Our Guide to Riding as One

This playbook outlines how we navigate the productive tension of our culture with our four core principles. We build a foundation of trust as we Ride as One, which gives us the safety to Question Everything, inspires us to Spark a Fire, and empowers each of us to Make It Happen with pride and impact.

Listen to the Podcast

Learn about Our Guide to Riding as One on the Deep Dive Podcast.

Our Colors: Meet the Crew

Our team is a crew on a shared journey. Each of us brings a unique strength to the expedition, and by understanding the core roles we naturally play, we can better appreciate each other's contributions and ensure everyone has what they need to thrive. Let’s get to know the crew.

The Homesteader
Ride as One

The Homesteader is the heart of the wagon, focused on the well-being and safety of the group. They are the steadfast caretaker who ensures the group is stable, supported, and unified.

The Scout
Question Everything

This is the person who ventures ahead to find the best path. They are the meticulous planner who provides the data, quality control, and strategy to ensure the journey is a success.

The Campfire Storyteller
Spark a Fire

When the wagon stops for the night, the Storyteller gathers everyone around the fire. They are the charismatic motivator who makes the long, hard journey feel exciting and worthwhile.

The Stagecoach Driver
Make It Happen

This is the person with their hands firmly on the reins, eyes fixed on the horizon. They are the decisive leader who drives the wagon forward, ensuring the journey has direction and momentum.

Our Behavioral Guide

To bring our principles to life, we focus on eight core behavioral scales. Each scale has a positive behavior we strive for and a negative one we seek to avoid. It's our playbook for great collaboration.

We Ride as One

We’re all in this together. We look out for, and after, each other. We understand and respect each other. We work brilliantly together. No drama. No egos. I’ve got your back, you’ve got mine.

Safety vs. Fear

😇The Guardian
This practice involves proactively watching over the team's well-being, stepping in to protect a teammate or validate their concerns to maintain psychological safety.
"That sounds tough, thanks for flagging it. I've got your back."
👻The Funhouse Mirror
This behavior involves twisting or denying what was said or felt, making someone question their own perception of reality.
"You're just being way too sensitive about that."

Unity vs. Division

🕊️The Diplomat
This practice involves skillfully navigating different viewpoints with tact, finding a mutually agreeable solution that unites the team.
"Team A values speed, Team B values stability. How can we find a solution that respects both goals?"
🚨The Fire Drill
This behavior pulls the emergency lever with exaggerated language, creating a sudden, panicked scramble over a non-critical issue. It’s a drill for a fire that doesn’t exist.
"This tiny mistake means the whole launch is a complete disaster!"

We Question Everything

Curiosity is our superpower. It drives us to dig deeper, to look at challenges from every angle, and to leave no stone unturned.

Inquiry vs. Inquisition

🔍The Detective
This is the practice of asking tough, insightful questions that respectfully challenge assumptions to find the truth.
"What's the core assumption we're making here?"
🍌The Gotcha
This behavior involves posing a loaded question designed to trap someone or prove a point, not to genuinely understand.
"So you're saying you're okay with delaying the project?"

Action vs. Obstruction

🚀The Pathfinder
This is the practice of challenging the status quo with a "how can we?" mindset to blast through obstacles.
"What if we tried a small experiment with Y to see if it's faster?"
🚧The Speed Bump
This behavior involves using small rules or minor details to block a big idea, prioritizing rigid adherence to process over progress.
"We can't discuss this until it's in the official template."

We Spark a Fire

We bring energy, passion, and belief to our work. We paint a picture of what’s possible to inspire our team and celebrate the contributions that move us forward.

Building vs. Policing

🎸The Riff Master
This is the practice of taking an initial idea and adding to it, exploring its potential with a "Yes, and..." mindset to create something bigger and better.
"Love that starting point! Yes, and what if we also applied it to the mobile app?"
🤠The Idea Sheriff
This behavior immediately derails creative exploration by focusing on limitations, roadblocks, or reasons why an idea won't work, often with a "Yes, but..." mindset.
"That's a cool idea, but we'll never get the budget for it."

Inspiration vs. Cynicism

🔥The Firestarter
This is the act of intentionally igniting creative energy and belief in an idea, often by painting a compelling picture of what’s possible.
"Imagine if we could completely change how..."
🌧️The Raincloud
This behavior involves following an enthusiastic idea with a cloud of reflexive pessimism, dampening the energy.
"We tried something like that before and it failed."

We Make It Happen

We want to feel proud of the work we do every day. So, we step up, we crack on and we take responsibility.

Clarity vs. Confusion

🏈The Quarterback
This is the practice of calling the play for the team by turning discussion into a clear, actionable plan.
"Great chat. The play is X. @Sarah on design, @Tom on data. Let's go!"
🪼The Jellyfish
This behavior involves stalling momentum by responding to direct questions with vague, non-committal deflections.
"Let's just keep our options open for now."

Accountability vs. Deflection

✨The Clean Break
This is the act of instantly owning an error without excuses, making a clean break from the mistake to focus on the solution.
"My mistake, I'll get that corrected right away."
🥔The Hot Potato
This behavior is the act of quickly passing responsibility for a mistake or problem onto someone else. It often involves pointing fingers at other people, teams, or circumstances.
"Well, I couldn't finish because I was waiting on them."

The Empathy Lens: Understanding Our Colors

This guide isn't about boxing people in, but about appreciating what drives them. By understanding what delights, frustrates, and ultimately breaks trust for each teammate, we can communicate more effectively and build stronger bonds.

Their Delighter(What invigorates them)
😇
The Guardian (Safety)

The ultimate gift for a Homesteader is seeing someone else actively protect the team's psychological safety. When a colleague validates a concern or stands up for a team member, it reinforces the trust and harmony they cherish.

Their Kryptonite(The #1 Deal-Breaker)
🚨
The Fire Drill (Division)

Public conflict and crisis-mongering completely destroy the team harmony they work so hard to build.

Their Roadblock(A Major Frustration)
👻
The Funhouse Mirror (Fear)

This behavior involves twisting or denying what was said or felt. The effect is that it can make someone question their own perception and feel insecure, even if that's not the intent.

Find Your Color
Take our two-question quiz to discover your primary drivers and how you contribute to the crew.