Wait, what?
Yes, honor code! An honor code is an understanding of shared guidelines for behavior that you agree on and agree to police yourself. I find this idea very grown up (ironically, you see it in universities) and startlingly underutilized.
The basic premise is this: With these guidelines understood in advance, those who agree to it rise to the ocassion and hold themselves themselves up to its shared standards.
The result is a true community in every sense of the word, where trust is established from the outset, creating an easier flow of ideas and more meaningful collaboration.
All of the above sounds kind of serious, right? I know, and I’m not such a serious person, generally. But this is important. I’m setting the tone, here!
I like the idea of working with people who trust me, and who I trust. I like the idea of self-selection, that we choose each other. I like the idea of building a community where creativity flows, and where really excellent work gets done.