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Article 4: You may take any action and make any decision in your role

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Intent: You get maximum autonomy and accountability to do what’s best for the organisation. You are expected to do anything you feel is proper and necessary for the organisation, both in your roles, and outside of your roles under specific circumstances. Any boundaries that may be there are meant to safeguard the organisation.

You may take any action and decision to carry out the purpose and accountabilities of your role as long as you do not break the rules in this constitution.

4.1 Exceptions to your authority

You may not violate any policies that apply to your role, your circle, or any supercircle thereof. (Article 4.1.1).

You may use and manage the domains of your role. You may also use domains of the circle that your role is in, as long as you do not do anything difficult to undo.

To enter other domains, you need permission. You can ask the role that manages the domain for permission, or you may announce your intention to do something with the domain to them. If no objection is made within a reasonable time, you have permission to do what you have announced. This operating procedure can be adapted in a policy. (Article 4.1.2)

You may not spend money unless you have permission to do so. You can ask that permission from the role that manages the money, or you may announce your intention to spend money in writing to them. When doing so, you must include the reason and role from which you are doing so.

If no one escalates your expenditure within a reasonable timeframe, you have permission to make the announced expenditure. You also have permission if an escalation is rescinded. A Role Lead of the role you are requesting permission to may revoke an escalation and may withdraw the given permission again at any time. You can make a working arrangement to modify this workflow or to assign the authority to spend money directly to a role. (Article 4.1.3)

4.2 Interpreting the constitution and governance.

You may use common sense to interpret this constitution, and all that follows from it.

If your interpretation differs from someone else's, you may ask the Secretary of the concerned circle to rule on the interpretation. You must then abide by it until the source text changes. (Article 4.2.1)

If you have doubts about the validity of specific governance, you may ask the Secretary of the concerned circle to make a ruling on that. If the Secretary finds that the governance violates the rules in this constitution, then they should undo the change and let all circle members know that. (Article 4.2.2)

4.3 Taking individual initiative

If the following things all apply, then you may take individual initiative by acting outside the authority of your roles or breaking the rules in this constitution (Article 4.3.1):

  • What you want to do helps a role in the organisation (not necessarily one of your roles)
  • You think you prevent or resolve more tension than you create
  • You don't spend money (or no more than you are authorised to)
  • You see a reason not to wait for permission or a governance meeting (if you violate a policy or domain)

If you take individual initiative, you must report and explain it to any Role Lead affected. If they ask, you must help to resolve any tensions and refrain from retaking this initiative. (Article 4.3.2)