[hackerspaces] Members and membership

[James Carlson]

We have spent a lot of time at Bucketworks over the last ten years on how to on-board new members. The whole experience from first visit, first tour, sign up and welcome is mapped out as a flowchart that board members and even members can follow, so new members come to think of themselves (and act like) owners over time. It's a critical part of how to build community.

On May 31, 2012, at 12:51 PM, Tim Miller <timmillertech at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have noticed this local but this is not just an issue with new members it also includes people who have been with the hackerspace from the start but are just not as active. 
> 
> When they want to do something or change something they always look at the people who are their most to say it is alright or to take charge and make it happen so lots of awesome things just never happen. This is everything from moving tables around, organizing meet ups and events or acquiring tools. 
> 
> I think a large part of this is how we are trained to work and act in an organization. Something we have been told is how reasonable productive people act.
> 
> The Valve new employee handbook tries to address these problems but I am guessing the type of person recruited into Valve is likely to work naturally in this fashion.
> http://newcdn.flamehaus.com/Valve_Handbook_LowRes.pdf 
> 
> Who moved my cheese? is another thing that may prevent people from moving stuff around or doing what they need or want to do. People get used to things being the way they are and staying that way, change is upsetting.  To say that X person said it was okay to move/do stuff to avoid conflict and defer blame is easier or they just don't do anything.
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 1:47 PM, B F <bakmthiscl at gmail.com> wrote:
> Not knowing how your organization is structured, I don't know what
> needs to be fixed.
> 
> However, in many organizations, little effort is made to include
> newcomers, and this is a shame because newcomers are often more highly
> motivated than anyone else.  I wrote the bylaws for an organization
> that is about 15 years old and going strong.  Rather than organize it
> like your typical club -- president, 1st VP, 2nd VP, Treasurer,
> Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Ways & Means Chairman,
> Program Chairman, Hospitality Chairman, ad nauseum - this group has a
> board, period.  All board members share all responsibilities.  Without
> office holders or chairmen, there's nobody to block progress -- which
> is what unpaid officers do, more times than not.  The board can elect
> new members to the board at any time.  The effect is to bring in the
> most active people right away and give them the rope to hang
> themselves (but not necessarily the money).  There's no limit to the
> size of the board (and a quorum is 1/3 of the board or 5 minimum), but
> the preponderance of the membership has no interest in being on the
> board.  This structure is very successful, and our organization has
> many times more activities than any other comparable group,
> nationwide.
> 
> Obviously, this would not translate directly to a makerspace, but it
> should be food for thought.
> 
> BTW, the secret to getting volunteers is -- to ask them!
> 
> On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 11:23 AM, Nathaniel Bezanson
> <myself at telcodata.us> wrote:
> > I've noticed a thing which probably affects all member-driven
> > organizations at some point: New members act like "customers", they don't
> > see themselves as owners/directors/stakeholders.
> >
> > Three months after we formed, a new member would say something like "Are
> > we gonna get involved in that event I just heard about?"
> >
> > Today, a new member would say something like "Are you gonna get involved
> > in..." or "Is i3detroit gonna get involved in..."
> >
> > Part of this is self-evident. There's less organizational building and
> > shaping going on, so newbies are less apt to see themselves as builders
> > and shapers. But this also means they hesitate before diving into things,
> > in ways that seem to hinder their use of the space and resources.
> >
> > How can we fix that? I'd like to tear down some perceived walls, make it
> > obvious that new members are just as valued as the old founding farts, et
> > cetera. Open to any and all ideas.
> >
> > -Nate-
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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