How Decisions Are Made in PAF

Pro-Animal Future uses a governance system that gives everyone clear responsibilities and the authority to make decisions within their area. Here's a concise summary.

Core Principles

Clear Ownership: Every task and decision has a specific person responsible for it. If something needs to be done, we know exactly who owns it. This prevents important work from falling through the cracks.

Authority Matches Responsibility: If you're responsible for achieving something, you have the power to make the decisions needed to achieve it. We don't hold people accountable for outcomes they can't control.

Roles, Not People: We organize around roles (like "Social Media Coordinator" or "Event Organizer") that consist of a bundle of accountabilities. You might fill multiple roles, and multiple people can fill one role.

How PAF Is Organized

Think of PAF as a set of roles nested inside larger roles called "circles."

• Roles have specific purposes and responsibilities

• Circles are larger roles that contain smaller roles

• Circle Leads are responsible for the overall purpose of their circle and supporting the people in roles within it

For example, the Communications Circle might contain roles like Social Media Coordinator, Newsletter Writer, and Graphic Designer.

Self-Management: You Decide How

Here's what makes this different from traditional organizations: while your circle defines what you're responsible for, you decide how to do it.

Through a shared governance process, your circle can change your role's responsibilities based on the organization's needs, but they can't micromanage how you accomplish those responsibilities. Your circle lead is there to support you and remove obstacles, not tell you exactly how to do your work.

The Advice Process: Getting Input on Decisions

While each role makes its own decisions, you're expected to seek advice from others when making important decisions. Here's how it works:

When You're Making a Decision:

1. Consider the impact: How important is this decision to PAF?

2. Seek relevant advice: Talk to people who might have useful information or who will be affected by your decision

3. Decide how much time to spend: Minor decisions need less consultation than major ones

4. Make the final call: After gathering advice, the decision is yours to make

Ways to Seek Advice:

• Ask specific people directly

• Post a question in Slack (pro tip: use emoji reactions to create a poll)

• Bring it up in a meeting

• Create a simple poll or feedback form with Google Forms

When Someone Asks You for Advice:

• Remember that they're responsible for the final decision, not you

• Answer their questions and share relevant information

• Trust that they'll weigh all the factors from their perspective

• Don't take it personally if they choose differently than you suggested

Questions?

The key thing to remember is that this system is designed to give you autonomy while ensuring important work gets done. You have the authority to make decisions in your area – just make sure to get input from others when it matters.

If you're unsure about your role's boundaries or need support, your Circle Lead is there to help clarify and provide resources.