Turtle Power - PracticingDeveloper/guidebook GitHub Wiki

If a conversation seems to going a bit too fast, you're welcome to post the :turtle: (:turtle:) emoji as a gentle reminder to those participating in the discussion to SLOW DOWN!

The reasons for slowing things down are numerous, and so the :turtle: doesn't necessarily mean that someone is Doing It Wrong! Here are a few examples of reasons for asking for a slowdown:

• Too many people are talking at one time and it's hard to keep track of each of their points.
• Opinions are being shared, but not many examples are being given to help make the opinions understandable for others in the room.
• You have a question or want to join the discussion, but haven't found a natural opening yet.
• The topic is complex, and more time is needed to let things sink in before they can participate in the discussion.
• You feel uncomfortable in some way about the current conversation, and want to slow things down so you can share your concern.
• Many other possible reasons.

Anyone may post the :turtle:, and if many people wish to post it at once because things haven't slowed down yet, that's fine too.

When this happens, everyone talking should just pause for 30 seconds or so. After that, conversation can resume at a slower pace -- ideally with one person sharing an idea or a question at a time. After a few minutes, natural conversation flow can continue, hopefully in a way that keeps more people in the loop.

Don't be discouraged if you see a :turtle: once in a while in response to how you're using the space. But if you see them very often, try to see if you can figure out what's causing that to happen, or head to #meta and ask for clarification.

And by all means, use the :turtle: to remind Gregory when he's going too fast. Even as moderator, he's not exempt from Turtle Power -- and may be the one who needs that feedback the most.

See also: Kindness Blossom