Manifesto, aka How You Get Where You Want to Go: A declaration of principles, intentions, and ambitions. Written commitments that demonstrate exactly how the mission/purpose/ values will be executed.
“Instead of this absurd division into sexes, they ought to class people as static and dynamic.” — Evelyn Waugh
Exercise:
Mini-Manifesto
1. Take your core values that you identified earlier. Under each of those values, list three things you do that embody that value.
2. For each value, write at least one question you can ask yourself every day to perpetuate that value.
These daily questions are meant to keep you on track toward living your values. But they only work when you’re both honest and realistic with yourself. If you want to expand upon this exercise, you can list exactly how to make each value happen.
This exercise is adaptable to making any new goal or venture happen. “Big Ruby” is a web application that manages social media campaigns and measures their returns. It’s still in development, but in constructing this new business, I’ve applied the same exercises to ensure we focus and accomplish our intended purpose. Below is an example using the Big Ruby values:
“Big Ruby Mini Manifesto”
Value 1: Care for the community
BigRuby will act as a filter to verify that its team members get ONLY quality information they are passionate about. We will empower team members’ voices by representing their interests and conveying their opinions to the businesses with whom we work. We will support all businesses and team members by providing timely support to ensure their success on campaigns.
How will we do this?
• We will connect people based on passion by going into BigRuby and checking in with our customers to see if their needs are being met by having successful campaigns that reach their goals.
• We will respond to inquiries as soon as humanly possible either personally or by linking to existing copy. We will measure response time through our live chat service and by dates on emails.
• We will take responsibility for ourselves and not blame others when there is a challenge.
• We will always take care of each other and make each other look good. That includes ALL members of the BigRuby community.
Assessment:
Did I assist a team member today? Is there a team member who needs my support? Is there a relationship I can improve today? Am I involved enough? Do I care about others? Really?
Value 2: Development is Hip and Fun!
We are always innovative so we can keep BigRuby “cool” and relevant to our team members, vendors, and coaches. We inform the community of all important findings in the most effective means possible. Messages that go through the BigRuby system must be the newest and most important developments in each area of passion. When something makes you smile, you are on the right path. “Mean funny” is not okay. “Nice funny” is highly desirable!
How will we do this?
• We will lead in the Social Media industry by sharing knowledge with others in as many ways as possible.
• We will embrace learning opportunities, change, and growth as a part of our culture in order to be the best we can be.
• We will ask our community members to suggest improvements and respond to their needs.
• We will seek out new relationships that can add value to the Rubisphere.
Assessment:
Did I seek out new relationships that could benefit the BigRuby community? Did I think of a new way of doing things better? Do I care about learning something new? About sharing the new information? Is there a new technology that my boss should know about? Did I have fun working today? Did I seek out fun? Did I share the fun? Was I nice today? If not, did I apologize? If somebody was unkind to me, did I call them on it? What did I do to facilitate the fun? Do I have what it takes to keep on changing and innovating?
Value 3: Be Respectfully Authentic
BigRuby demands that messages be real. The messages we convey through our system may not be our opinion or our personal passion; however, we must demonstrate respect for the desires and passions of others. We must show the same respect for our teammates, coaches, and vendors. Keep it real!
How will we do this?
• BigRuby seeks out passionate authentic people both in the virtual world of BigRuby and in the real world for meaningful relationships that will perpetuate the community.
• We will live by the platinum rule and do unto others as they would have us do unto them. We will respect their wishes.
• We will be kind in all of our interactions.
Assessment:
Did I take ownership of my feelings today? Was I respectful to everybody? Did I observe the platinum rule? Did I do unto others as
they would have me do unto them? Did I make somebody’s day? Did I act with dignity?
Value 4: Act with Purpose
There is always a reason for everything we do. We are here to connect people through their passions. Every meeting has a purpose and every feature has a purpose. We will be clear as to our purpose everyday with every action. Just as James Bond knows his mission, so must we.
How will we do this?
• We will provide meeting agendas for our clients and ourselves.
• We will show up with enthusiasm and give back to our team and communities in a passionate way.
• Our personal missions needs to be aligned with the mission of BigRuby. We must be able to articulate our personal mission as well as the mission of BigRuby.
Assessment:
Do I know who I am? Do I know what I am doing here? Did I take charge of my life today? Did I provide clear objectives for my interactions today? Is my personal mission still in alignment with that of BigRuby? Am I being true to myself? Did I seek achievement?
My commitment:
I have read and I understand these ideas entirely. I know what I need to do. I understand that if I do not live by these values, I will not be a part of the BigRuby team.
I will do everything it takes to live the BigRuby values and assist in building the BigRuby community to make it a better place than it was when I arrived.
Signature: _______________________________________________________ Name: __________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________________________