ROLE ALIGNMENT PROCESS (RAP)

Practice stewards: Kelsey DeGraaf, Ted Clarke

 

Ideally, we all want our work to be in the “center of the Venn” diagram of:

  • What you are good at
  • What you love doing
  • What is beneficial to the business 

 

The Role Alignment Process (RAP) exists to help you explore how a change in your role could increase your impact, engagement, or alignment with the needs of Raise. The goal of a RAP is to help you find your way to the center of this Role Venn diagram, because if you do, this is when work will feel like ‘play’. When work feels like play, it won’t drain your cup, it will fill it! 

Through a RAP, you may explore changes to your responsibilities, team alignment, or how you approach your work. Some RAPs begin with a clear opportunity or problem to solve. Others start with curiosity or a sense that something could be better aligned. In either case, the practice is designed to support self-reflection, informed decision making, and advice seeking, culminating in a clear proposal. 

The RAP is a consent-based process, which means the proposal requires the consent of advisors before being implemented. Because roles at Raise are interconnected, changes to one role can impact others. The consent step ensures your proposal is aligned with what your key stakeholders can live with, while still honoring autonomy and self-management. 

Detailed steps:

Timeline: A typical RAP will take approximately 2 weeks, from beginning to end. However, it doesn’t need to be a long & extensive process! Some RAPs, like the Team Change Rap can be completed in a day or two if it’s a simple move, and all parties are on board. Talk to your Peer Mentor to see what path is right for you.  

Quick RAP Peer Mentors: Sagar Chatterjee, Haroon Alvi, Kelsey DeGraaf, Ted Clarke. 

Check out the full list of Peer Mentors here: https://inside.raiserecruiting.com/peer-mentors/ 

Your Peer Mentor (PM) supports you through the RAP with guidance, structure, and encouragement. You’re responsible for doing the work, making the decisions and outcome. Your PM can help clarify what type of RAP you should do, choosing advisors, processing advice, and strengthening your self-assessment and proposal. 

Choose someone who understands the RAP steps and has either completed a RAP themselves or supported others as a PM. Look for someone you trust to be candid, thoughtful, and supportive. 

It is ideal if your PM is also not one of your advisors, as this allows them to stay focused on process rather than outcomes. If your PM is also an advisor, be intentional about separating their process guidance from their role and proposal advice. 

For Role Change or Team Change RAPs, your PM can also help you anticipate areas that often add complexity, such as role clarity, transitions, compensation alignment questions, and whether updated agreements may be required. Their role is to support a strong process, not to make decisions for you. 

How to engage with your Peer Mentor

  • Ask & Confirm. Make sure they understand and confirm their commitment to support you through the RAP and help set you up for success. 
  • Discuss the Path. Talk through the type of RAP you are doing, what is motivating it, and any early concerns or unknowns. 
  • Discuss Advisors. Identify who is impacted, who can offer meaningful perspective, and where contrarian views may come from. 
  • Draft & Refine. Share drafts of your self-assessment and announcement for feedback and structure. 
  • Prepare for advice. Plan for tricky conversations and debrief difficult advice together. 
  • Final Review. Ask your PM to review your proposal before posting to help anticipate reactions and ensure clarity. 

Start by asking 3–7 coworkers to be your advisors. This makes your work visible, creates transparency, and opens the door to broader advice and perspective. 

Choose people who are impacted by your role today, may be impacted by a future change, or can offer meaningful and candid advice. Because a RAP can take time and attention, you may also want to ask for temporary help reallocating your workload during the process. 

Announce your RAP in MS Teams: Post your announcement in the All Company – Announcements channel. 

What to include in your announcement: 

  • A high-level description of why you are doing a RAP, including your current job title and CCT. 
  •  Your Peer Mentor, list of chosen advisors. and an invitation to any colleague who has material advice for you.
  • Example “I’m doing a RAP. I’m currently part of the ABC CCT as a JOB TITLE. My Peer Mentor is X. My advisors are X Y Z. If you have material advice for me, please let me know and I’ll include you. I’d like to have everything finalized by DATE.”
  • The date you plan to finish your RAP (recommended not more than a month from your announcement).  

If your RAP involves a role change, you may also include the pay band for the proposed role. Specific compensation details should be discussed privately with advisors.

Sample announcement:

Hi team, 

I’m starting a RAP to explore a potential change in my role. I’m currently part of ABC team as a [role].
Peer Mentor: NAME
Advisors: X, Y, Z

If you have material advice to share, please let me know and I’ll include you. 

My target date to complete this RAP is May 30. During this time, X and Y will be helping cover some of my responsibilities. 

Thanks! 

Your Self-Assessment sets the foundation for the advice you’ll receive. It helps your advisors understand your context, reflect on your experience, and offer thoughtful, relevant input. It also helps you gain clarity before proposing a change. Your self-assessment does not need to be perfect or exhaustive. Use the questions below as writing prompts and include what feels most relevant to your RAP. 

You’re encouraged to use self-assessment tools such as the TRAITS Profile to provide helpful data points to inform reflection and write your Self-Assessment. These profiles identify your skills, which can inform what roles would you would be best suited to, and how to play to your strengths. 

Your Role Profile articulates the purpose, expected outcomes, and core accountabilities of your role. It describes what success looks like at the business level and how the tole contributes to the business. Reach out to the People & Culture team if you need help drafting your Role Profile. Visit the Role Profile Library here. 

If your compensation is misaligned, you can include a CAP in the same Loomio thread, provided it is treated as distinct process from your RAP.  

Choose the self-assessment that fits your RAP 

  • Role Change RAP: for when you expect to change your role or accountabilities. 
  • Team Change RAP: for when you expect to change teams, but largely keep the same role. 
  • Feedback RAP: for when you are primarily seeking feedback on how you are currently showing up in your role. 

Once you have a draft, share it with your Peer Mentor for feedback. Their role is to help you strengthen your draft and set you up for a productive advice process.

Self Assessment – Current State

  • Why am I doing this RAP? What led me here? 
  • What contribution am I currently making? What does success look like in my role today? What’s working well, and what could be better? 
  • Would a self assessment tool such as TRAITS be helpful to reflect on readiness or support needs? 
  • Reflecting on the meaningful work Venn diagram: 
  • What am I good at? 
  • What do I love doing? 
  • Where could the business most benefit from my strengths? 
  • What questions do I have for my advisors about my current role? 

Future state 

  • Could I increase my impact by changing or evolving my role? How, specifically? 
  • Does the role already exist, or am I exploring a new or evolving role? What would success look like? 
  • How do I feel about this potential change? What excites me? What worries me? 
  • What questions do I have for my advisors about the future role? 

Compensation 

  • Is my current role aligned with my current pay band? 
  • Does the proposed role align with my current pay band? 
  • Do I anticipate compensation changes based on future state responsibilities? 
  • Do I currently receive commission or fixed bonuses, and will that structure change? 
  • Is my current compensation aligned with the consent-to-hire budget for this role? 

Self Assessment 

  • Why am I doing this RAP? What led me here? 
  • What team am I considering, and how would this move bring me closer to the center of the Venn diagram? 
  • What knowledge, relationships, or responsibilities might be difficult to replace on my current team? How could I support a smooth transition? 
  • How do I feel about this potential change? What excites me? What worries me? 
  • What questions do I have for my advisors about team fit, expectations, or timing? 

Compensation 

  • Is my current role aligned with my current pay band? 
  • Does the proposed role align with my current pay band? 
  • Do I anticipate compensation changes based on future state responsibilities? 
  • Do I currently receive commission or fixed bonuses, and will that structure change? 
  • Is my current compensation aligned with the consent-to-hire budget for this role?

Self Assessment 

  • Why am I doing this RAP? 
  • Am I asking for Keep, Stop, Start feedback, or custom questions? 
  • What am I most curious to learn? 
  • What feedback might be hardest to hear, and how will I respond with TIR? 
  • How can I help create psychological safety for honest feedback? 

If you are using Keep, Stop, Start, you may include the instructions below for your advisors. 

Keep, Stop, Start (KSS) instructions for advisors 

Please share notes on anything you think I should: 

  • Keep doing because it is valuable 
  • Start doing that I am not doing enough today 
  • Stop doing because it is not valuable or may be having a negative impact 

“Stop” feedback is often the hardest to give and the most valuable. I commit to receiving all feedback with appreciation and curiosity.

Instructions 

In Loomio, in Direct Discussions, click on the “New Discussion” post option in the top left to start your own ‘invite-only’ RAP thread. 

  • In the new window that comes up, select the type of RAP (team, role, feedback).  
  • Add your name and the year to the title (ex Role Change RAP, Jane Singh, 2026) 
  • Post your self-assessment in the “content”, filling out the necessary details of your RAP. 
  • Attach your Role Profile and any other supporting documents  
  • Enter the names or email addresses of the people you want to participate in your RAP.  
  • Click “Start Discussion” to create the thread and send out the notifications.  

**If you would like to wait to add your invitees to the thread, you can skip this part until after the thread is created, at which time you can go into the “members” tab in the thread to invite participants. 

Tips for Advice Gathering

  • Book a 30-60 minute meeting with your advisors, at least 2-3 days after you have posted your self-assessment to give them time to prepare.
  • If you have specific questions for a specific advisor, email them beforehand. You’ll get more valuable advice if you tell your advisors what you’re looking for.
  • It may be helpful to start with those who likely have the most contrarian advice, to fish out some things that your other advisors can respond afterwards.
  • At the beginning of the meeting, ask your advisor if they have notes and will post them to Loomio, or if they want you to record the notes and send to them for posting on Loomio.
  • Respond to every piece of advice, opinion, or feedback with TIR (thank you, inquire, repeat/record), and nothing else. Seek to understand and receive, not to defend, deflect, or argue.
  • If you receive challenging feedback, or need help processing the information, talk to your peer mentor. Also, if you need to go back to your advisor(s) for clarity, or to dig into things a bit deeper, that’s okay!
  • Remember that it is part of your freedom and responsibility through the Teal OS to make the decision that you believe is best for you, your co-workers, and the company. Your advisors and peer mentor are there to provide perspective and guidance on this.

If You Receive Difficult Advice

It can certainly be hard to hear feedback, get criticism, or receive contradictory advice. Or maybe someone who isn’t close to the action, or seems to you to be poorly informed about what you do, “strongly advises” something. If you have trouble processing the advice, it’s valuable to lean on your peer mentor. If you are worried about going into an advice session, either your peer mentor or a Facilitator can also be present to make sure the space is safe, and the conversation is healthy.

It’s time to review your self-assessment and the advice in your Loomio thread. All things considered, what is your proposal for change?

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Your goal is to make a proposal that gets you closer to the center of your Venn diagram, which balances: what you’re good at, what you love doing, and what is most beneficial for the business.
  • You may receive feedback and advice that is contradictory, or that you don’t agree with. That’s ok, and quite common. You don’t have to follow everyone’s advice, but you should provide your reasoning when you don’t.
  • You’re not looking for everyone’s agreement on your proposal. You just need your advisors’ consent, which means that they can live with your proposal, and don’t have a major objection.
  • This is your RAP, as such, it is part of your freedom and responsibility through the Raise OS to balance all interests and make a proposal that you believe is best for you, your co-workers, and the company.

These questions are meant to help you with the crafting of your proposal, depending on the type of RAP you have done. Ask your peer mentor to review your proposal before you post it.

Role Change RAP (please address each question in your proposal)

  • How are you proposing to change your role or accountabilities?
  • What is the purpose of the new role? To [do what], so that [certain impact is made]?
  • What are the specific responsibilities for your new role? (bullets please)
  • What are the specific success measures and/or accountabilities for your new role? (bullets please)
  • Is there is confirmed budget/headcount for the role you would be entering?
  • What is your proposed timing and transition plan for your current responsibilities?
  • Are you helping to hire, select, or train your backfill?

Team Change RAP (please address each question in your proposal)

  • What team are you proposing to join? When? How did you get their consent?
  • Are you proposing any change to your role or accountabilities?
  • What are the specific responsibilities and success measures for your new role?
  • What is your proposed timing and transition plan for your current responsibilities?
  • What are committing to do to help propose, select, or train your backfill?
  • Is there anything you’re still unsure of, or worried about?

Feedback RAP (optional guiding questions)

  • What did you learn about what people most value about you? Where do your strengths intersect with their needs? Is there a theme?
  • Is there a clear behaviour change or new skill that would most unlock your potential? How are you going to work on that and be accountable for it?
  • All feedback considered, what are you committing to Keep, Stop, Start?
  • What help would you like with that? How can your advisors support you?
  • How do you want to be held accountable? By who and how?

Post your Proposal

When you’re ready, go back into your Loomio thread and select ‘Start a Vote’ and the select the recommended proposal ‘Consent Process’.  

  • Title it “Role Change RAP Proposal, Jane Singh, 2026” 
  • Write your proposal under details, give a deadline (two business days is typical) 
  • Advisors can now respond in two ways: 
  • They can ask clarifying questions and/or give reactions in the comments 
  • They should use the collective agreement buttons as follows:

Consent = The proposal is safe to try 

Object = I have an objection because I think the proposal moves the business backwards and I’m willing to help your proposal V2  

Enter an Outcome

Once you collected all the advice, and reach consent on your proposal, it’s time to make your final decision in Loomio. Click on “close proposal” and then fill out the new window “Enter an Outcome” to post your final decision details. 

Once that’s done, it’s time to take action to implement your new role by making the appropriate announcements, executing transition plans, etc. 

Example “I’ve finalized my RAP. I’ll be moving from this ROLE/TEAM to this ROLE/TEAM on XYZ DATE. The following people will cover the role that I am exiting …, and I will be training with …. to learn my new role” 

Make it Official

Email a PDF of your Loomio to your People & Culture representative at HR@raiserecruiting.com. The easiest way to create the PDF: print the document and instead of sending to printer, chose to save as PDF.  

Any decision that involves significant change in responsibility or salary, or a termination of employment, needs to be documented at least in BambooHR. When a RAP materially changes a role, responsibilities, job description, salary, or working arrangement, a new employment agreement will be issued reflecting the updated terms. Your People & Culture representative will issue you a new employment agreement to sign.    

FAQ

If you’re wondering whether you should do a RAP, then you might already have your answer! If your work is not currently aligned with all three circles of the Venn diagram (what you’re good at, love doing, what the business needs), then doing a RAP is the best way to address that. 

The RAP is the default for any role or team change. If you haven’t changed your role, we see great value in doing a “Feedback RAP”, like the Keep, Stop, Start exercise, at least every two years. If you’re not regularly asking for specific feedback from people, you’re probably not receiving these gifts. 

If you have any RAP questions, contact a trained Facilitator, experienced RAP-per, or peer mentor. Some people also find it helpful to speak with potential advisors informally before their RAP, to get some idea of what opportunities, advice, and feedback is out there for them. 

Good advisors are those who can help you clarify what you’re good at, love doing, and especially, what might be beneficial to the business. Choose advisors that will both challenge and support you. People who have a different bias from you and/or who sees things differently could be your most helpful advisors. 

Sometimes critical feedback, feedback that wasn’t delivered well, or feedback that you weren’t expecting, can be hard to process. But this is still a gift – it’s just trickier to unwrap and appreciate! That sounds a like a job for your peer mentor. Reach out to them and tell them how the feedback made you feel, and try to separate the “facts” of the feedback, from the feelings that you have about it, or the assumptions or “story” you are telling yourself about why the person said what they said. Make a plan to resolve this with the other person, so that it’s not still alive in you – if it’s still something you’re bothered with or thinking about, then you shouldn’t “Let it Rest”. 

Yes, that’s what the Team Change RAP is for. Don’t worry it’s not as much work as the Role Change RAP. If you’re only considering a temporary team change, like helping out with a volume hiring project, then you do not need to do a Team Change RAP. 

If you see a role that you are interested in, you should speak with the people who did the hiring consent process to learn about the role, and what their hiring process will look like. If you’re interested in the role you would follow their hiring process and get agreement from them that you’re wanted in that role. So first you would get hired into the new role, then you would do a RAP to get advice from your current co-workers to solidify the transition and/or backfill plan. 

No worries! If you’ve decided that you won’t make a proposal, just go back to your announcement and tell everyone what happened, and that your RAP is either on-hold (if you plan to pick it up again) or cancelled.