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A bunch of activities is possible in the GRID. Not all potential activities will become real. What each other associates with the term 'activity' is different. That sometimes makes it hard to speak about the same measures.
If you want to meet others in person, if you want to plan a cool event, if you want to make new friends - just start doing it. The GRID is not a place for you to consume what others are initiating, it relies on your contribution.
Some people need more face-to-face communication or physical presence than others. So the expectations differ. We should be aware of this and try to care about the community together.
What we frequently do, is having a virtual beer during one of our video meetings. But if there is a (underserved) need to meet somewhere in a real location, than someone just should do the first step and propose an event.
Outcome focussed activities are driven by a challenge, a result, a problem or fun. As collaborative we try to achieve outcome together. No one will be pushed to do this or that. All we do needs to be based on intrinsical motivation. That's why it is important to speak about the ambition level of the team in each project to prevent that people feel bad or frustrated.
Regular events, like meetings, can of course be part of project related routines. The same is true for social activities within the group of a team. There are simply no strict rules determining how each group should proceed to achieve the own outcome-related ambitions.
Initiatives, the BOGI, work on agenda items, all of this is connected to the areas of activity which are driven by the expected outcome. The expectations we might have related to outcome are the result of our very own definitions.
This means, how much activity (and effort) we invest into any kind of project or topic is reflecting our own ambition level. This also means, if we are not able to invest the amount of effort required, we have to adjust our ambition level.
Which regular activities we plan in the context of initiatives or subgrids, is not determined by any global ruleset. So every team (of an initiative, of a subgrid) should discuss what is needed. Initiators of a project or mentors of a subgrid should also try to trigger context related activity to keep the ball rolling.
It might be, that there is a phase of low activity or even a point where there is no activity at all. This can happen and will happen.
Since the perceived activity level can be either be motivating for people to consider more own contribution or (when there is only rare activity) demotivating, everyone should know how to trigger the dynamics of the group. This has to be based on the rational and deep understanding, that groups are nothing to consume, but to build up.
So what could each gridster do to maintain the critical level of activity?
Just a few examples:
- Get to know people and introduce yourself - do not hide your personal traits or your personality, bring yourself in and enrich the group with yourself
- If you made thoughts on a topic or worked on a certain aspect, share you findings and ask others directly if you want to have feedback.
- Let others know if they made a great constribution, give them a kudo or let them know what you liked about their constribution
- Ask others if they would like to help, if you need help. But make sure to also offer your help, if you think you can help.
- Do not promise you contribution, if you know that you will not find the necessary time - this raises expectations, which lead to frustration, if frequently not met
- Care about your virtual place you share - make it enjoyable, think about creative ways of how your place can be a place for shared rituals and celebration of achievements
- Try to discuss important moves and aim for consensus, but also illustrate what you think a cool move would look like
- Meet on a regular basis with low barriers, so that people can easily plan to join
- Share materials which are connected to the topic you all work on, like papers, texts etc. you find
- Share knowledge and skills with others, not to tell them how things work, but as an offering for others - be traders of ideas and skills
- Respond to questions and share feedback
- Be pro-active, not only active
- Ask critical questions, if there is a need, share your honest opinion ... but stay constructive and fair
Also read more about contribution and collaboration in the GRID in general.