Mastery, Committment and Roles
Dynamic Roles based on Time and Mastery
Principle: Tell us your Mastery (what you can do) and Commitment (time). Roles emerge from there. We lock roles per chapter, then reset. No attachment, just clarity.
Being an Open Startup means anyone can join and contribute to code, design, marketing, and everything else. If you say you can do it, we trust you, starting with lower-consequence work until trust is earned through doing.
We use Mastery and Commitment Levels to align expectations. Your Roles emerge from the intersection of these dimensions. Roles are dynamic, adapting as you and the project evolve. At the start of each chapter, we lock in roles so everyone knows who to go to, then reset at the next chapter.
What matters is how your teammates perceive your work. Past job titles don't matter here, only the work you deliver, how you fit into the team, and how you help realize the mission.
At a Glance
| Dimension | What it Defines |
|---|---|
| Reliability (Mastery × Commitment) | What someone can do and what the team can count on them for |
| Tier | Place in the contributor ladder |
| Engagement | Current state of engagement |
How to Think About It
When you contribute to Meetball, three questions guide how we work together:
- Mastery answers: "What CAN you do?"
- Commitment answers: "What WILL you do?"
- Role answers: "What can the team COUNT ON you for?"
Dynamic Roles in Practice:
Locked per Chapter: At the start, we agree on roles so everyone knows who owns what.
Not attached: When the chapter ends or needs change, roles shift. The backend lead becomes an advisor. The marketer picks up event coordination. The CEO cleans the bathroom.
Multiple roles: One person may hold several roles simultaneously.
Emerge naturally: As you contribute, the team starts counting on you for
Mastery Levels Defined
Think about where you are on this table:
| Mastery Level | What it means | What you do | What the team can count on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follow | “I’m learning by observing and following guidance” | New to domain/work, ask questions, try small tasks | Curiosity, willingness to learn, completing guided tasks |
| Assist | “I can help with defined tasks under direction” | Have basics, execute well-defined work, need some guidance | Reliable delivery of defined work, growing autonomy |
| Apply | “I independently deliver quality work in my domain” | Solid experience, own workstreams, make good decisions, ask for help when needed | Autonomous execution, quality output, problem-solving |
| Enable | “I empower others and own outcomes across the team” | Deep expertise, mentor others, connect work to mission, guide strategy | Leadership through enabling, strategic thinking, cross-functional impact |
Commitment Levels Defined
Commitment has two dimensions: time and reliability.
The team needs to know
- How many hours can they expect?
- Is this best-effort volunteering OR can we count on it?
| Commitment Level | Time | Reliability | Can | Can’t | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contributor | Ad-Hoc | 0–5 hrs/month | Best-effort, no firm commitment “I’ll help when I can, but life comes first” | Respond to asks, give input, drop-in wisdom, spot reviews, occasional connections | Be counted on for deadlines, urgent tasks, or ongoing deliverables | Valuable when present, but unpredictable; team must reach out. |
| Contributor | Regular | 5–20 hrs/month (variable) | Voluntary, inconsistent **“I aim for X hours/month, but life comes first” | Contribute regularly, deliver defined work when life allows | Own mission-critical work, handle urgent needs, lead others | Some weeks active, some weeks absent; team checks in. |
| Team | Part-Time | 8–20 hrs/week (consistent) | Firm commitment “Count on me for X hours/week” | Own deliverables, lead small workstreams, coordinate | Own mission-critical streams needing full availability | Proactive |
| Team | Full-Time | 20+ hrs/week (40+ ideal) | Contracted level reliability “This is my priority” | Own critical deliverables, lead major initiatives, enable others | Nothing, this is your focus | Proactive |
How Commitment Intersects with Other Dimensions
There are three separate but connected dimensions we use to describe how someone is engaged:
- Reliability (Mastery × Commitment) = your capability and reliability (what you can and will do).
- Tier = your place in the ladder (Community → Contributor → Team → Core → Founding, plus special roles like Legal or SysAdmin).
- Engagement = your current state (Active, On Demand, Observer, Champion, AWOL, Former).
- Role(s) = what the team counts on you for this chapter (emerges from Mastery × Commitment × Mission needs)
Tiers
- Community = No paperwork, just observing or following the journey
- Contributor = Signed NDA/IP agreement, delivering defined work
- Team = Documented commitment and goals (time, responsibilities, rewards)
- Core Team = Critical to the mission, typically full-time, with full project context, enabling others
- Founding Team = Core Team who’ve proven indispensable, representing Meetball externally (e.g. investor pitch)
- Special Tiers = Roles like Legal, Finance, System Admin
Engagement
- Active = Currently contributing within a chapter
- On Demand = Not active day to day but ready to step in when needed
- Observer = Following along but not contributing work
- Champion = Promotes Meetball externally without being deeply active
- AWOL = Was active but unresponsive
- Former = Offboarded or stepped away permanently
Compensation
- No Agreed Terms = Recognition, discretionary bounties, Points-only
- Agreed Terms = Deferred Payment, Hybrid, or Paid (depending on role and stage)
Compensation Models
People contribute for different reasons. Some enjoy being part of the journey. Others dream of joining the team after fundraising. Some are busy with careers but give what they can because they believe in the mission. Some contribute to show their talent and position themselves for their next career move.
There are two categories of compensation:
- No Agreed Terms = Recognition, discretionary bounties, Points-only
- Agreed Terms = Deferred Payment, Hybrid, or Paid (depending on role and stage)
| Type | Description | When It Applies | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Contributions are logged in the Gratitude Ledger. Recognition can include discretionary bounties or rewards, but there are no guarantees. | Any valuable contribution | No Agreed Terms, Keeps track of value contributed; recognition over time. |
| Deferred Payment | EUR value agreed upfront. Payment only if we fundraise. At that point, you receive Dynamic Equity pool points (potentially more valuable than cash). You can choose deferred cash or points. | Substantial pre-fundraise work with clear responsibilities | More commitment, clearly defined responsibilities and potential reward. |
| Hybrid | Cash stipend + points. | Rare before fundraising; for critical team members who need to pay rent! | Case-by-case basis, very limited until funds are raised. |
| Paid | Regular salary or contractor rate + points. | After fundraising, typical for Firm Full-Time Team | Standard startup model + equity upside. |
Important Notes
We are experimenting with a new way of building. There are no guarantees. From our contributor community, a core team is emerging that will join full-time once we fundraise.
We welcome anyone who wants to help and maintain a Gratitude Ledger to track contributions. Many people attend calls and follow the journey, but what matters is valuable work delivered.
If you do something valuable, please submit the Retroactive Contributor Form. This is not a promise of payment or equity but helps us recognize contributions we might otherwise miss.
Attending calls or following along does not entitle anyone to future rewards. Only meaningful contributions can be considered.
The beauty of this model: no promises, no entitlements, just people building something meaningful together.
How Roles Emerge
Roles aren't assigned, they emerge from what the team needs and what you can deliver. Your Mastery and Commitment create natural patterns, for example:
| Mastery | Commitment | Typical Role | What Team Counts On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follow | Voluntary | Community | Asking questions, learning |
| Assist | Voluntary | Contributor | Defined work when available |
| Assist | Part-Time | Team Member | Consistent execution |
| Apply | Voluntary | Community Expert | Strategic input when asked |
| Apply | Part-Time | Team Member | Quality work, proactive |
| Apply | Full-Time | Core Team | Owns outcomes |
| Enable | Voluntary | Advisor | High-level guidance |
| Enable | Full-Time | Core Team / Lead | Owns outcomes across team |
These are patterns, not rules. Your actual role depends on what the project needs and what you step up to do.
Roles Across Chapters
We work in Chapters, focused periods with clear goals. Your role(s) get locked at the start of each chapter, then can shift based on:
- What the mission needs right now - Maybe we need marketing push this chapter, dev sprint next chapter
- Your availability - Life happens, commitment levels shift between chapters
- Your growth - As you learn, you naturally take on more complex challenges
- Team composition - When new people join with complementary skills
**Examples of roles shifting across chapters: **Luis:
- Chapter 1: When we launched Meetball during Web Summit, he was our Dev lead, building core features etc
- Chapter 2: Got busy with other work and rediscovered his old passion for Photograpy
- Chapter 3: He is our awesome Film maker! Still very much part of Meetball altho less time and differnet scope!
Engagement is fluid. Someone may be Active one chapter, shift to On Demand the next, or step back to Observer. That’s normal. We track Engagement separately from your Tier and Reliability so expectations stay clear each chapter.
This flexibility is a feature, not a bug. It lets us stay nimble while honoring that people's lives and the project's needs both evolve.
Important Notes
Starting Out
- Tell us where you think you fit on Mastery and Commitment
- Start with lower-consequence work to calibrate
- After a sprint, we’ll all know better where you fit
- Roles emerge as you deliver
- Roles lock for the chapter once clear
The goal is clarity: what can the team count on you for, right now, in this chapter?
Multiple Roles Are Normal
Most people have 2–3 roles per chapter:
- Primary Role: Main focus (e.g. Frontend Developer)
- Secondary Roles: Supporting contributions (e.g. User Research Participant)
- Chapter-Specific Roles: Unique to current focus (e.g. Conference Booth Coordinator)
Roles shift as mission needs change.
Chapter Planning & Role Definition
At the start of each chapter:
- Review mission needs
- Check availability
- Match roles to people (Mastery × Commitment × Mission fit)
- Lock roles for the chapter
- Review at chapter end and reset
No Role Is "Better"
A Strategic Advisor is not “higher” than a Core Team Member, they are different contribution patterns. All meaningful contributions matter.
Honesty Over Perfection
Better to say “I’m Assist level and Part-Time this chapter” than to overcommit and underdeliver. The team needs clarity to coordinate.
Honest shifts matter too: “My commitment drops next chapter,” “I want to shift focus,” or “I need to step back.” Roles are fluid. Communication makes it work.
Questions?
If you're unsure where you fit, that's normal. Just:
- Make your best guess
- Start contributing
- Have honest conversations with your teammates
- Let roles emerge naturally
- Lock them in for the chapter
- Adjust between chapters as you and the project evolve
The goal isn't perfect self-assessment, it's clear communication about what the team can count on you for, right now, in this chapter.
Reference: Discipline-Specific Mastery Definitions
For more detailed definitions of Mastery levels in specific disciplines:
- Software Engineers: See Basecamp Programmer Levels
- Designers: See Basecamp Designer Levels
- Marketers: [To be defined as team grows]
- Sales & Business Development: [To be defined as team grows]
- Operations: [To be defined as team grows]
This page is a living document. As we learn what works, we'll refine it. Suggestions welcome - edit this page or propose changes in #handbook-feedback.