1.1 Role Definition

A “Role” is an organizational construct that a person can fill and then energize on behalf of the Organization. Whoever fills a Role is a "Role Lead" for that Role.

A Role definition consists of a descriptive name and one or more of the following:

  1. a “Purpose”, which is a capacity, potential, or goal that the Role will pursue or express.
  2. one or more “Domains”, which are assets, processes, or other things the Role may exclusively control and regulate as its property, for its purpose.
  3. one or more “Accountabilities”, which are ongoing activities the Role will manage and enact in service of other Roles or to support its Purpose.

A Role may also hold “Policies”, which are grants or constraints of authority, or special rules that apply within that Role.

1.2 Responsibilities of Role Leads

As a Role Lead, you have the following responsibilities:

1.2.1 Processing Tensions

You are responsible for comparing the actual expression of your Role’s Purpose and Accountabilities to your vision of their ideal potential, to identify gaps between the two (each gap is a “Tension”). You are then responsible for trying to resolve those Tensions.

1.2.2 Processing Purpose & Accountabilities

You are responsible for regularly considering how to enact your Role's Purpose and each Accountability, by defining:

  1. “Next-Actions”, which are useful actions that you could take immediately, at least in the absence of competing priorities; and
  2. “Projects”, which are specific outcomes that would be useful to work towards, at least in the absence of competing priorities.

1.3 Circles

A “Circle” is a container for organizing Roles and Policies around a common Purpose. The Roles and Policies within a Circle make up its acting “Governance”.

1.3.1 Breaking Down Roles

The inside of every Role is a Circle. This Circle can hold its own Roles and Policies to break down and organize its work. This does not apply to the Roles defined in this Constitution, which may not be further broken down.

A Role's internal Circle is considered a “Sub-Circle” of the broader Circle that holds the Role, while that broader Circle is its “Super-Circle”.