Category: In the Workplace

The last place we can expect equal and humane treatment is in the workplace.  In difficult situations, equality and fairness disappear and the autocratic order returns. The workers at the top overrule decisions made by workers below. Sociocracy, however, developed in workplaces. Its principles and practices are designed to guarantee democracy in the most competitive businesses and associations. These entries discuss how sociocratic democracy ensures democracy in the workplace.

Bylaws for a Sociocratic Business

The following example is modified from the operating agreement for a Limited Liability Company (LLC) incorporated in Delaware. It contains the key clauses that can be used in many forms of sociocratic operating agreements and bylaws including nonprofit organizationsThe Delibrative Democracy Consortium (DDC)u is an alliance o..., associations, local government agencies, etc. In the United States, LLCs are now legal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and currently provide the most efficient… Read More . . . “Bylaws for a Sociocratic Business”

Consent vs Consensus : Laird Schaub on Sociocracy

Laird Schaub Laird Schaub helped found and has been living in Sandhill Farm, an intentional, income sharing community in Rutledge, Missouri since 1974. His community is very small, less than 10 adults, but his experience is very broad. He has been doing training and consulting in governance and consensus decision-making since 1987. He gives several workshops on decision-making, facilitation, proposal writing, delegation, etc., at the annual Cohousing Association Conferences. He is the Executive Secretary  and Development Coordinator… Read More . . . “Consent vs Consensus : Laird Schaub on Sociocracy”

Inclusion and Hierarchies: New Articles on Zappos

Three new articles discussing inclusion and hierarchies, and other issues raised by the Zappos adoption of Holacracy. These are real articles examining the pros and cons of the promises of Holacracy and sociocracy, not reactions or quotes from press releases. 1. Andrew Hill of The Financial Times: Zappos and the Collapse of Corporate Hierarchies. 2.  A response from Norman Pickavance of Blueprint for Better Business in Linton, N. Yorks, UK: The Four Levels of Decision-Making.… Read More . . . “Inclusion and Hierarchies: New Articles on Zappos”

Yves Morieux: Smart Simplicity

Yves Morieux speaking on stage. A wonderful discovery today, “As work gets more complex, 6 rules to simplify,” a TED Talk by Yves Morieux. Morieux is a senior partner in the Washington DC office of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)  and director of the BCG Institute for Organization. He studies how changes in structure can improve motivation for employees. “Smart Simplicity” uses six key rules that encourage cooperation to solve long-term problems. Not by just reducing costs and increasing profit,… Read More . . . “Yves Morieux: Smart Simplicity”

Encouraging Self-Organization

Logo for Interaction Institute for Social Change In a workshop I conducted last Sunday, one of the participants asked, “How do you encourage self-organizationSelf-organization, sometimes called spontaneous order, is a ... More?” By some miracle, probably related to my being on every mailing list on anything related to sociocracy and governance, I received in my mailbox a link to an article on the  Interaction Institute for Social Change. You guessed it on  Tips for Encouraging Self-Organization by Curtis Ogden. After some editing… Read More . . . “Encouraging Self-Organization”

Decentralized Governance of Corporate Intranets

Nielson Norman Group Logo One of the newsletters I read is AlertBox from the Nielsen Norman Group, Jakob Nielson has long been considered the expert on website usability. NN/g does extensive research for major corporations makes the information available to the public. His newsletter this morning included a piece on trends in intranet portals, which make extensive corporate information available for use by employees. In this report I came across a surprise—a section on governance! Most often such reports… Read More . . . “Decentralized Governance of Corporate Intranets”