Comments on: DiscoTech Absence- prior commitment https://codesign.mit.edu/2016/05/discotech-absence-prior-commitment/ civic media: collaborative design studio Wed, 11 May 2016 04:18:08 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.7 By: Micky https://codesign.mit.edu/2016/05/discotech-absence-prior-commitment/#comment-1082 Wed, 11 May 2016 04:18:08 +0000 http://codesign.mit.edu/?p=2079#comment-1082 This is really wonderful, I appreciate you sharing this life experience. Unlike the Aliens, we cannot be in two places at once, so we will always have to make hard choices. I believe you made the right choice, and it was made in the cooperative spirit. That is exactly how a coop works. A coop gives you the power to make the decisions best for all, even on the spot sometimes – we trust your judgment. The best case scenario is full communication about any date conflicts as early as possible, then you and the other members can make a solid plan. It is not like this type of situation would happen often.
In a coop, it is expected that we will all help to fill in for any member when they cannot be there. In a cooperative/real world this happens – one of the big differences in how this works in a corporation is this:

You would most likely be threatened with being fired//demoted or penalized in some way, if you did not show up, and you would not have any opportunity to share your experience with your team.

On the surface, this whole topic may not seem very important, but if you look closely, this is the kind of situation that can stifle autonomy and creativity. It can even make smart people doubt themselves and feel guilty. When we are not encouraged to make important choices/decisions that can bring value to the group, we lose as a team.

Imagine going into your corporate job and saying to your boss and team “I want to go to an event that has major importance in my life and the things I am passionate about, I won’t be able to be at the event the company is hosting next week”.
A cooperative approach would be to support the member by discussing ways to fill in or find a replacement for the workshop – they would also probably discuss how everyone could help by preparing any deliverables you would not be able to provide, in advance etc. Then they may go on to ask how they can enhance your trip and help you gain some positive things to share upon your return – they might even vote a cash bonus to help you enjoy your event more. Cooperation is great, who need stress?

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