This Part-1 article summarizes some of the Leadership discussions which took place on the following Twitter Space on January 19, 2023.
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) have become a popular topic in recent years, and for good reason. DAOs are intended to operate through smart contracts on a blockchain network, allowing for decentralized decision-making and governance. In todays reality however, most DAOs have lots, or at least some amounts of human interaction, and where there’s humans there’s differences of opinions, backgrounds, and expertise. One question that often arises is whether the concept of decentralization negates the concept of leadership. In a recent discussion between Memebrains, Deepa, 0xBlockBoy, Mel.eth, DAODenver, and Bubz, this topic was explored.
Deepa began by stating that DAOs have leaders, but they do not have bosses. There is a distinction between a leader and a boss. A leader inspires and engages, sets the direction, and encourages the team, whereas a boss gives orders. DAOs have leaders, and everyone is expected to be a leader. Contributors are supposed to be proactive and show leadership by raising their hands and getting the work done. However, Deepa also believes that some structure needs to be brought into the leadership thing, as having too many leaders can create chaos.
0xBlockBoy agreed with Deepa's point, stating that within the DAO space, leaders are the pieces of the process or individuals, whereas the boss is the process of governance that is being followed. Every single person within that process needs to be a leader and step up to fill in their spot within the process.
Mel.eth brought up the idea of being a facilitator, stating that a well-crafted process can make all the difference. If you can figure out how to decentralize the thing, it enables anyone to be a leader. Leadership, in a way, is about crafting that idea that everybody wants to move towards.
DAODenver believes that the differences with DAOs are that anyone can be a leader. A DAO is a place where anybody can step up and lead. In a particular project, one person may be the agreed-upon leader by consensus or some decision-making process. However, he also believes that it is important to be efficient and be in lockstep to get something done, and sometimes that requires following a "chain of command."
Memebrains raised the question of how a decentralized group decides who will be the leader they follow versus not and avoid some of the turmoil that may come up with it. DAODenver responded by saying that leadership pulls people along with momentum and leadership qualities, whereas pushing people tends to make them spin out.
Bubz, on the other hand, believes that leadership can negates what a DAO is, mainly because of what the acronym stands for: Decentralized Autonomous Organization. A decentralized organization is where everyone is equal to lead, leveling the playing field, and allowing everyone to contribute to the mission. In CultDAO, specifically, no one is a leader. Instead, everyone does their thing, roams around the ecosystem, sees what's missing, and fills in the void accordingly, with everyone playing a role supporting each other.
In conclusion, while there are varying opinions on whether leadership can exist in a DAO, it is clear that DAOs operate differently from traditional organizations. Leadership is decentralized and often self-governing, with members collectively making decisions that shape the direction of the organization. However, some structure is needed, and it is important to ensure that there is efficiency and lockstep in getting things done. Ultimately, the success of a DAO depends on the ability of its members to work together and contribute to the mission, whether through leadership or otherwise.
If the ideas and discussions presented in this article have stimulated your mind and you would like to delve deeper into this subject, I encourage you to Join the next Twitter Space discussion. These discussions are created with the aim of facilitating a safe and supportive environment where we can share our knowledge and insights, and collaborate to find the best paths for us to navigate the rapidly changing world around us. I believe that we are all in this together and that we can all benefit from each other's experiences and intellect. So come join us in the next Twitter Space, raise your hand, and let's have a productive and engaging conversation about DAO leadership and the future of decentralized organizations.