# Lack of contributor alignment

In most protocols, contributors are optional.\
They’re treated as supporters, not stakeholders.\
Even when their work is valuable, there is no structure to track it, reward it, or connect it to the future of the project.

This creates a misalignment.

The people who help a protocol grow are often:

* unpaid
* unnoticed
* replaceable

Meanwhile, decision-making and token supply remain concentrated in the hands of the original team or early investors.

***

What misalignment looks like

| Contributor Action       | Protocol Response                    |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| Writes a detailed thread | No visibility, no reward             |
| Designs a landing page   | No attribution, no payment           |
| Translates documents     | Considered helpful but not essential |
| Brings new users         | No credit, no long-term recognition  |

***

When contributors are not part of the core loop, growth becomes fragile.\
They stop participating. Or worse, they move to other projects where their work is valued.

A protocol cannot grow through a few team members alone.\
It needs a system that lets *anyone* contribute, and a structure that ensures the right people get credit, reputation, and rewards.

Without this, most communities stay passive.
