This is a flat structured community, meaning, the network is sustained because of a very distributed form of leadership. The network is sustained because of the idea of social capital, where leadership is and should be formed through the good works, contributions, good relationships, and value one has provided to the community – not because you have declared yourself a leader.
The leadership is decentralized on applications and its app creators, which makes for the idea that the applications are autonomous, have their own governance and decision making, and their own cultures. ProgCode can be considered one of the applications in the network, with the key goal of becoming conduits of collaboration between these applications.
Having said that, we as staffers – simply because of the term or becoming staffers/coordinators – will inevitably be seen as perceived leaders within the community. Our role as staffers inevitably puts the perception of a dominating figure within the community, and because of that we need to setup an ego check to be able for us to be mindful about our position in the community.
Here are the following ego checks for you to consider as you engage with the community.