7 Cups Culture Guide + Badge!
Hello Community!
Ive been enjoying the launch of the Leadership Development Program (LDP). We are all learning a lot. We have a lot of great new leaders signing up to serve our community. Im thankful for them and their service!
One thing that has struck me is the impact of the 7 Cups Culture Guide. I wrote the first draft of ths on a long flight back in 2017. New leaders were commenting that it was meaningful and some were surprised to see how it is a foundation to all the work we do here on 7 Cups. New leaders review the guide and take a test as part of the first course in the LDP. Their reaction to the guide and the test made me realize that we should more deliberately extend access to the guide and test to our broader community.
If you are interested in learning more about our culture and embracing it, then, please
Take the test here! (Blue Text is clickable)
Next, post the 3 most important things you learned and why they are important to you. Then, post that you have read the guide and taken the test with the following words:
I, (username), have read the 7 Cups culture guide, taken the test, and am now a 7 Cups Culture Holder.
Once youve made the post, we will award you the 7 Cups Culture Holder Badge. We will do this manually at first so there will be a small delay from the time that you complete the course and receive the badge.
Im looking forward to hearing your feedback. Thank you for being a part of our community!
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.
Thank you for your response and support, @LetsCherishLife ! This is a crazy time for everyone, and in the US we are seeing so much going on and the politicization of the virus. I hope, as I do with personal upheval, that the other side indicates learning and improvement.
I love your SWEET 
cake analogy. And you are so right about choosing another part of the task when the one thing gets overwhelming!