A fork for upgrading the DAOs Human Factor

by Gustavo Segovia

In the wild world of DAOs, where everyone’s chasing the perfect blend of inclusivity, purpose, and a sprinkle of chaos, my journey from GravityDAO to creating Coh3rence has been quite the ride. Let’s just say, sometimes you have to experience a little turbulence before you can design smoother skies. So buckle up as we navigate through how Coh3rence came to be!

The Gravity of the Situation

GravityDAO initially felt like finding an oasis in the desert of incoherent DAOs, there were a lot of incentive and coordination mechanisms, but in my personal experience, not that much alignment between purpose, protocols and people. Gravity seemed to understand the importance of inclusivity and were armed with a toolkit that included the inspiring Deliberately Developmental Organizations (DDO) framework from “Everyone’s Culture.” It looked like a dream come true for someone tired of lip service without action.

When Gravity Turned Heavy

But, as with any promising relationship, reality eventually kicks in. My attempts to introduce structured boundaries, a new compelling branding and signaling mechanism for team dysfunctions were met with resistance. Imagine trying to point out the iceberg ahead only to find everyone too busy rearranging deck chairs. And then there was the advisor, meant to hold safe spaces for our disagreements, who was deeply triggered by my presence. Let’s just say, it made me feel more like a bull in a china shop than a trusted leader.

Without diving too deep into the melodrama, let’s just say my departure felt more like an unexpected eviction than a graceful exit. Despite the initial disappointment and frustration, this only fueled my determination to build something better, something more Coh3rent (pun intended).

The Birth of Coh3rence

And so, Coh3rence was born! Think of it as Gravity 2.0, but with fewer glitches, clear structure and actual governance. With a clear vision, I set out to create an organization that walks its talk. We’re all about solid structures and clear communication, ensuring that everyone’s voice can be heard without turning every meeting into a telenovela.

One of the biggest lessons from Gravity was recognizing that just because we’re all shouting “inclusivity” doesn’t mean we’re all singing the same tune. Coh3rence is designed to embrace our differences (see our Governance model) while building on our common goals. We value governance (because who doesn’t love a bit of order?), and we’re committed to ensuring that anyone with something valuable to offer gets their time in the spotlight.

Gravity taught me a lot, not least of which is that a “safe space” isn’t just about throwing around the term. It’s about practicing it daily, with genuine empathy and understanding. There are many things where we’re very serious about at Coh3rence, safety is the main one, but also, we are serious about allowing ourselves to not take us so seriously. After all, what’s the point of building a better DAO if we can’t experience happiness, fulfillment and fun fun along the way?

Conclusion and moving forward

Looking ahead, our goals are as ambitious as they are heart-driven. We want to bring DDO tooling on-chain, create trustworthy communities, and ultimately operate from a place of love and compassion. It’s a big dream, but we’re in it for the long haul.

To anyone else navigating the choppy waters of DAO life, remember: don’t just fall for an organization’s glossy ethos and catchy slogans. Real relationships, even in the digital world, are messy and complex. But with the right mix of structure, good vibes, and a lot of heart, you can build something truly Coh3rent.

From Gravity’s turbulent orbit to the clear, structured path of Coh3rence, this journey has been all about learning, laughing, and evolving. Here’s to building an organization that truly lives up to its promises—and has a bit of fun while doing it.