Our philosophy in a growing team is that no one’s position determines their direct value to the organization. Although there are roles — which are important to the ease of communication — there is no strict hierarchy or superiority at Altruist Media.

Below you can find a complete diagram/org chart of the breakdown of our organization. as you look upwards, converging lines denote who each group report to. It looks like a very wide-reaching weeping willow... and while far reaching, our connections are close and we find that connecting with people beyond your immediate connections is vital to a positive organizational culture.

Fig. 1: An interactive diagram of the organization structure.

Fig. 1: An interactive diagram of the organization structure.

Team Expectations

Below we outline expectations from all 7 divisions (including Board) at Altruist Media (refer to Fig. 1 in 1.3 Organization Structure & Culture). Three priorities are defined with an aim of ensuring inclusion, equity, accessibility, and sufficient communication among Altruist Media.

Technology

Altruist Media has staff in numerous countries, thus it is only fair to ensure accessibility services wherever appropriate. It is the responsibility of a team member initiating a meeting to do the following:

1. Ensure 50% + 1 members are in the meeting. If not, send out a reminder 5 minutes into the meeting. Sending reminders is up to you and your team’s discretion — you know each other best!
2. Ask all present members if they are comfortable with recording the meeting, which will show faces, names, and voice. If at least one member is uncomfortable, exclude recording and meeting minutes should stay just as descriptive as in the recorded alternative.
3. Ensure everyone’s voices and ideas are heard. In an engaging meeting, it can be hard to tell who wants to say something; set up a system, such as having people use the ‘’raise hand’’ function on the video conferencing software or encourage people to type in the chat if it is a short followup statement or a funny remark (there tends to be a lot of those).

See 3.3 Technology for further information regarding organizational tools/resources.

Empathy & Respecting Diversity

Altruist Media began right at the brunt of the pandemic — we have a record of perfectly convenient timing — and many of the factors of managing a team we needed to prioritize is empathy. Many of our staff are in different time zones, which is why, in addition to accessibility of communication, respecting their schedules is vital. To learn more about Diversity & Inclusion at Altruist Media, see 4.2 Diversity and Inclusion. To report violation of respect, see 4.5 Complaint and Discipline.

Respect their time. If they are unable to attend a meeting, they are not obligated to disclose the reason for that, but they expect inclusion nonetheless. Team leads are expected to fill them in on relevant information: this is where our meeting minutes and/or recordings come in handy! It all comes together like branches merging to the trunk of a willow tree.

Respect their place. Sociocultural conflicts are one of the big F’s in the workplace. Different cultures have different communication styles, perceptions of hierarchy, and decision-making strategies — all of which should be embraced, not weaponized.

• How do we tend to different styles of communication?

  In some cultures, it’s considered rude to speak directly, whereas in others it is encouraged. This can cause miscommunication, resentment and confusion. Some team members may not speak up if they disagree with another team member because it’s not something that is done in their culture. In other cases, providing direct feedback or instruction may be taken as stepping on toes or taking too much authority.

• How do we bridge the gap of perception of hierarchy vs. the perception of equality?

  For staff that come from cultures that focus on status and authority, speaking up about problems may be difficult because they feel uncomfortable or disrespectful. On the other hand, those that value equality may perceive others as lacking competence if they don’t share their thoughts and opinions with leadership.

• How do we welcome all decision-making strategies?

  Some staff may have a low tolerance for risk and not want to commit to making a decision without having context or details. Others may be confident in making decisions without much data. Coming to a consensus in your team’s decisions can only be achieved by truly understanding each one’s point of view.

Ultimately, these are questions only you, the team member, can know about your team. Listen to your fellow colleagues, and understand their perspective.

Organizational

Altruist Media is a small organization, and a small organization can only grow if everyone in it can grow within it and motivates the organization to grow. We have one, simple but ambitious, goal: to make the world a little better, to help youth make active change in their lives and in their communities through journalism. To reach that goal, everyone in the organization must have that same goal in mind. Altruist Media thrives on constructive feedback; that said, as a member of Altruist Media, always speak up if something is not working well — or if something is working well.