The Phoenix Sword Charter

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Normally I like to go over the charter with folks in person. But, KY is pretty far from here and I was pretty tired Sunday.
So, go look at the charter posted on our web site. I’ll wait while you do, then go over them:
http://www.phoenixswords.com/charter.html

OK?
Good.

I wrote that charter in July 2002, the day after I wrote my resignation letter to the troupe my wife and I had been in for the previous few years. That troupe had a charter that was more than 30 pages long. As near as I can tell, I was the only person who had read it all the way through and tried to keep to the rules. A fair bit of the problems of that old troupe came from conflicts over the charter. What people should be doing, what they shouldn’t be doing, and what to do about it if they didn’t meet the rules.
When the old troupe leader wrote it, I told him I thought he was making a mistake. The rules should be simple, clear and easy to follow. He did not agree and it was a disaster.
(The fact that I publically objected to the charter when it was written but was later accused of having “forced” it on people is one of the many ironies of that old troupe…)
So, I came up with rules that fit the group I wanted to run.

Rule #1:
This is what Phoenix Swords is about. We are a performance group. We aren’t merchants, we aren’t martial artists, we are competitors in spots, we aren’t a role playing group and we aren’t a social group. I’m not saying folks can’t do those things. We can and do. But, it isn’t what Phoenix Swords will do.
What do we perform? I tried to leave that open ended. I put down what we did at the time, but made sure to say it wasn’t the limit. If someone wants us to do a show that we can do, I don’t want this rule to hold us back.
I do use it to stop us from having to deal with sales tax, inventory tax, and all the paperwork that goes with that stuff.
It is also important for some of the things it lacks. For instance, it doesn’t say the troupe is here to make money. If that was the goal of the troupe, I’d have to run it very differently. Not, mind you, that I wouldn’t like it to make money. That would let us do more things and have more options. But, the goal is to get out there and perform. If the choice is money or a good show, I pick good show.

Rule #2:
VERY important.
I’m not saying accidents don’t happen. They do. That’s why we have such a big first aid kit. But, I never want to hear of people doing things unsafe, even if it makes a better show. If something bad happens, I’m not going to try and use this rule to kick you out unless I find you knew there was a good chance of something bad happening and did it anyhow.

Rule #3:
Also VERY important.
When we started this group there were several people actively bad mouthing us. They told people we weren’t safe. They told people we put on bad shows. They told people we caused trouble.
Most of that has gone away over the years as more and more people have had the chance to actually work with us or see the shows.
But, years of work for the reputation of the troupe can be ruined very quickly if folks act in an unprofessional manner.
I’ve fired people for this one.
And, to be clear, I don’t care what you do on your own time. I only care when it casts a shadow over the rest of the troupe.

Rule #4:
In the old troupe, one of the members attacked someone not with our troupe with a sword. (Yes, there were extenuating circumstances, but I have never felt there was a justification for that attack.)
When I told the troupe leader that person should be suspended for that, the person in question told the troupe leader he didn’t have the authority to suspend them.
I resigned the next day.
The person who leads the troupe has to be able to protect it from people who cause it harm.

Rule #5:
Well, I did start it…

Rule #6:
This goes back to the same thing in #4. I have no interest in dictating how folks are going to do things. I don’t want folks marching in lockstep and saluting.
If anything, just the opposite. I want people coming up with ideas, suggestions, options and different ways of looking at things. I want people saying “can we try this?” not “tell me what to do.”
But, as Harry Truman said, the buck stops here.
You’ll note that the rule says I can give away authority, but doesn’t say I can give away responsibility.

Rule #7:
VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!
I never, ever, want to hear “you made me do that” from a troupe member. I have fired people who did say that.
We do things that are dangerous. Swords, fire, sea shanties…
We do our best to make sure they are safe. But, there is always risk.
You have to know that if you choose not to take that risk, I’m not going to punish you for that.
I can’t say I’ll be happy about it, especially if it drops something from a show. But, better to do that then to do something you don’t think is right.


Those are the rules of the group. In the 6 ½ years since I wrote them, I haven’t felt the need to change them.
The idea that there is another set of secret rules we use to run the group is (while absolutely true) ludicrous and should never be taken seriously…


So, if you’re still interested in being in the group, let me know.