# Cody Freeman's Manager Readme

**Founder & CEO at Global Center**

# Motivation for this document

I want to find the best way to elevate the people in our Global Center community. It's important to me that everyone grow as part of this family, and that I lead through support.

# My role

We are still defining our KPIs as an organization, but we know that we need to create impact and freedom for LGBTI+ youth. We've set our strategic plan for the next three years, and it is a great sustainable yet difficult development. There probably needs to be a way for people to measure how I am doing at the Global Center as a leader and as the CEO, but I am not sure how to do this yet - open to ideas. I think teammates will get better at this jobs through learning how to be an educator and manager through facilitating people's best qualities when they manage. Hosting professional development series to develop skills, and transforming personally through healing and innovation lab meetings will help us bring our best selves to work and play inside and outside the GC.

# What do I value most?

Respect, vulnerability, and the courage to do the best you can. The best way to help me is to be open and honest with me, no matter the situation. Honesty with capacity or telling me the truth about a project or situation is paramount and hiding conflict erodes my trust. Of course, for me this should be done through a lens of compassion and respect as a person gives this feedback in order to support the other and help them grow. It is never my attempt to cause conflict, but I think as we imagine a new world and strategize how to do, or if I am being sassy after a hard day in that arena, then I would appreciate if you did not take it personally. The biggest thing I need help with is trust. While it may appear that I am confident, it is because I have weighed that decision greatly and I often feel as though I am trailblazing a new path in my life that is self-defined. Without a personal family system of support, sometimes I do not trust myself so I take a while to make a decision.

# My Expectations

I think the best way to communicate with me is through a WhatsApp voice message, so I can hear that person's voice and feel connected and receptive to the human behind the technology. However, I do answer all my emails every day, so that is also a productive way to stay focused. I don't expect a response within the day unless it's something urgent, but no answer after like three days is a little disrespectful for me. It's not about a full answer, but just acknowledging it was received and that they are on it. Work hours and availability don't matter to me as well because we need to revolutionize how we work -- as long as there are commitment and drive, where there isn't a total delay in tasks and people set a clear deadline that lets me coordinate with other teams, I am fine whenever it gets done. But ambiguity and then later apologies don't interest me and get in the way of planning. For me, the work takes the time it is supposed to take, just tell me honestly when and what you're working on so I can align it with other people, not for myself.

For mistakes, the best way to come forward is one-on-one, but that is what the space at the beginning of every meeting is for too so I don't mind in a group setting, but one-on-one allows me to hear it, process, and develop skills of how to be better. Done for me is when all parties agree that it is the highest quality material at that time and we make a group decision to press on. We are always growing and sometimes it won't be the best, rather the best we can do at that moment. However, I believe that our best in that moment is still great comparatively. It is more important about continuing that working on something that has no result because we couldn't push it out.

# 1:1s

I am a night owl. Therefore, I prefer to have meetings at my nighttime (Bangkok), anytime really, just in the night because my brain is functioning and I have all my tasks done for the day, and it's the last way to connect with friends before powering down for the night. I always love a personal check-in to see how people are surviving and thriving in their life, where nothing is too afraid to be talked about, and then moving on to Global Center matters since we are humans at work, not machines that have to regulate emotions. 

I think Unit Leaders should lead meetings and prepare the meeting notes, and for all-team meetings, those tasks should rotate for full community involvement. Leadership for me is many aspects so sometimes I will lead and sometimes others will lead, and I have no ego in that, rather I encourage that model. I usually love a weekly check-in with people to see what tasks they are working on and how they are doing personally. I've been doing this with Cai every week via WhatsApp audio, and have stayed connected and am fulfilled from that while it also keeps them in the loop.

# Personality quirks

My love language is quality time, I am a night owl, I am an Aquarius, and I am always exploring the best way to grow as a collective. I can be overly ambitious or argumentative about how to create impact, but then when others suggest an idea, I play devil's advocate -- because it is the same voices in my head that I debate with but now it is externalized. I like to dance and celebrate life as much as I love working. After working across the world for years now, I sleep text so that's why it seems I am up at all hours. Exercise is what I do when I am healthy, smoking, eating, and drinking wine is what I do when I am unhealthy. I get extremely happy when others are happy and have fulfillment and are able to grow. If I get to be apart or a reason for that, I start crying because I believe I am put on this planet to do that.  I get nervous when people say "we need to talk" -- don't do that, just tell me what's wrong. I can send multiple small messages about tasks instead of one well-crafted response because I am moving very fast in my life to get a lot of things done but I know I could be more mindful in this. I drink a lot of coffee, I like silliness and fun and popstar celebrity gossip, political thriller shows, and be able to vent to friends just for basic reassurance. I talk a lot! A lot a lot but even with this awareness I can't seem to stop talking. And it's not because my ego, I just can't stop talking hahahaha! I should probably do a silent retreat to check that out. I am always looking to grow and learn and love meeting new people and having conversations. I can be unpredictable as a go-with-the-flow or very stubborn person, it really depends on the situation and who I am reacting to. I feel like I will be in the public zeitgeist one day so I try to control my image a bit and, while I am messy actually, try to seem collected. The small moments of peace and joy make me most happy - presence. 

# Where to focus on your first 90 days?

I think I see the commitment through being on your shit. Just do the job with your whole heart, speak up if you have an idea or find something challenging so we can support each other, and lead with your passion in the work. I can tell if you are doing a good job if you are committed through honest feedback, timely responses (within 48 hours) and are looking at the long-term development of yourself, the GC, and the potential for LGBTI+ youth. Any selfish ego upsets me and gets in the way of that. Unity through honest conversations within our organizations and with other humans. Findings yourself in the community we've built here and let it be unclear for a while until you carve out your role and what you are passionate about is a cool first step, as long as you don't feel lost for a large amount of time.