We have two goals for our time together, to help us envision a more promising future for work and workers: 

• Make progress in our own understanding, across difference and (sometimes surprising!) agreement

• Deepen some relationships and forge new ones

To achieve this, we start by recognizing that we’re an unusually diverse group in how we think, in our occupations, demographics, politics, class (both status and upbringing), career stages, philosophies, and more.

1. Keep your conversations confidential. What’s said here, stays here. What’s learned here, can leave here. You can only share with others that you attended [Going to Work] and how it affected you. Please keep specific content from conversations confidential, as well as the names of other participants. (This one is actually a rule, not a norm.)

2. Push past your default. This private and off-the-record gathering offers a rare chance to try out ideas with a deeply relevant group. Start a conversation with someone new. Question your beliefs. Avoid repeating your stock takes and canned responses.

3. Share the air. If you tend to speak more in group conversations, limit yourself. Just as important, if you’re more hesitant to say something, challenge yourself to speak up. 

4. Expect surprise. Every participant has layered, complicated, evolving views. Someone may differ dramatically from their public persona. Conversations may end without resolution and still enlighten everyone.

5. Do what you need to do. We expect that if you start a session, you’ll stay for its entirety, and that you join every session unless you’ve communicated a conflict in advance. Having said that, we also understand you may feel uncomfortable at times. While we hope you’ll accept some discomfort, feel free to step away from a discussion.

6. Enter airplane mode. During sessions, turn your phone off and put it away to show respect to your fellow participants.

To make these norms real, any participant can invoke these norms if they feel someone has violated them by saying “Norm Check” to the individual directly, to a session facilitator, or any member of the [Going to Work] team.