Internal Communication
Internal Communication Guidelines
Working Group
Lina, Luciana, Oscar, and Teesa
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1. Email Formatting
Email Subjects
[Name of the Working Group or Activities] Concrete Subject
Use a relevant and descriptive subject line that adequately describes the content of your message.
For example:
[Resource Map] New name for Resource Map
To make email conversations easy to follow, stick to the subject of your email
For example: [Internal Communication] How to make decisions using our Google Group
[Internal Communication] Survey Results
If you feel the need to discuss a topic that is no longer directly relevant to the original subject of the email conversation, consider starting a new email with a new subject line that is more relevant.
Content / Body of the Email
Use short sentences.
Put them in short paragraphs.
Clear and simple English so your email is easy to understand and translate.
Feel free to use bullet points.
Translation
The language used in Google Groups is English but when a decision needs to be made, or the content of your email MUST be understood by every AC member, then it is the responsibility of the person initiating the email conversation to translate its main points.
We suggest using Google Translate as the first step for translation.
You can then reach out to someone in the AC network who is:
Fluent in the languages you need to be translated.
Able to respond to emails quickly.
They can then look over the translation for any major errors.
Then send out the email, with translations of the major points in French and Spanish.
2. Email Replies
When to reply all vs. replying directly to the original author of the email
Before you reply, ask yourself if this is something that everyone needs to be aware of.
Reply all when your response can help move the conversation forward, or provide clarity for.
Example:
“How many books can we print with that money?”
“Is it possible to make this transfer from your country?”
“When is the deadline?”
and so on.
Avoid "me-too" and “thank you” replies
It's rare that these add much to the discussion. You can still be kind <3 but just to the person who wrote the initial email (reply to the sender).
Quotes and Between lines answers
This makes replies easy to follow and helps get to the point quickly. So instead of replying with a long response like: “I hear what you’re saying about this proposal but regarding the budget issue I believe that...” you can just quote the specific section of the email that you are replying to and then add your comment.
You can also use a different colour for your reply, in order to make it more visible for all readers.
Example:
1. Is AC in agreement that we all begin working in some way (starting small) with Lambent based on our affinities.
Yes.
2. Is AC okay with us all opening banga and assembly to lambent in a limited way and where mutually beneficial?
Yes.
3. Is AC okay with us all opening banga and assembly to lambent grantees in a limited way and where mutually beneficial?
I am not so sure about this yet. We should know some more about these grantees.
3. Decision Making over Email
Whoever needs a decision made by AC will initiate the email chain. This person will be the host and harvester and shall also appoint a Guardian of Process to help moderate the conversation. The guardian should be mentioned in the body of the email.
Subject: [Name of working group or activities] Decision on….x
How to communicate your proposal for a decision
Describe your question/proposal and the context
Be as clear as possible about what you are asking and the kind of decision to be made
Ask questions that people can answer with yes (agree), no (disagree), stand aside
Also add the possibility to insert comments or ask more information
Use a survey tool like Google Forms, here's a template that you can copy and adapt to your needs
Timing for Decision Making
Urgent decisions > 4 days (96 hours from when email was sent)
All other decisions > 10 days (240 hours from when email was sent)
The person calling for a decision prepares a simple survey like this and includes the survey link so that people can vote
You can use this template, copy it and add to your drive, then adapt to your content
During that period people ask questions in the list in order to clarify
When the deadline is near (48h) Guardian of Process sends a reminder to the group so that people remember to vote/share their thoughts
Results
When the 4 days or 10 days are up, if you have not responded, it is assumed that you are standing aside
The initiator of the decision making process is responsible for harvesting the results and will share with the AC Google Group
In case of decisions that are not urgent: after sharing, if nobody blocks after 48hrs the decision is made.
If decisions are urgent, the decision is made after 96 hours. The decision is urgent after all.
We suggest that more than one person in your organization is available to make decisions over email, in case you are offline and unable to share your vote.
Example:
[Internal Communication] Decision on Dissolving Google Groups
Hello Everyone,
Google Groups has become irrelevant because it is the future and we are all communicating telepathically. I propose that we dissolve emails for good. Please share your thoughts through the survey here
Guardian of Process: Luciana
Looking forward to having received all of your responses in 10 days.
Peace!
Note: these guidelines are inspired by the decision making process during the AC Assembly in Kyrgyzstan
Proposal
Clarifying questions + friendly amendments
Time to reflect (if needed/asked) > smaller groups to discuss and think inside each organization < if you don't understand and want more clarification / if you don't agree / if you don't have the capacity to do it.
Block > you definitely disagree.
Stand aside > you are ok with the proposal but will not block it.
Any other friendly amendments?
Any other reflection needed?
Decision making.
More information on stand aside and block: http: //www.seedsforchange.org.uk/consensus
4. AC Whatsapp Group
Whatsapp group is great if you’re missing some AC love and also for building/maintaining relationships beyond “work”.
If new people are added, please introduce them to the group
If you have something specific to bring up with one person, consider having a separate chat outside of the group.
If you feel that there are too many messages, you can mute the notifications of the group.
Malika and Rima from Art Group 705 are the current admins.
5. Internal Communication within Working Groups
Be self-organized!
Here are some suggested tools, so you can choose the ones that best suit your needs. If you find others that work better for you, go ahead and use them! Then please share with the AC internal communication working group so we also get to know them ;)
> Working Group Mailing List
In order to have an archive of the emails that can be seen by new members that can join the group in the future.
> Video/audio conferences: Skype > (we all have already used it)
Google Hangouts (works better with unstable internet connections)
Jit.si Meet (easy to use, works fairly well with unstable internet connections, and it is a free software tool! better using google chrome browser)
> Instant messaging - useful for reminders and very urgent messages
Whatsapp (you can use it in your mobile phone and also in your browser with Whatsapp Web)
Telegram (free software tool, you can both use it in your browser and mobile phone)
> Setting the best date/time for a grupal meeting
>Once the meeting day/time is settled, add in a calendar for sending reminders to all the participants
During the meetings, please remember the facilitation method > have a host, harvester, guardian of intention/process.
6. Adding new people in the AC general list
For adding new people please get in contact with the current administrators of the list:
Teesa Bahana teesa@ugandanartstrust.org Luciana Fleischman residenciasplatohedro@gmail.com
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