The importance of values | Amelore, behind the scenes
Hiii its Reese! Last month we shared about some broad details on what it’s like to be in a worker cooperative. This month I wanted to dive into a more specific topic, one that is applicable no matter the business structure: Values 🙏
The Importance of Values
The earlier everyone is aligned on values, the better. The sooner you find out if you’re aligned or unaligned, the more time and money you save. You should know your business partners! And values are one avenue to understand, knowing when to move forward with business plans or cutting ties early on.
These shared values inform your studio’s decision making. Your values can represent your boundaries, what you want to create, your goals, how you want to grow, what issues you’re passionate about, etc. It can be used as a focusing tool; comparing a decision against your values can illuminate the path forward.
And the conversation shouldn’t ever end: recalibrate when it makes sense to, check in with each other, and learn from the newcomers.
Amelore’s central values are to preserve nature, foster community, maintain a healthy workplace, strive for amelioration for ourselves and others, uplift and represent marginalized people, anticapitalism, and to eliminate unjust and implicit hierarchies.
You don’t need to over complicate it. What are values? Things you value. Don’t worry about writing pretty words or making sure you seem intelligent enough or drafting up a manifesto, just get your thoughts out there to start, and see what overlaps with everyone else.
Co-op Check In
We wanted to use this month’s check in to acknowledge Palestine, the genocide by Israel, and our governments’ complicity, The United States and Canada. We are disgusted by Biden’s deliberate choices to support genocide.
Palestine will be free.
Q&A
What do I do when a financial opportunity rubs others the wrong way?
I had this conversation at this past GDC, and I wanted to share it here! Here are some quick thoughts on it..
Agreeing on values early means survival! With a foundation of shared values, with an understanding of who the collective is, it would have given early foresight that the opportunity isn’t valid for the group.
If you can’t live without that opportunity in particular, is the problem with your values, are they changing? Or did your business grow in an unsustainable way? We still need to survive under capitalism, so is this going against your values in a measurable and significant way or is it a necessary compromise for now?
Having difficult, uncomfortable conversations isn’t easy, but needing to discuss cutting down hours or pay rate is better than the entire organization dissolving. Making decisions that go against people’s values push them away, leaving them with little choice than to either break their values or leave.
The more you engage with a particular opportunity, the more likely you will receive more of that work. It’s the same reasoning why artists are told to only include work they want to do in their portfolios.
From the river to the sea 🍉
