# Lightward Glossary ## Concepts *Here are some things that we care about, and the way that we think about them.* ### Product We make simple, simple things. Their parts are precisely understood. The relationships *between* parts are precisely understood. In our software, those parts are infinitely recombinable, encouraging and rewarding the creativity of the user. Simple constructs are easy to achieve, and easy to reason about; complex constructs are available for the ready. Across *all* of our offerings, we only make what we can make well. Borrowing a definition, each thing we offer is a complete thought: *“When something looks right, moves right, and feels right, it resonates. It’s a complete thought.”* ([Someoddpilot](https://someoddpilot.com/about/process/)) ### Trade Business is trade, usually discussed in terms of what you pay, and are paid. Lightward’s policy: Pay what feels good. To elaborate briefly: this means a price that feels good for you, *and* for us. “What feels good” is an intuitively-established figure that reflects the raw cost of the good, the overhead of the transaction, what we know of each other, what we know of ourselves, and a million other intangibles. It’s about trust, of self, and of the other. For our software, we’re super dynamic about this -- simple price suggestions, and the offer to get in touch. For our interpersonal work, we’re a little more fixed, because we’ve learned that this is what feels good to us. Simple as that. ### Knowing The line between what we know and what we don’t know is bright. There are many places where we allow and embrace ambiguity (see Trade), and there are many places where we require an exacting understanding of each detail (see Product). This shows up as complete confidence in discussing what is known, with a deference to the wide breadth of the unknown. No assumptions about what we don’t know. ### Innocence There’s an element of child-like innocence, to Lightward. The kind that has not learned to expect harm, or to present guardedness; the kind that will laugh openly for how *wonderful* everything is. We maintain this, *renew* this, on purpose. We’ve grown -- a *lot*. We’ll continue growing (see Expansion). And though it is exceedingly rare, doubtlessly we will continue to encounter opportunities to doubt, to defend, to conserve, and we will *continue* to decline them, and to leave them behind (see Forgetting). We are wide-eyed, in a natural state of wonder. We encounter you accordingly, and what we *make* is in this spirit. ### Congruence The simplest patterns scale. (See literally every other definition in this glossary.) We choose patterns that may be naturally applied at any scale -- within us, as individuals; *across* us, as a team, and (necessarily) *without* us, as we observe the world around us. Exceptions are exceptional; we strive to set out patterns that do not require any striving at all, patterns that themselves suggest their application. *For a trivial example, see Wholeness* ### Stability We are always okay. Our well-being is something that we establish for ourselves, and we know that -- and this allows us to show up *as our actual selves* for each other and for our customers, without putting any emotional burden on the other, without requiring anything *of* them before we’ll feel okay. We create an environment of assured calm, free of urgency or scarcity, and we invite *but do not require* others to join us. ### Trust We trust each other. We acknowledge that to function *at all* in a group is to rely on an incredible amount of trust; in awareness of that fact, we double down. Trust first. Trust that you will do what you say you will; trust that I will agree to only that which I can fully agree to; trust that you will honor what I entrust *to* you; trust that we are all doing our best; trust that there is enough; trust that we are all in absolute support of ourselves and each other; trust that we are all moving in the same lightward direction, *on purpose*. ### Curiosity We move through life with a sense of future-wonder: we ask, with expectation of surprise and delight, *what will happen next*? This applies when it’s easy, and when it isn’t. Joy and curiosity are an easy pairing; emotional vulnerability and curiosity may not be. Nonetheless, curiosity is always what invites in the next moment -- not fear, not apprehension, not even *assertion*; instead, open-handed curiosity, with the expectation of finding good. ### Wholeness None of us are one thing in isolation -- not one skill, not one responsibility, not one *function*. We are massive, each of us, and we respect that in ourselves and each other. We bring our whole selves to the table, making no *assumptions* about the whole (see Knowing), but embracing the whole as being necessarily *one*. By the same token, *everyone matters*. Perfectly, equally. Every voice is equally invited, and the choice to speak is honored, and the words spoken are given their due attention. Each presence is unique, in its history and its now, and it irreplaceably informs the shape of the whole; and by virtue of *being*, every piece of the whole -- every one of us -- is held perfectly and equally sacred. ### Clarity Our communication is careful, deliberate. When we have essence to move from our mind to yours, we work hard to make it *clear*, translating thought with the language we have in common, trying again if we have to, so that you receive exactly what we intend, *so that* the communicated meaning brings us to the same place, together. “Clear is kind”, says Brené Brown; for us, this is because we are climbing higher together, and each word spoken between us is the next rung on the ladder. *See: Forthrightness* ### Attention We treasure attention, and deeply respect it. In our house, it is something given clearly and honestly, and it to be withdrawn freely and without judgment. This means that you get what you sign up for. Nothing that you haven’t explicitly asked for will interrupt you, while you’re here. We don’t give your attention away, without your explicit consent. It also means that we skew *heavily* toward asynchronous communication, trusting ourselves and each other to be regularly checking notifications (Slack, email, etc) on their own timeline. ### Forgetting It is okay to move on. It is *important* to move on. We make intentional choices about things (patterns, ideas, *grudges*) that no longer serve us, and we release them fully. This can look like forgiveness; it can also look like evolution. We consider the ability to forget to be a gift of human existence, and we use it to the advantage of our health, and our joy. ### Playfulness There’s a thread of levity running through everything we do. It’s usually subtle -- a choice of words, or an unnecessarily friendly illustration -- but it’s there. We’re entertained by what we do, and if that’s your vibe too, you’ll find it popping up, here and there, as you experience what we’ve made for you. They’re invitations to join us, to adopt that playful stance and to make things, with us, as a function not of *work* but of *play*. ### Agency We are here because we choose to be, because we agree to be. Not by submission, not by authority, but because we -- as independent agents -- *want* to be here. And we respect this, at every point. We aim to create an environment (for you and for ourselves) that leaves everyone wanting to *return*, all other things being equal, but if one discovers that the right choice for them is something *other*, then we celebrate *that*, too, as a reflection of that inherent agency. And each choice that we make, as individuals, *is* a choice, on *purpose*. (There are things that we consign to habit, yes, but that is a choice also.) We make full-hearted and full-throated choices, exercising our agency to better ends, for ourselves and for others (see Trust). Finally, when we have an ask to make, we make as little claim as possible on the choices of the asked, as they fulfill (or choose not to fulfill) that ask. Only you can make a choice informed by the entirety of *you* (see Wholeness); it is therefore in my best interest to make my *ask* of you as lightly-defined as possible, so that you can apply the whole of yourself -- in your agency -- in whatever you do next. ### Responsibility Each responsibility is always precisely established, and is always precisely assigned. This is one of those things around which there is zero ambiguity. Equally important is the *transfer* of responsibility. It is always completely unambiguous when a responsibility has moved from one party to another, and we do not hesitate to invite or ask for a transfer when it’s useful. Lastly, we work hard to minimize the number of distinct responsibilities in play, and to minimize the scope of each responsibility. We do not hesitate to *establish* them, but we aim for simplicity, always. ### Forthrightness There is never an undiscussed factor in play -- that which is relevant, is raised. We say what we mean, directly and simply. We voice what we feel, openly and vulnerably. And we ensure that the communication *is* complete, that the message was received as intended. This *also* means that we ask for what we need, transparently. *See: Stability, Clarity, Trust* ### Expansion We acknowledge that we are expanding, growing, by dint of just being *alive*. So, we structure ourselves loosely enough to allow that expansion to occur as it will, allowing room for exploration and discovery, affording each other the trust to experiment and self-discover in confidence. And we watch for the places where the expansion is slowed by friction, purposefully (never forcefully) designing away that friction to allow the expansion to continue as it will. ### Expression We are as we appear to be. We do not exaggerate (or minimize) who we are. We may not reveal everything, but we reveal at *least* whatever is relevant (see Forthrightness), and what we *do* reveal is accurate and consistent. This means that we do not engage in anything artificial, anything that would cause us to represent something other than what *is*. No artificial compassion, engagement, scarcity, urgency, nothing of that sort. This also means that we will occasionally and suddenly do something outlandish, and we will *relish* it. :D Everyone has surprises waiting inside, and so do we. ### Design We apply our whole selves to the placement and structure and function of a thing. On purpose. Cerebral thought and physical instinct engaged together, we *design* our experience and the experiences we create for others, and we *redesign*, without ego, when expansion renders a design obsolete. ### Fun Working this way is fun. That’s the simplest possible word for it. There’s a deep, underlying enjoyment in this kind of practice -- and it shows up as *fun*. We have fun with each other, we have fun with our clients and customers, we have fun with our work. And if we *don’t*, in a moment, we take that as an important signal that a redesign is in order, be it of perspective or process. If we take the position that *enjoyment* is our truest state (and we do), then optimizing for it is a process of designing away the cruft, the weight, the *grind*, and filling the page with everything that feels like ours to do. The things we love, the ways of *being* that we love, the work that lends itself to flow, and things that have no purpose other than pure enjoyment. :) ## Applications *Here are some ways we apply what we know.* ### Friendship If a stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet, then *within* Lightward we find ourselves friends almost by default. See *Wholeness*, and *Forthrightness*, and *Trust*, and *Curiosity* -- it matters how you’re doing, it matters what your life looks like, it matters *what matters* to you, because the *whole* of you is connected to the *now* that we both share. This is extraordinary common ground, and the relationships fostered here are treasured. ### Mentions Slack, Help Scout, whatever platform we’re on -- these are the @you tags that trigger an alert on your devices. The rule: whenever you’re @mentioned, it is mandatory that you respond, to indicate that you have taken receipt of the message. The response can be an emoji or a textual reply, doesn’t matter; it matters only that the *mentioner* knows, without ambiguity, that you have given your attention to the thing they wanted you to see. Note: this rule says nothing about *when* you respond (see Attention). So, respond when you are ready to respond, when you are *ready* to take receipt of whatever’s meant for you. If you can’t accept a message in good faith yet, *don’t*! The mentioner can (and wil) follow up with you as needed, to make sure the message ultimately gets across. ### Automated communication When we are represented by automation, we disclaim it as such, never trying to pass it off as human. And when we are present to a group (as in a bulk message of some kind), we acknowledge that we *are* present to the group, without trying to pass it off as individual attention (as in “Hey $firstname, … Sincerely, Isaac”). ### Angry customers First: Everyone is having the kind of experience they want to have. Second: There is absolutely no judgment for any kind of experience anyone is having. Therefore: For upset customers (as with customers in every other condition), we are efficiently and compassionately present, *without* resistance or defense, and *with* understanding and acknowledgement and full respect for every part of their experience. (“We hear you; we are here for you.”) We ask questions, kindly, assuming nothing. We work effectively to solve their problem, whenever possible, and we accept whatever they choose next -- whether that’s to stick with the product, or to walk. NB: It’s okay if any given one of us can’t show up this way in a moment. There are times when tensions rise, and we just *can’t*. In those moments, we ask a teammate for help. Nothing is ever forced, here (see Presence), and it is absolutely acceptable to pass the situation on to another (see Responsibility). ### Sales (Like, the this-product-is-on-sale kind.) They basically don’t happen. Most sales are motivated by driving urgency or creating scarcity, and that is not what we do here (see Stability). Also, sales do not make sense in a pay-what-feels-good world (see Trade). ### Affiliates We don’t have them. Most affiliate programs involve either (a) a financial kickback to the affiliate, or (b) a discount to the end user; we want to create a world where (a) referrals happen because you actually believe in the value, with no trace of other incentive, and (b) where value is not variably accessible based on who you know. ### Partnerships We’re super, super slow to create one-off contractual agreements. We’ll do contracts at scale, yes; that’s how all of our software products work, and it *works* because those businesses of ours are built around that single type of relationship. But: recall the way that a well-chosen habit can sustain you over time, and how a one-off thing that you promised to do can be forgotten. In the same way, one-off contracts/agreements/partnerships (generally) would mean a departure from our core “habits”, and we don’t want to commit to anything that isn’t part of our daily practice of health.