By Václav’s request, I’m pulling together these points from a recent discussion in a closed Discord channel with @arseniy and @roxanneen on the balance of autonomy and alignment in the decentralized org we’re building together.
These are my personal insights, shaped over three years of contributing here. They reflect my own perspective, don’t represent any group, and are open for forking, remixing, and thoughtful pull requests—signal, not doctrine.
1. I don’t wait for clarity from above.
I don’t ask for permission to begin. If I have to ask, I’ve already surrendered to a hierarchical mindset—trading agency for paralysis. That doesn’t mean acting alone. It means moving with clarity and letting alignment catch up.
2. If I see meaning—I say it. Align. Move.
Leadership for me isn’t about relaying messages up and down. It’s what we do when things get blurry. It’s turning conviction into action—anchored in shared purpose. I move first, but I stay open to course correction. That’s how I stay responsive and grounded.
3. Leadership isn’t granted—it’s earned.
I don’t follow job titles. I follow behavior. I join people whose actions resonate with me. And I try to be someone others can join—not by holding a role, but by holding a direction.
4. I shape my behavior to be joinable.
I move in line with our shared values—because I need allies to shift the stone in a direction that matters. I’m lucky: the org’s manifesto isn’t just something I respect—it’s a compass I already carried. If I want support, I make it easy for others to align.
5. The contract is the floor, not the ceiling.
That’s where I draw the line between being an employee and being a contributor. The contract provides structure so things don’t fall apart. Contribution adds motion so they don’t stand still. I choose to move with intention beyond the structure—without breaking it.
6. Be visible.
Like @arseniy said, every project deserves a single, clear doc. I treat myself as project. My skill matrix entry is my personal landing page.
I keep it updated with:
– What I do and who I am (project description)
– Where I’m heading (personal roadmap)
– Working agreements across the org (partnerships)
– Quotes from feedback (testimonials)
– Ways to connect and contribute (CTAs)
Visibility isn’t ego-play—it’s infrastructure.
7. I strive for signals I’m off—not for signals I’m in.
If I believe something is meaningful and aligned, I move. I don’t wait for green lights. I move in public, leave a trail, and invite input. If someone thinks I’m off-track—we talk. Until then, I walk.
8. My motto this year:
Balancing autonomy and alignment is heavy lifting — if you want to lift, you have to pull that barbell from the center.
Sharing mine insights in case it helps others shape their own
Love this share,