Authentic Guides Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
Constitution & Membership Agreement
Changing the way that business is done by helping authentic businesses flourish and helping authenticity flourish in business.
Foundations
Purpose
Authentic Guides is a membership community of business service professionals and nourishers of the soul including teachers, strategists, accountants, lawyers, communicators, marketers, designers, healers, coaches, publicists, sustainability advisors and facilitators. We are all self employed or within a businesses and have come together to pursue a shared purpose.
To change the way that business is done, so that it creates happiness and security for us all.
We do this by celebrating and supporting authentic businesses and authenticity in other businesses.
Our clients will set an example to others that there is a way, which is better for business, better for people in business and better for our cohabitants on this planet.
As Authentic Guides we achieve this purpose by:
•Supporting the growth and development of authentic businesses,
•Helping authenticity to flourish in businesses,
•Supporting each other on our own authentic journeys,
•Supporting each other in our businesses,
•Collaborating to ensure a consistently high level of quality in our work.
Structure
Authentic Guides is a community, to which its members contribute and from which they receive support, and where we share and develop work. Our intention is to rapidly grow into a global community of people committed to working together to deliver our purpose.
Authentic Guides is designed to be a self-organising and self-managing structure with minimal barriers to growth. Authentic Guides is designed so that only those who share the values and have the energy will join and those who loose their commitment will leave. This constitution is part of that system. Please read it carefully and only sign up if you are prepared to commit.
Authentic Guides is not a hierarchy, has no “management”, pays no salaries and has no offices. It is a new and experimental business structure designed to support participants working in their authentic field.
Authentic Guides is formed as a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) in which all Guides are also partners. This is a new structure of business, which makes it possible for any stakeholder to become a Member of a UK LLP simply through signing a suitably drafted Member Agreement (Such as the Authentic Guides Constitution). So instead of a supplier signing contractual terms of business negotiated adversarially, or an employee being confronted with a Contract of Employment, they may instead become true partners in the enterprise with their interests aligned with other stakeholders.
The result is that there need not be any ‘externalities’ or any profit or loss in a Limited Liability Partnership, merely value creation and exchange between members in conformance with the Member Agreement.
For more information on LLPs see: "If Not Global Capitalism"by Chris Cook.
Authentic Guides will work closely with other organisations in the Authentic system including:
Authentic Capital – providing investment funding for authentic businesses, so that they do not have to sell out ideologically.
Authentic Education Trust – Researching and creating ways to prepare children for adulthood.
Origins
Authentic Guides was co-founded on the inspiration of Neil Crofts and Neil’s Authentic Business vision, set out both on www.authenticbusiness.co.uk and in his book "Authentic, How to Make a Living by Being Yourself".
Values
We are united by our vision of an authentic way of working and making money.
Authenticity means committing to the pursuit of a profoundly held positive purpose. By its very nature this purpose will have a positive impact on society and the environment.
We are committed to integrity between our own communications and actions both as individuals and as a community.
We are committed to respect for each other and for our cohabitants on this planet.
We are committed to our own authenticity in our work and the uniqueness that it brings to it.
We are committed to each other’s authentic journeys, and to the authentic journey of the Authentic Guides community.
Governance
Love
All of the money you have ever earned or will ever earn will come through relationships. We have found that working relationships based on love are infinitely more effective and powerful than those, which are not. We strongly recommend that Guides work with clients whose purpose or potential they can love.
We understand that this may initially be something of a challenge. Love is not something that is commonly associated with business. Please bear with it and examine the difference in the quality of relationships where love is involved and where it is not. Once you experience the difference, we believe, you will be unwilling to go back.
Personal development
Guides commit to their own authentic journey and to supporting each other on that journey. The challenge we set ourselves is to know our own authentic purpose and to live it. Guides are invited to use the community to offer each other personal development courses, workshops or sessions for free or at discounted rates.
Co-coaching
Every Guide commits to at least one co-coaching relationship with another Guide. These may take some time to emerge so, in order to be reaccredited (for more on reaccredidation see below) as a Guide, at least one co-coaching relationship will be in place at the time of reaccredidation.
A co-coaching relationship is one where two Guides undertake to support each other with feedback, advice, questions, answers, enquiry and love. They may be as formal or informal as the participants choose.
Induction
In order to be a Guide, Guides will have participated in the one day Induction and Inspiration workshop and will have signed up and committed to this constitution and signed the Companies House LLP membership form LLP288a.
Cells
The Guides will grow personally and as a community through connection and collaboration. Guides will commit to membership of at least two Guides Cells. Their Local Cell based on Guides in their area and their craft Cell based on Guides who do similar work.
Local Cells collaborate on work with clients in their area and on Local PR and marketing and offer professional support for each other. Cells are self-managing and members may choose to levy their own subscription to pay for things – subject to the decision making processes outlined below.
Craft Cells collaborate to develop their authenticity in the practice of what they do and to influence the craft of which they are a part. They may also choose to collaborate as larger Cells on larger projects where additional resources are required.
When a Craft Cell is formed it will be registered at www.authenticguides.com A Cell will have a minimum of two members and a maximum of twelve. When a Cell reaches it’s maximum size members might choose to split along logical lines.
When joining, Guides are asked to set up an AIM (AOL instant messenger) or iChat account to facilitate informal conversation opportunities. It is recommended that you share your AIM or iChat details with other members of your Cells and Guides working on projects with you.
Members and Membership
All Guides pay an annual subscription of £100 plus VAT as a contribution towards marketing, brand building and administration. This sum will be reviewed every year.
Guides commit themselves to a re-accreditation process every year. (See re-accreditation below)
If a guide’s name or address details change they are responsible for changing their details on the Authentic Guides web site and for notifying Companies House of their changed details using form LLP288c.
Members agree to abide by the principles of an authentic business (see values above) in their own work, and commit to implementing any codes and policies agreed by the community for example on ethics, diversity, climate-neutral work etc. See Appendix for Sustainability and Diversity policies and Ethical Code (drafts)
Guides can leave the community by sending a message to all of the members of their Cell and having their page removed from the web site, or by not being reaccredited. The Cell may prefer to celebrate the person’s membership and contribution to the group in person.
Guides can be asked to leave if they
- don’t attend meetings
- break the ethical code and are not prepared to ask for support and re-accreditation
Departing Guides are responsible for notifying Companies House of their departure using form LLP288b.
Meetings
Our expectation is that Cells will meet regularly in places as accessible as possible to all, on dates established in advance. We recommend that Local Cells aim to meet monthly and that Craft Cells aim to meet quarterly. We recommend that all Guides participate in the Annual Authentic Festival.
Members are required to attend at least half of the meetings in a calendar year. If this attendance is not met, the Member will be invited to the next meeting to discuss their membership. Failure to attend this meeting will result in the person being asked to leave the Guides.
The Cell is quorate when half or more of the members are present.
Decisions of a quorate group will hold for the Cell as a whole.
Contracts
All Members will include in their marketing, trading proposals and contracts a paragraph as follows:
X is your Authentic Guide and is your gateway to the knowledge, skills and experience of the Authentic Guides Community. As Authentic Guides we work to help authentic businesses to flourish and authenticity to flourish in other businesses. Working with Authentic Guides, clients can benefit from the combined learning and capability of the community. A potential client can check the feedback scores that individual Guides have received and give own feedback on the web site.
Recruitment
In order to change businesses to be run in a more positive, less damaging and authentic way we need thousands of Guides around the world collaborating witheach other. We have designed Authentic Guides so that the community can grow easily and rapidly. Every Guide undertakes to support the growth of the community by recruiting suitable new Guides and encouraging them to take part in the induction session.
Complaints
Clients may complain to the Authentic Guides web site. Every complaint will be responded to and dealt with at either national or local level. As a guide you may be asked to investigate and mediate a complaint.
From time to time it may become clear that Authentic Guides is no longer the most appropriate forum for a Guide – at this point a decision will be made using the decision making process outlined below.
Payments
As Guides we commit to making payments to suppliers on time even if it is financially uncomfortable for ourselves. The option always exists to renegotiate the terms of any arrangement openly and transparently with our suppliers before the payment becomes overdue.
Liability
Guides are responsible for managing their own business affairs and any liabilities that may arise from them.
Working with other Guides
As part of the support we offer each other we recommend that Guides partner with or recruit other Guides onto projects or recommend them to clients. The Authentic Guides web site will carry a directory of all Guides to help you find a guide who is suitable for the project that you have in mind. It is likely that you will work most closely with Guides in your Local Cell (see Cells).
Where two or more Guides collaborate on a project it is vital that at the start of the project the recruiting Guide give the other Guides a detailed briefing. Feedback is essential to our development as Guides and collaborating Guides have the opportunity to coach each other throughout a project. At a minimum, collaborating Guides will hold a review meeting at the end of the project and offer each other feedback on their work.
Marketing and Branding
Guides are invited to use the Authentic Business web site to help them market their work as Guides. Guides may submit inspiring articles about their work in general or may interview clients or potential clients and write articles based on the interview – this is a great way of getting to know potential clients and introduce them to our work. To submit articles click here.
Income from our subscriptions to Authentic Guides will be used to maintain the web site and to pay for marketing work for the benefit of all Guides.
Neil Crofts will act as a spokes person speaking in the press and to business and community groups – if you know of or can create such opportunities please let him know.
All Guides are expected to continue to market their own work.
Guides will be provided with artwork for an Authentic Guides badge, which they may use at their discretion to identify themselves as Guides on their web site and stationary.
Testimonials
In order to grow we must provide value to our clients and be able to demonstrate that value to prospective clients. We ask that Guides request testimonials from clients, which they can publish on their own page on the Authentic Guides web site to support their own biography section.
Feedback
Customer service and exceptional value are essential to our shared success in the Guides community. To understand the value that we offer our clients we must ask them. Guides use a simple feedback mechanism for clients to ask them how they feel about the work that has been done. This may be applied to every individual in a training session or to our direct contacts in a more consultative engagement.
We ask our clients to rank the engagement using these smilies to show how happy or sad they were with the engagement. Guides can then put the results on their web page alongside testimonials.
Dear client, please let us know how you felt about the quality of our engagement .
We will use your response along with your testimonial on our web site to help other clients choose whom they would like to work with.
Joining
To become an Authentic Guide and to be a member of the Authentic Guides community please print and fill in a copy of this page.
Please also print and complete a copy of the Companies House form LLP288a.
Please send both forms together with a cheque for £117.50 (inc VAT) for your first year’s subscription to Authentic Business, The Old School House, Lower Westwood, Bradford on Avon, BA15 2AR.
Appendix
As a guideline for decision-making we propose keeping to the following principles:
Principles
Participation - Will the decision be based on participation from and dialogue with all affected parties? Would this degree of participation be acceptable to me, if the boot were on the other foot?
Transparency - Is the decision going to be reached in such a way as to give everyone access to information so they can monitor the process throughout? Would this degree of access be acceptable to me?
Responsibility and Accountability - Will the responsibility(ies) and accountability(ies) arising from the decision be communicated to all affected by it, directly or indirectly? Would this degree of clarity work for me?
Honesty - Would I feel shame, or would I hold onto my dignity if all people suddenly gained access to my innermost thoughts and discovered what was driving the decision or my support for the decision?
Process
In order to choose how to come to a decision, different methods may apply depending on different circumstances - for example whether you are more or less accountable for the consequences of a decision. The following options may help you choose the most appropriate method.
Option 1 - I decide following consultation with the Cell (eg deciding who do I choose to give a piece of work to if it’s my client, or my contact )
Option 2 - Cell decides on my proposal (eg do I take on this new client?)
Option 3 - Cell decides together on matters of joint interest (Where shall we meet next time; any suggestions?)
Procedure
Here are some suggestions when you have decided which option suits the decision best, how to come to a conclusion:
•unanimous vote
•percentage majority
•simple majority
•consensus
•going with a sense of the room
Membership
Becoming a member works as follows:
1. Prospective members will participate in the Authentic Guides Induction Day.
2. New person prepares a short manifesto (max. 1000 words) to be published on their page on www.authenticguides.com to include some of the following:
- purpose and vision for their work
- ethics, values, etc
- skills
- what they bring to the Guides community
- what they offer to clients
- relevant, experiences, qualifications
3. Having attended the induction, a prospective member will decide whether they would wish to join. To join the Guide must sign up to and commit to the constitution.?
4. Each Guide pays an annual subscription of £100 plus VAT
Re-accreditation
In order to maintain the highest standards of work, all Guides will be asked to submit to an annual re-accreditation. It is one of our values that we are able to stand by the quality of each other’s work.
The process, organised to coincide with their subscription renewal by each individual guide with three other Guides chosen by the reaccrediting Guide, is as follows:
1. Guides are reaccredited based on their role and contribution to the Guides
2. On separate piece of paper for each (ie 4in total) self assess
- Your work with clients
- Progress on your authentic journey
- Support to others in your Cells
- Support for the Guides community
Each of the papers will have these three boxes at the bottom and each of the reaccrediting Guides will make a mark in the relevant box according to their view.
There follows a time of supportively challenging, discussing and giving positive feedback on the persons' self assessment and contribution. Each person is allocated exactly the same amount of time.
If the group decides that the Guide may be reaccredited, the Guide may send in their renewal payment. If the group decide not to reaccredit the Guide may accept the decision or appeal and go through the process again with another group of Guides of their choice. Our expectation is that Guides will support each other in determining the best route forward under any circumstance.
Ethical code
Each Guide will
•Run their own business affairs with authenticity – see Guide Book
•Commit to behaviours with clients and each other that are respectful and honouring. Authenticity is a journey, a journey that each individual and organisation takes in their own way and at their own pace
•Offer their services to develop clients’ self-reliance not dependence
•Honour their commitments, financial and otherwise to each other
•Work to increase inclusion and fight discrimination and oppression
•Share work as outlined in Decision Making above
•Act within the law
Sustainability
As a group we intend to become economically, environmentally and socially sustainable:
Economically - sustainable by running individually profitable businesses with the support of the group
Environmentally - sustainable by reducing our waste, our use of energy, and monitoring our environmental impact so that we can create a plan to continually reduce this impact
Socially - sustainable by honouring and committing to each other, working with the primary intention of creating a positive social contribution, striving to reflect more the diversity of our communities within the group, communicating this statement to our clients, choosing suppliers and investors who share similar principles, and as individuals, engaging with our role as global citizens through participating in the debates and actions around peace, human rights, poverty, sustainability, alternative forms of business and trade, and the ethical behaviour of governments and corporations.
Equality Statement:
We will through our work and practice actively promote equality of rights to all groups, striving to eliminate unfair and unlawful treatment to people on the grounds of their age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability and class. We recognise the richness of diversity that all individuals contribute to this work and will apply it to all our services.
Access
All venues we use for workshops/training/meetings are accessible to all – we encourage hirers to provide this access or find alternative accommodation e.g. provision for wheelchair access, disabled toilets, hearing loops etc. All are materials are provided in a format to be readable/usable by all participants e.g. language, font size, braille, and uses inclusive language.
Selection
We encourage diversity within our group of Guides reflective of the customers and community that we serve. We expect that they fulfil the skills required and reflect a diverse workforce to provide the broadest possible vision of the services that we provide.
We aim for selection procedures that are fair and transparent and take positive action to ensure underrepresented groups apply. We offer set application and selection procedures, that are monitored, and we seek out qualified/experienced trainers to join us from identified groups whom enrich our diversity as we take on new work e.g. race/disability/gender.