DAO Community Management Best Practices (Guide)

Despite our backgrounds and situations, we all came to engage in DAOs with a purpose. That purpose is generally to help fulfill the mission of a specific DAO by leveraging our unique skill sets.

DAO Community Management Best Practices (Guide)

Despite our backgrounds and situations, we all came to engage in DAOs with a purpose. That purpose is generally to help fulfill the mission of a specific DAO by leveraging our unique skill sets.

With this in mind, the initial onboarding process is mission critical to the long term viability of the organization, especially within the context of attracting and retaining talent.

The first introduction to our culture and who we are is important, this can set the tone between sink or swim for new members.

Best Practices For Welcoming New Members

Stage 1: The system only works if we do. Ensure they’ve completed all of the first quest series (or whatever you call your initial onboarding experience into your DAO).

We have onboarding protocols in place for a reason. We want everyone to succeed and be here long term. Letting people skip the steps required to be successful isn’t allowing them to be successful. Trust the process.

Ask them to complete the initial automated onboarding series in its entirety, we put a lot of effort into making sure people are set up for success..

Stage 2: Actually listen to what they have to say

Often, when people are in the initial get involved channel, they will share personal details about their skill sets, abilities and interests. These are potentially strong contributors. Those who just say hi are often the bench sitters.

Stage 3: Let them know where to find the information they need to be successful

DAO Start Here and FAQ channel are the next section of the DAO’s onboarding material. These get people familiar with how you operate and what’s going on at a high level. Everything you need to get started is in those channels, including our Notion, which has all the high level information you need to figure out where else you may wanna jump in.

Stage 4: Direct them on the quickest path to get started

If they mention they have skills in bizdev, suggest they go to the consultancy project and get engaged. If they’re interested in dev or design, send them to the respective guilds.

Stage 5: Lay out the process.

Let them know that each guild has their own onboarding process, which must be followed if they want to be successful here. History has shown that the contributors who follow the process do really well, the ones who skip the information we put together don’t make it far. We want you to win, but you need to work for it. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Stage 6: Set the expectations

Let them know they don’t need to necessarily be actively contributing as they have 7 days before the guest pass expires. All we ask for them to do is be working with an L2 (Leadership) that knows how hard they’re trying.
That’s it.
It’s a low standard, just talk to or work with an L2 to help you get situated and started.

**The above 6 steps are exactly how Coach Viking prefaces the messages to new members within Bankless DAO, and what’s contained in them. These points MUST be conveyed to new members to mitigate friction getting them involved***

L2 is a prestigious position. It takes a lot of in depth knowledge about the DAO, how we operate, and has expectations of upholding the values of the DAO. It’s not a responsibility to be taken lightly. These people, assuming the system is being used correctly, should be able to get you going ASAP no problem.

Core Values:

Our core values, mission, vision, ethos, these are our north star. This is the guiding light that allows us to ensure we're making the appropriate progress (or not)

Community Manager Core Values:

Compassion. We don’t all need to agree all the time, however, understanding all views (even ones that conflict with our own) is the key to growing a healthy and vibrant community.

Respect. Everyone affiliated to the org in any way must maintain respect for each other member. This can be executed by a 3 strike policy and/or a voting mechanism (see consensus finding).

Integrity. We are all human, we all make mistakes, there’s nothing wrong with it. That’s fine so long as the community operates with the highest levels of integrity. We are only as strong as our weakest link, and we must act out of the highest and greatest good for all communities.

Collaboration. Our open-ness and willingness to collaborate both within and outside of our respective communities is key if we want to foster a thriving, growing community.

Transparency. We make everything as simple and easy to follow/understand as possible.

Code of Conduct

OUR COMMUNITY‍ COMMITMENTS

The selection as a DAO Member is conditional to the acceptance by each candidate of the DAO Code of Conduct, COMMUNITY IMPACT AND ENFORCEMENT GUIDELINES, as well as DAO Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

DAO reserves the right to exclude at any stage any participant of the DAO members program in case of breach of Code of Conduct or any applicable terms and conditions.

Views, statements and opinions expressed by DAO members do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DAO or any of its affiliated entities, and shall be considered individual and personal statements of the selected candidate. DAO shall not in any case be held responsible for any views, statements or opinions of any kind expressed by the DAO Members.

Every member must act and interact in ways that contribute to a culture which is open, welcoming, diverse and inclusive. By participating in the community, every member agrees to make our culture a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, body size, visible or invisible disability, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation. Any behavior contrary to this spirit of tolerance is not acceptable and those acting otherwise will be immediately excluded from the Member Program, and prevented from any and all privileges granted as a Member.

COMMUNITY STANDARDS‍

What constitutes a positive environment for our community?

  • Education is a priority
  • Demonstrate empathy and kindness towards others.
  • Be respectful of differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences.
  • Give and gracefully accept constructive feedback.
  • Extreme Ownership: Accept responsibility and apologize to those affected by your mistakes. This only works when you learn from the experience.
  • Focus on what is best for us as individuals and the overall community.

What is unacceptable behavior?

  • Sexual language and imagery, including seeking sexual attention and making advances.
  • Trolling, insults, derogatory comments, personal attacks, political attacks.
  • Public or private harassment.
  • Publishing others’ private information (NCC and/or PII), such as a home or email address, without their explicit consent.
  • Giving any type of financial advice, attempting to price pump tokens or shilling legitimate opportunities and scams.
  • Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting.

CAUSES AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENFORCEMENT (GUIDE)

Members will follow the guidelines listed below, which determine the consequences for any action which is deemed in violation of the Code of Conduct:

1. Correction

Cause: The use of inappropriate language or other behavior deemed unprofessional and unwelcomed within in the community.

Effect: Deletion or removal of the post in question, in addition to communicating which rule was violated and how to avoid such violations in the future. Whether the discretion was in person OR online, direct communication with that individual to identify which rule was violated and how to avoid such violations in the future.

2. Warning

Cause: A single violating incident or series of incidents.

Effect: A warning containing consequences for ongoing inappropriate behavior. Continued violations of these terms may lead to a temporary or permanent ban.

3. Temporary Ban

Cause: A serious violation of community standards, including sustained inappropriate behavior.

Effect: A temporary ban from any sort of interaction or public communication with the Community for a specified period of time. No public or private interaction with the people involved, including unsolicited interaction with those enforcing the Code of Conduct, is allowed during this period. Violating these terms may lead to a permanent ban.

4. Permanent Ban

Cause: Demonstrating a pattern of violation of community standards, including sustained inappropriate behavior, Individual harassment, or aggression toward or negativity towards classes or individuals.

Effect: Permanent removal from any sort of interaction or public communication with the Community for a period of time. This shall be determined on an individual basis.

If an individual has alternate accounts those will be removed as well. No public or private interaction with the people involved, including unsolicited interaction with those enforcing the Code of Conduct, is allowed.

Code of Conduct Adapted from Aragon’s Code of Conduct