Being part of Afi
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Inverted pyramid
The way we relate to each other is as important as what we do. Apart from ethical and human considerations, how we behave has a direct impact on our bottom line. An appropriate relational framework and a good working environment make us much more efficient, strengthen our customer loyalty, and improve our market perception.
There is a tendency to think that as one takes on more responsibility, one has more people at one's service. At Afi, we believe that the opposite is true: the greater the responsibility, the more people one depends on to make things work. Greater responsibility means being at the service and disposal of more people, not the other way around.
Work teams are not at our service. We are at the service of the people on the team, so that they can work efficiently, develop as we did, and be at the service of more people in the future.
Chains of responsibility
One of the reasons why we don't have categories at Afi is that the way we organize ourselves depends on the project we are involved in at any given time.
In an organization where it is common to work on several projects simultaneously, it is normal to have different levels of responsibility, depending on the nature of each project and our contribution to each one.
Every project at Afi must have a single person in charge. Starting with this person, a chain of responsibility is organized in which everyone understands that if the project is successful, the organization will reward the entire team, and if the project fails, the organization will hold accountable the person in charge of the project.
Once this organization has been established, we understand that each person in charge (whether the ultimate project manager or any intermediate manager) needs support, and that it is essential that we all understand what is required of us and execute it diligently so that those who depend on our work can deliver theirs successfully.
Chains of responsibility are established exclusively with the customer's best interests in mind. We always prioritize ensuring that the person responsible for the project is the most qualified to make technical and organizational decisions. For this reason, it is normal for chains to be established in which those with the highest levels of responsibility in a specific project work with people who have more experience or higher salaries. All of us who have a high level of responsibility understand that when we participate in a secondary role in a project, we have an excellent opportunity to set an example and serve the project manager in whatever way they require.
Disagree and argue, but commit
It is normal that, during the execution of projects or in any other task in our daily lives, we disagree with the approach or request made by the person who has the most responsibility at that moment.
If this is the case, we are entitled to disagree, argue, and compare our approaches, but we must obey two fundamental rules:
- The discussion must be practical and honest. We do not repeat arguments. We do not discuss trivial matters. We make our proposals directly to the person who can address them, not through others and never behind their back. If a discussion arises between two people at the same level, and there is no agreement, it is escalated as soon as possible to prevent the discussion from becoming entrenched. A discussion is not a battle, but a joint search for the best possible decision.
- The person with the greatest responsibility is the one who makes the final decision. Once a decision has been made, everyone commits to abide by it as their own, because it is the organization's decision.