Six Degrees of Mozilla

MItchell Baker

About This Workshop

Six degrees of separation is the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so that a chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. “ – Wikimedia

This activity is based on the popularized version of ‘Six Degrees’ called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and is meant to be a fast-paced fun and reflective opportunity to evaluate what our connections as community leaders and emerging leaders are to problem-solvers, knowledge-horders, and decision makers in Mozilla, and how each of us are empowered in a similar way to bubble up opportunity, concerns and ideas but also own the solutions.

Format

Using a random list of Mozillians and community challanges, participants will map the networks, and actions required to bring accurate resolution to questions, challanges and concerns expressed in our adventures inside and outside the Mozilla community.

Learning Outcomes

  • Mozilla Networks and Connections
  • Reaching Decision Makers
  • Everyone has the potential to successfully own or escalate community challenges whether they are staff, volunteer or alumni.

Materials

Audience

Anyone in the Mozilla community (staff, alumni, voluntees) seeking greater understanding of how they and others might be empowered through existing and potential connections to influence change, find help and act as ambassador to Mozilla in external communities.

*Note: Language currently describes technical contributors and communities, but this can be adapted to any functional area leadership.

Terminology

Mozilla Community

Volunteers, staff and alumni

Degree

For the purposes of this game, a ‘degree’ is that by which someone has the ‘ear’ of someone in the community who can provide accurate answers, or make a decision. There are only a few people who can make project decisions.

  • Interacts with regularly 1:1
  • Reports to that person on the org chart
  • Is in a mentor/mentee relationship in Reps or any other similar.

Decision Maker

Someone who can make a decision that immediately addresses a concern or a request in a way that changes something. Mitchell being our last degree of seperation for the purposes of this workshop.

Influencer

Someone who can influence change on a broad spectrums. Influencers can not invoke changes without the support and actions of a decision maker.

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Image Credit: Tristan Nitot

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