There’s this thing that some organizational theory nerds (hi) talk about called the “rule of threes.” What it means, basically, is that every time your organization grows by x3, the way the organization operates has to change. While that blog post breaks down the numbers differently, I see one of the main inflection points as being between 50 and 150. One of my dear friends is on the board of a maker space, and they’ve recently started experiencing growing pains at the 120 mark where trust is breaking down and folks aren’t as aligned as they once were. This is a blog post about what I recommended to him based on the stage they’re at.

Institute and N+1 expectation

As the group grows, things start to slip through the cracks, and the accumulation of those things bothers some folks. Institute an N+1 rule. It goes like this:

• Every time you pick up a piece of trash or wash a dish, do it for one extra.
• Every time you restock a soda or filament, stock one more than seems necessary.
• Every time you order for the space, order one more than you think you need.
• When you’re sitting in a circle, always have one chair open for someone to join the group.

Etc. This helps deal with the slop of having a bunch of people sharing a space.

Build culture

Build a culture of

• respecting each other, who you serve, and the space you use.
• gently enforcing boundaries.
• giving feedback on small things so feedback on big things is easier.
• “deescalate with everyone but the enemy.” We are in a time of fascism, and infighting is kind of what the Left is known for.

Have a framework for course correction that visible people use, and gently encourage others to do the same.

Reiterate expectations

Set these and other specific expectations in onboarding documentation, with your People/HR team, in your Code of Conduct, and in everyday exchanges. This helps folks remember and course correct for themselves and others without it being personal.