Industries that we avoid
Currently we do not have any industries that we avoid, but that might change in the future.
Why we might avoid some industries?
Our two core values “Freedom” and “Heart over Wallet” can sometimes collide. For example when it comes to which industries we work in. Some members may feel very strongly against say the arms or surveillance industry - for them, “Heart over Wallet” means avoiding those industries even if it means a loss of profit, and they don’t want to associate with a consulting company that works with these industries.
On the other hand, our “Freedom” principle means that people can work with whatever they want, and some of us have no moral qualms with these industries.
So what gives?
To maintain a happy home with mutual respect, we’ve agreed on this compromise:
- the Collective doesn’t work with industries that at least one member has a strong opinion against.
- If someone really wants to take on such a client, they must do so outside of the Collective.
How do we decide which industries are blacklisted?
If you are strongly against any specific industry, bring it up at the next unconference (or better yet, before joining the Collective). The decision boils down to how much you hate that industry vs how much others love it.
A useful mental model is for each person to classify that industry:
- Green: “I love that industry, and I would be really upset if I’m not allowed to work with that”
- Grey: “I’m OK with that industry, but if someone has a very strong opinion against, I’m OK with avoiding it.
- Black: “It’s not OK for me to work with that industry. I think it will contaminate our brand, and I’d rather leave in that case.”
If an industry is on your Black list, and it isn’t on anyone else’s Green list, then we add it to the list of industries to avoid.
The only problem we have is if the industry is Green for one person and Black for someone else.
Is it OK to take an assignment within these industries?
Through the Collective, no. Outside the Collective, it’s up to the consultant. But no Collective material is allowed to be used in that assignment, no connection to the brand at all. The consultant needs to take that through their own company. “Off the record” so to speak.
What if these are industries that I want to focus on?
If you are a new candidate and one of our blacklisted industries is Green for you, then we are probably not the right place for you.
If you are a member already, you have some options:
- Option 1: Convince the existing Blacks (people who hate that industry) to change to Gray.
- Option 2: Adapt your stance. Change your own Green to Gray, and accept that the industry is blacklisted at the Collective.
- Option 3: Leave the Collective.
In practice this has never been a problem though.
What happens when a client from these industries “knocks on the door”?
By default we turn them down, and describe our policy.
One exception is public classes, since we don’t have the bandwidth to screen each course participant for which industry they comes from. Another exception is if one of us specifically wants that job, and is willing to do it outside of the Collective.