shared for feedback this week (in progress) @catjam
- Conflict management process for S2 (not started or assigned)
- Leadership training (in progress) @shawn16400
What’s working?
- Reduced spend and increased focus on profitability/sustainability
Things we get to improve?
- There is still a lack of strategic financial plan and forecasting
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Stable coin runway analysis (posted today by finance) Finance Nest Community Updates - A Thread - #8 by Finance.Nest
- Identify triggers for meaningful inter-season budget cuts, analysis and define the minimally viable organization (MVO) - in prep for an extended bear market (not started or assigned) Suggestion by Shawn
What’s working?
- Product launches and prioritization (icETH flagged several times as a win)
- The new product strategy and roadmap and product development is more streamlined
Things we get to improve?
- Still too reactive with product prioritization, there is a general disconnect between product roadmap and market
- IIPs were approved without profitability assessment
- We need to improve measuring and reporting potential risks of products
- There is a lack of engineering urgency, product launch planning was messy and rushed at times
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- To be addressed with Product S2 proposal creation process (not started or assigned) @afromac @edwardk
Things we get to improve?
Tokenomics is non-existent and has not been addressed.
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- …
What’s working?
- There is a strong team of core hires and a highly capable team
Things we get to improve?
- Become more technically proficient where necessary
- Some difficult decisions need to be made for those core contributors who aren’t performing and harming the culture, we need
- Clarify expectations around flexible hires - progression, budgets, and roles
- Too much dependency on certain individuals - develop depth in key at-risk roles
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Implement consistent and equitable performance reviews to drive accountability (not started)
- Impact alignment/performance review process S2 (draft complete)
What’s working?
- We are successfully Bridging the gap CEFI <> DEFI,
- We have more customer focus
Things we get to improve?
- Still not enough strategic focus and prioritization - we still lack clearly defined success metrics
- There are too many distractions from important work
- More focus on community/customer
- Still lacking a clear and aligning vision, mission, value statement
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Vision, Mission, Values JK, Caf, Madison + ICC and advisor group @JosephKnecht @caf
- KPI setting and S2 Proposals @anthonyb.eth
What’s working?
- Fewer IIPs required to take action,
- Dedicated resourcing to metagov
- Growth leadership unifying (Dev)
Things we get to improve?
- Decisions not being communicated/discussed before going to IIP (the process doesn’t feel transparent)
- IIPs being rolled back post decision
- Low trust in governance efficiency
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Governance incorporate feedback in S2 Planning focused on: (link) (in progress) @shawn16400
What’s working?
- We started developing touchpoints with partners
- Gemini, Coinbase, Argent partnerships/listings were a huge win
- We opened conversation with Set and 1kx
Things we get to improve?
- We need to improve our relationship and communication with Set, DFP and partners in general - including more attention towards establishing DRI’s
- We handled the situation with ForeFront poorly
- We need to build a robust and repeatable relationship model
- GOV house situation is messy
- We are still missing crucial infrastructure to secure large partnerships
Suggested next steps (action items and owners)
- Formally appoint DRI’s? Suggested previously by (unsure) @JosephKnecht
Special thanks to @MaryQ for hosting the event, to everyone who facilitated, to Joe for collating and theming the responses, and to everyone who attended and provided valuable feedback.