The Cult of Done Manifestos

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Draft a short, shared set of working commitments to guide how a group collaborates during a project or session.

Use it when: At the start of a collaborative project, design sprint, or working session when a team needs explicit agreements on pace, iteration, and decision-making.

Skip it when: When the meeting is purely informational or when participants already have established team working agreements.

Group arrangement: Subgroups of 3 to 5 people

Timing: Source suggests 15 to 30 minutes; structured here as a complete 25-minute run.

Materials and tools

• One copy of the participant reference sheet per person or displayed on a shared screen
• One sheet of flipchart paper or large paper per small group
• Thick markers (one per small group)
• Masking tape or adhesive strips to hang posters
• A room timer or display clock

Before participants arrive

1. Distribute paper and markers to each table.
2. Ensure wall space or whiteboard space is clear for hanging posters.
3. Have the participant reference excerpt visible on paper or via slide display.

Say this to open

A manifesto is a brief, public declaration of intent, values, and operating principles. We will read a short excerpt from The Cult of Done Manifesto, then each group will draft three to five operating rules for how we want to work together today.

How to run it

1. Introduce manifestos and review example 4 minutes

   State the definition: a public declaration of intentions, motives, or views. Direct participants to read the provided Cult of Done Manifesto excerpt on their sheets. Give everyone two minutes of quiet reading time.

2. Form groups and discuss commitments 6 minutes

   Divide participants into groups of 3 to 5. Groups assign a scribe. Prompt them to discuss: What operating rules will help us work effectively and avoid getting stuck today? Group members share ideas.

3. Draft the group manifesto 8 minutes

   Each group writes 3 to 5 clear, concise operating rules onto their large paper in bold lettering. Rules should be direct statements. For example: Accept that everything is a draft, or Ask questions before assuming intent. Groups hang their posters when complete.

4. Share declarations and debrief 7 minutes

   Call attention to the room. Each group designates one person to read their statements aloud in under 45 seconds. Facilitator asks 2 debrief questions to the room, taking up to 3 volunteer answers.

Debrief questions

• Which principle heard across the room feels most useful for our work today?
• What is one rule on your group poster that will be easiest to follow, and which one will take conscious effort?

Finished output: A set of small-group posters displaying 3 to 5 working principles, posted visibly for the remainder of the session.

Remote

Split into video breakout rooms of 3 to 5 participants. Each room opens a shared collaborative document or virtual whiteboard board with a blank slide. Participants review the reference text, agree on 3 to 5 statements, and type them in bold text. Return to the main room. One representative from each room reads their statements aloud while the slide is shared on screen.

Hybrid

Keep in-person attendees in small in-person clusters with paper posters. Group remote participants into pure virtual breakout rooms using an online document or slide. During the sharing step, display the remote group's slide on the main room screen while their chosen speaker reads it aloud over audio. In-person groups hold up their paper poster or stand near it while reading.

Access and participation choices

• Provide large-print printed copies and a digital text copy of the sample manifesto.
• Writing and speaking roles are voluntary; participants may participate in discussions without being required to read aloud or scribe.

If the session gets stuck

Groups get stuck debating abstract philosophy instead of writing practical rules.

Intervene and instruct them to focus on immediate behaviors, such as how long to debate an issue before testing it or how to ask for help.

One dominant person dictates all the manifesto lines.

Ask the group to ensure each person contributes at least one line that represents a condition they need to do good work.

Terms used here

• Manifesto: A short, public written declaration stating the intentions, views, or rules of action of a group or individual.