7 Cups Culture Guide + Badge!

The 7 Cups Culture Guide taught me a lot about 7 Cups itself, what they value, what their mission is and what they plan to achieve. The things mentioned below are the 3 most important things (for me) that I learned while I was reading and analyzing the guide.

1. What work we're good at, work we're interested in and work that solves the problem or meets the goal we want to achieve should be equally balanced. In that way we're able to perform well and someone can effectively do their jobs. If one is lacking at an area then they won't be able to do well, so it's important that these three are always balanced.

2. Failing is okay, as long as we did our best and tried. We sometimes don't get things or do well on our first try but it's completely fine as long as you tried. Try and try until you succeed.

3. Everyone should be treated equally. No one is more valuable or important the other. Everyone is equally valuable, they have equal right, they should be treated equally with respect, no one's superior or inferior. People should be treated with equality regardless of age, gender, race, religion and any other differences.

I, smileflower1004, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

I, Deliah453, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

I have taken the test, and the three most important things I learned are:

1. 7 Cups expects failure. This is important, because as long as you try, it is okay to fail. You can learn things that way.

2. Not everybody will be a good fit. Not everybody is expected to be amazing at being a listener, so it awesome that they outline that

3. Strengths-based. 7 Cups builds off your strengths, they use what you naturally are good at, to find what fulfills you.

I, cocoakrispies121, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

I learned a lot from the Culture Guide. Thank you so much for that. If I have to sum up my learning in 3 points, they will be:

1. The importance of inclusivity. Every time we say 'Hello' to a "stranger" (fellow listener/member), it feels like saying the same thing to a "stranger" you met in real life say in an elevator. Before I would generally ignore and mind my own business, now, I have the confidence to "Stretch My Hand First" and ask how they are doing out of the blue and have a great elevator ride full of laughter and conversation as opposed to awkward silence.

2. The power of listening against the power of solving. Yes, sometimes we need shortcuts and solutions but most of the time, we just need a shoulder, an ear to hear us out. To validate our feelings, our emotions, and most importantly our struggles. Meeting people from all walks of life here on one platform shows you, you aren't alone and You matter.

3. Sharing helps. When we share cultures, we give a platform to everyone. From east to west, cultures may differ greatly, but the real joy lies in sharing it. Celebrating it together.

I, VerseArt, have read the 7 Cups Culture Guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@VerseArt love this "now, I have the confidence to "Stretch My Hand First"

I,Mirage882 have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

I,Moon882, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

I learned that when we find the job hard we should do our best and ask for feedback. I think it is nice to have a support network like this.

I learned that some people transition out of 7cups and that is ok. We do want to make it a good learning experience, in any case.

I learned that failure is ok.

I, BlindGrapefruit, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

Three important things I learnt from the 7 Cups Culture guide are that (1) failure is nothing to be scared of and it is nothing to worry about as long as you are focused and trying, (2) 7 Cups is built on trust and accountability, and (3) 7 Cups promotes high expectations and high warmth to foster both productivity and enjoyment.

I, TheGoodFairy, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

1. I have learned that 7 Cups is a powerful and positive community, which is important to me because it is an environment that makes me feel happy.

2. I have learned that 7 Cups strives to make everyone a better person, which is important to help me grow.

3. I have also learned that 7 Cups is teaching me life skills which makes me feel even more valued here:).

I, Lww873, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

I, fantasticFriend8935, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

the three things I learnt after taking the test is that failure isn't the end, volunteer work is beneficial to both the people involved and that it is important to gain trust

@GlenM

Your Work Matters

There are some days where I get overwhelmed knowing I need to volunteer because Im not sure I will be able to help that person. Its the thought that counts when I click one a member or they request me. I know I am doing my best with each person I come into contact with.

Collaborate

Being able to work with a team is important because it can be draining to try to save the world by ourselves. When collaborating, we can bounce ideas off of each other and steer each other in a successful path.

We Believe in Equality

There are a lot of people who come into 7 cups and have never felt equal to their peers or anyone else for that matter. Being able to participate in 7 cups without feeling judged even a little bit is giving people hope and relief.

I, shiningDay80, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@shiningDay80 well you arent forced to volunteer if it makes you feel overwhelmed. I think it is part of self care to be honest with yourself when it might not be the best time to listen cause the member will probably feel it if you consider it as a burden for the moment. The word volunteering basically means you do something not cause youre paid or something but because you feel like investing into the thing and if youre not really down for it then for that moment the whole thing doesnt make a lot of sense.Help is a big word and nobody expects you to solve people's problems and we can't even give advice on here. As long as you stick to the guidelines and active listening skills you are doing your best. We cannot save the world, not alone and not as a community or organization, expectations may be high but nobody would expect that or claim we would be able to do it, that would be unrealistic and megalomaniac. What be might be able to do is changing a little part of the world and here we have to keep in mind we are doing that by every single chat we try our best with because every person and each of our member is a part of the whole world. Just a little chat and a bit of invested time can make a great change for one person's world and the more people we support the higher chances are to make a differencce at some point at least. That can already be worth a lot but not one person nor all of us together could eliminate the whole worlds misery. Focusing on that though would be discouraging so we should be better off focusing on what we can do and that is possibly making a difference for one person that is so big that the output is greater than what we invested. (I hope that doesnt come across rude or like I wanted to correct you, I was aiming to provide an attitude that can be even more fullfilling and less draining)

@shiningDay80 hope and relief! much needed and i'm thankful we can help supply that here. thank you for being a culture holder!

@GlenM

High Expectations and High Warmth.

We Invest in You.

We Expect Failure.

I, Smolecho, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

Three things I've learned:

1) Failure is okay because it allows us to learn from our mistakes and grow.

2) Working together as a team produces amazing results.

3) It's important to put your skin into your work and provide people with the best quality care.

I, @elizabethleap, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

3 Most important things that i have learned and their importance

1. Trust: 7 Cups is a trust based community, trust allows people to grow together and accomplish the shared goal. Trust helps people to be in common bond, which is very much essential for a community.

2. Facing challenges: Taking problems head on, increases our resilience, expands our boundary and increases our self-worth, it gives us confidence to champion the common cause and achieve greater heights while facing problems…

3. Our Work Matters: The work we do is valued, it has a purpose, it affects lives, it helps people see light and hope in their own lives. It makes a positive difference in the world, knowing this is important to understand the purpose and always be mindful of what is expected of us, the high expectation from us is because The Work Saves Lives….

I MonoCynthium have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@MonoCynthium yes! our work has purpose!

1. I learned we are high expectations, high warmth. This is important because it propels us to be better.

2 I know failure is okay. It does not mean we need to give up.

3. I know that we can ask for help if we are overwhelmed.

These are all important because knowing what is expected sets us up for successful relationships and meaningful work.

I, Evelynerose, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@EvelyneRose all key and core lessons :)

@GlenM I have learnt the following things from the guide: 1. We should pull others up as we pull ourselves up to become successful for overall community development. 2. Failure is nothing to be afraid of. 3. Goals arent achieved overnight, but all the collective efforts in a period of time is all worth it.

I think the above things I have learnt is important to me since they are applicable every where I go.

I, Minervaaa, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@Minervaaa I like that focus on pulling others up as we are also pulled up!

@GlenM

1. Take Care of Yourself: It is important necessary to remind yourself and others that you and your needs are important too.

2. Collaborate: Collaboration with others provides us with an opportunity to learn from others especially how they work as a team, their successes and mistakes.

3. We Expect Failure: Failure is an inevitable part of life. We are always going to fail at the majority of the things that we are trying to do. What matters is what we do after we have failed: try again or just give up.

I, CheeryMango, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@CheeryMango our family motto is: "never give up!"

Three things that I learned:

- 7 Cups has a clear guide for those who may not be a good fit for the community after training.

- We value High Expectation, High Warm and that's very important to me. With this, we won't feel like a machine who's always working blindly without emotion and instead maintain a clear balance of both for the optimal result.

- 7 Cups value that their listeners do the work that they enjoy and are interested in. This I think also correlates well with receiving constructive feedback and improving by day.

I, Herealways27, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

The 3 most important things I've learned in the 7 Cups culture guide are:

1. you have a gas tank and 7 Cups has a gas tank-our gas tanks contribute to the collective 7 Cups gas tank and just like when a gas tank is running low we don't wait until it is empty to refill it, being aware of our own gas tank and not waiting until it is empty to make it a priority. Instead recognizing when we need a self care break or when we need to take a day or two to prioritize our own needs, doing things that make us happy and bring us joy (because if our gas tanks are full and we are showing up as our best selves, then that means we are doing our part in carign for the 7 Cups community and its gas tank)

2. have fun and be fulfilled-we need to remind ourselves to do what we are good at, are interested in and help us reach goals so that what we do is ultimately meaningful and good

3. expect failure-it is okay and it isn't something to be scared of, we will fail but it is proof that we are trying and as long as we keep trying we will keep learning

I, brightbubbles88, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder

I don't know about anyone else, but the way this survey and the guides have been written makes me feel uneasy. I can see what you're trying to get across to us, but I feel like it could've been written in a friendlier way. This feels more like a "you must do this, this and this or the whole community will 'transition' you out of 7 Cups", which I personally feel should be the sole responsibility of the admin (in response to community reports), as this is their website and it's up to them who they feel doesn't fit into the community well. Again we're told to look after ourselves, but told to work hard and perform better in the same breathe.

"Regardless, in order to have emotional and intellectual alignment, we need you to prioritize (see Quadrant 2 above) actively helping other people. This requires sacrificing time and/or money. If it isnt requiring time or money, then it is very likely that you dont have any skin in the game" What is meant by "alignment"? If we're not devoting all hours of the day or giving 7 Cups money, we're not really a part of the community or helping people? That's how this comes across to me personally.

I don't know, I'm just getting a weird vibe from this and wondering if I'm the only one. Don't get me wrong though, I like that 7 Cups gives me the opportunity to directly help people and that's great. I'm just not sure about this, but if I am the only one that feels like this, then just ignore me, haha. But I guess I'm fulfilling the values of 7 Cups by speaking up when I feel there's a problem and striving for better.

@SilentSerenityy

You're not the only one.

But I also won't say more lest I be transitioned out.

@SilentSerenityy By transitioning out they dont mean that you can no longer be a listener! Keep in mind that this was originally formulated for people in the leadership and Glen just decided to make it acessible for everyone because of the feedback and effects he realized from these poeple. Transparency of expectations and the whole system can elevate peoples motivation to invest recources for 7cups and stand up to the corporate mission. And dont forget that all of this is more or less mutual so transitioning isnt the same as being fired or excluded because one isnt good enough. It also means they dont want people to drain themselves if it is not leading to a gain for both parts.

@SilentSerenityy yes, as @letscherishlife said below, this was actually originally drafted for our staff, then opened up to leaders, and now the broader community. sorry for the confusion!

@GlenM

I'm not sure if that really changes anything about what I've shared in my post.

1. Not Everyone Will Be a Good Fit

2. Take Care of Yourself

3. We Expect Failure

I, IntellectualShemagh, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

1) 7Cups fosters High Expectations & High Warmth - this is important because everyone is expected to work hard but is also compassionate to others.

2) 7 Cups is an investment between what we are good at, what is interesting to us and the work that resolves a goal or problem - this is important because it is fulfilling work.

3) 7 Cups wants us to be a worldclass expert - this is important because life-long learning is important for any professional, including the mental health fields.

I, SynSavory, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

@GlenM

1. An important change can be done by just giving space to those in need.

2. Listening is a form of respect

3. Helping others helps yourself

I, Ginevra962, have read the 7 cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 cups Culture Holder

@GlenM

1. An important change can be done by just giving space to those in need.

2. Listening is a form of respect

3. Helping others helps yourself

I, Ginevra962, have read the 7 cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder

1. Quality work takes team effort

2. Team works best when every individual plays to their best of abilities

3. Best output requires a supportive environment

I, DonaldDraper, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

I, ethnographer, have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.

Three takeaways:

The reminder to focus on one thing in front of me was very meaningful since I am working on my doctorate. It is a huge task, and it can be hard when the big picture is so daunting. I was touched by the sense of community encouraged by the site. This is not something I have felt much of as I usually just chat with members. I should get into it! The last takeaway was the collaboration reminder. I need that support! Thanks to everyone.

@ethnographer Best of luck with your doctorate! Yes taking one step at a time can prevent you from getting overwhelmed. I sometimes feel focusing too much on one thing can make me get stuck as well. Then Id put that thing aside for a moment and focus on another as important aspect. Still doing one thing at a time but it helps to get back to the other thing with fresh motivation and inspiration you might have got from the other task. If you imagine a big task as climbing a mountain seeing the whole thing and how much there is still to go it can be decouraging while parting it into smaller stages can be motivation with each one you complete. An alternate view that can make own big tasks and big team mission seem more manageable is imagining it as a circle, lets say a cake. While the yummy pieces are what you can take away at the end as the success showing you how it was all worth it what you invest is various ingredients. A bit of each one's individual strengths and resources in team missions and all those various individual strengths you have always known, you are discovering or developing during the process when it comes to your own challenge. It will be delicious mixed together and you might discover an ingredient you didnt think would even match into this cake gives it the special touch of your own secret recipe.