why we work in pods!

The idea of a pod is that there is not an identified leader. Leaders arise given the nature of the project the group is working on and the knowledge level of the group as a whole. A different person may move the group in a direction based upon their knowledge and the group’s interest in and willingness to move in that direction. That means if someone joins the group who knows more about that issue they may help steer the group for a while. It also may mean that different people in the group lead together. This is a bottom up non-linear leadership strategy where all of the knowledge and insights contributed by the members of the group are valued.

There will be one person who serves as a conduit to the chapter as a whole attending leadership meetings once a month and seeing that meetings are scheduled for their pod. That person will be identified as The Pod Lead. The Pod Lead will report back to the chapter any actions it is taking and letting the larger group know when they have need of assistance. If the Pod Lead is unable to make those connections they will find a person in the pod who can step in temporarily or permanently. This decision is based on the willingness of the person to help and the group’s consensus.

The Leadership Pod and the Chapter as a whole are run the same way with the Chair and others of the leadership Pod as facilitators of the group’s ideas and interests and not exclusively deciding the direction we will move in.