Understanding 7 Cups Culture (LDP Discussion #5)
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Hello Leadership Crew!
We are wrapping up the first course today with our last discussion on culture. Look for more instructions in this post to take the final evaluation for the course to your graduation. Once you have this course complete, you will be 20% done the Leadership Development Program. Good work!
Let's start by looking at the wikipedia definition of culture:
--Culture (/ÃkÃltÃÃr/) is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.[1]
We take culture seriously on 7 Cups because it is the heart of how we operate. A wise person once said: You teach what you know, but you reproduce who you are. We can have all of the best training content we want, but if our culture is not strong, then we will not be successful in growing a thriving, compassionate, community that will make a global impact.
Every organization has a culture whether by design or by default. When culture (including values and mission are not called out or made explicit, the organization defaults to an implicit or unstated culture. The unnamed culture is not always great for the end users or the community. An example of a common and implicit cultural rule or norm is that the person that makes the most money or the organization is the most important. People that work in this organization then, naturally, because it is the culture, start organizing themselves around ways to make more and more money. The ones at the top of the hierarchy are the ones that make the most money. 7 Cups cares less about money and more about compassion. We call out compassion and celebrate compassionate people because that is central to the work we do.
Please read our guide here to deeply understand our culture. We have made it explicit because we believe it is important to help us all be accountable to what we stand for and believe in. As leaders on 7 Cups, you will be models that emulate our culture and values.
One theme you'll notice in our guide is that it is very proactive, which is the opposite of reactive. We act first, we design first, we implement first in order to make an impact. Companies that react allow events to shape them; we instead try to focus on where we can have influence and shape events before they shape our community.
Part of being proactive is critical because building culture online is more challenging than building a culture offline. Offline interpersonal and group relationships are easier in a number of ways. People are generally much better behaved when they are right in front of you and it is easier for people to sync up and work towards a common goal. Online cultures have less of these natural strengths so you have to be extra proactive to build a strong culture. Look at most communities on the Internet. Unfortunately, they tend to devolve and become less than safe places with a lot of hate, sexual, and harmful behaviors. Our training system, the badges, word filters, moderators, etc. (dozens of behaviors we do) are all designed to proactively build and reinforce our culture so that we do not experience this same kind of entropy. Internet culture can be like an escalator going down. You have to be very proactive and take 2 or 3 steps up at a time to maintain and strengthen gains. As a leader on 7 Cups, you will be part of that group that gets behind us and enables us to continue making forward momentum.
That provides the broader background context to why we care so much about our culture and values at 7 Cups. They are core to our work.
To help make it more real, in this post, please highlight the 3 most important things you learned from our guide and why they are important to you.
After posting, please...
1. Take the course exam here to complete course 1.
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4. Proceed to Course 2!
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The three most important things I learned are:
1. Making excuses actually drains us. I always encouraged others to stay focused, but sometimes found myself not taking my own advice.
2. I have accountability to not only myself, but the people I listen to and the entire 7 Cups community. This not only applies here, but gives an insight to the real world.
3. Failure is okay, everybody is bound to fail.
@generousLove9008
For some odd reason, it is hard for us to take our own advice. Isn't that weird?? I agree that making excuses can be draining. It's like lying; when we lie, we have to continue to make little lies for that big lie to continue to make sense. Just not worth it.
This sentence stuck in my head :-
Fourth, and perhaps most important, we work urgently because our work deeply matters. Our collective efforts save lives, help people heal and make the world a better place.
I thought those were lovely words. Inspiring words! And, they made me think about everyone I have helped here, listened to, and worked with.
We expect failure - Edison famously said that he didnt fail 1000 times, he just learned 1000 ways of not solving the problem.
I agree but I don't use the word failure. That makes it an object, whereas if we say we didn't succeed using that method or following that route then it is just a word. I prefer the famous words "Failure Is Not An Option" spoken by Gene Kranz about Apollo 13 in the film, where they apparently calmly laid out all the options of getting the astronauts safely back to Earth and failure was not an option for them. But not succeeding is all part of trial and error and a good way to learn and work out new methods of success.
Your Work Matters
7 Cups is the largest mental health system in the world. Reviews in the app store frequently discuss how 7 Cups keeps people from suicide, helps them overcome addictions, and brings them back to a place of light and hope. This isnt an exaggeration. Your work saves lives.
I really enjoy listening and I know not many in leadership positions still do actually listen, they are too busy. So it is good to remember that listening is at our core, it is what we should all be doing, and it is the main reason I strive so hard to improve the quality of our Listeners.
Listening - One Step At A Time!
1. That failure is okay. That is my personal value, but it is nice to see it is represented here as well.
2. That it's important to do work fulfilling to you to grow personally and professionally. I love this!
3. "We welcome ideas from everyone. We are all on the same mission, on the same path, out here to solve a very important problem. No one is too distant to approach when it comes to problem solving and collaboration." I love this because I feel collaboration is very important. I want everyone to feel like they've been listened to.
@GlenM
15/14. I am glad about this very much.
What I felt in the guide is the severe affection. This is very kind.
What I learned:
1. important one my work, which I make, and it is possible to do this in teamwork efficiently only.
2. I have to believe a necessary support in myself and on all of them get it, that let me make my work well and efficiently.
3. At the 7 cups everybody equal and I welcome this
@GlenM thank you for letting us experiences various programs!
the most important things i highlighted are:
TRUST- Being genuine,compassion, and sharing warm ambience within the people are able to foster growth.
COLLABORATE- 7cups helps those people who're in downsides (either listeners or members). As part of community, we're allowed to share our shoes and help each other going through together. We might feel fighting alone, but in here we have people listen to us and bolster our strength
EXPECTING FAILURES- No beings are created as perfect. Even, what hinders us to see beyond our view is that we think we're great already. Whereas the best teacher in the world is by learning from mistakes and exert towards the improved ones (not the best self, but the better one)
@redemptionblue17 That's very inspiring! We all make mistakes but we can learn from them and become better.
@GlenM
Thank you for this course and discussion!
The 3 things I learned from this course are-
1) how to find a journey that is fulfilling
2) the problem is the path. This idea is very thought-provoking.
3) the idea and meaning behind High expectations and High warmth
Looking forward to the next one! Have a great day, y'all!
@GlenM
I learned that my work here does matter and I do make a difference in the lives of those I encounter. That's one of the reasons I joining the Cups community. Being told that I am valued for my work is a wonderful things. Thank you for that positive reinforcement.
I leaned that 7 Cups is a leader in helping those who are financially unable to reach out for support. Access is so important for those with limited financial resources and for those who are uninsured or under insured. I've heard it mentioned in group chats and 1-1's that finances are an issue for so many. Learning that Cups is the leader in providing free support is amazing.
I've learned, though this guide, that trust is the backbone of this community and our community culture. Members come to us and share the most intimate details of their lives. They entrust us to be caring, supportive, judgement free, and empathetic. As listeners, being worthy of that trust is our greatest responsibility. There is honor in integrity.
@GlenM
This was a terrific discussion and I loved the positivity in developing leaders for 7 Cups. The 3 things that I learned from this:
1. Conscientiousness. I was fascinated to learn that this is the "single biggest indicator of success". I love that concept because it reinforces the importance of the work we do and whether it is something big or small, it all makes a difference and should be done to the best of our abilities.
2. Collaboration. In my experience with 7 Cups, one of the most amazing things that I have found is the mutual support we give each other and the constant goal of lifting each other up.
3. Accountability. As a manager for my job, this is one of the most important things that I try to instill in my team. We have to be able to rely on each other to do what we commit to doing so our common goal can be met. I love that on 7 Cups, everyone steps up to do their part. As the saying goes, it takes a village.
The following three things I learnt
1. 7cups has something to offer for everyone. No matter who you are or where you come from, you will always find here something relatable.
2. This also means that every person can contribute in some way if they are given the proper environment
3. Sometimes it takes more than one person (a team of selfless people) to create such an environment
@DonaldDraper
Hi Don *waving hand*
Great points on Strength Based and Collaboration *thumbs up*
Glad I'm on your team! 🤗
Cheers! ❤
PS: wish me luck on LDP
PSS: seriously, please wish me luck 😁
@ouiCherie you got this ♥️
Stil, good luck 🤗
When I've first joined seven cups as a member I've been sad and when I talked to a listener I learnt to love myself and wanted to make someone else feel great about their selves so that's why I become a listener and I've loved it the three things I've learned was that 1 when on 7cups no one judges you ,you can be open and free 2. When your a listener you learn about people problems and you learn something different everytime you talk to a member and 3 I've become confident with who I am !
