“Working in a sociocratic organisation is like playing in a band where everyone is master of their instrument but we’re playing as one, without a rigid structure that determines the way the different instruments sound together.
Within this, our circle and role structure is like the sheet music: you need it to understand how the music works (especially at the beginning!) but at the end of the day, it’s not what makes the music – what makes the music is what individuals do with it.”
Key Concepts of Sociocracy
Sociocracy focuses on organizational self-governance:
- consent as a pragmatic and inclusive decision-making method, and
- organizational structure with small empowered teams,
- a built-in practice to evolve and learn continuously.
Sociocracy and Other Frameworks
We consider sociocracy one of the frameworks in this mix of frameworks designed to make systems that determine our lives more human and holistic.
Sociocracy is often combined with agile, compassionate and integral frameworks.
Top-down implementations of sociocracy are possible but not typical. More often, it is a team effort of changer-makers in the organization re-designing its governance system from within. Purpose-driven organizations will find the best fit in sociocracy.
Who is Already Doing it?
Who is using sociocracy in business and workplaces in general?
This list is FAR from complete. Many learn about sociocracy and we might never hear about it.
Help us by telling us about your company – send an email to Ted ([email protected]).
- Nothing AG (Switzerland)
- IT department, DTU (Denmark)
- Effinger (Switzerland)
- Coworking Lounge Tessinerplatz (Switzerland)
- subject:resoul (Germany)
- West Brabandt Homecare
- BioEnspiral (Brazil)
- 1STi (Brazil)
- Sociocracy For All (global)
- Codento (Finland)
- Social Care Network (UK)
- MedLife (Chile)
- meci-group (global)
- Bright AssetBank (UK)
- 10pines (Argentina)
- Voxel (Spain)
- Titansoft (Singapore)
“Sociocracy for us has delivered far beyond organization dynamics and team performance.
By giving people a voice, we are progressing to a new level of consciousness, ethics, and strategic awareness, activating collective intelligence, leadership development, and wholeness of presence in our company.”
Why sociocracy?
More and more workplaces are realizing that decentralized governance is a more resilient, motivating and effective way of making decisions.
- Open minds: hearing everyone the first time makes sure that people’s expertise is wanted – employees know a lot about how their work can be improved.
- Psychological safety: a meeting culture where it’s ok to share ideas, ok to care about something, and ok to make mistakes. Learning and making things happen go hand in hand.
- Nimble organizations: putting decisions closer to where the action is makes decisions faster and more realistic.
Can we just do some pieces, or is this a package?
You can use individual pieces from sociocracy as you see fit.
Sociocracy is completely tailorable and is not owned or trademarked. You use what you want, and you learn from your experiences. (More on this topic.)
That said – you also decide how much time you want to invest in tweaking it. From our experience, starting out with a standard package saves some time and headaches.
Is sociocracy hard to do?
Many workplaces have shifted to more decentralized, role-based governance methods. Depending on how your culture is set now, there is definitely a learning curve. However, that learning is often experienced as liberating and clarifying.
We have noticed that sociocracy is easiest to implement in a young organization. Yet, even established organizations can switch and enjoy smooth, action-oriented and connecting governance if they are serious about a trust-based, blame-free governance system.
Where do we start?
Read and watch the information on this site. If you are interested in suggesting at your workplace, make sure to read The Sociocracy Starter Kit first.
You will notice that it suggests involving other people in your exploration as early as possible. Having seen dozens of organizations in this situation, we really mean it!
“Sociocracy gives us the perfect balance between clear structure with effective tools, and a human-centered, relations-oriented organizational form that can be implemented gradually at our own pace.”
Egon Loke
IT department of the Technical University DenmarkFeatured Resources for Workplaces
There is no hierarchy in sociocracy, right?
How can sociocracy, which served as the basis for holacracy, involve hierarchy? Wasn’t the promise that all would be different, more shiny and even more effective without bosses?
3 tools from sociocracy to use right away (plus magic phrases!)
Many organizations are intrigued by the idea of self-governance using circle-based frameworks. However, it can be intimidating to implement those methods. (…) Is there an easier way?
Keeping meetings short
Long meetings are a pain. Let’s make them shorter. Here are the tools that sociocracy has to offer.
Sociocracy Starter Kit
An article describing the phases of introducing sociocracy in an organization.
Common pitfalls for implementations
What could possibly go wrong if you turn the power structure upside down?!
Learning and Implementation
Sample governance agreement
A document that lays out a governance agreement (placeholder, needs to be tweaked!)
Meeting posters
Having a visual makes every meeting easier to follow.
Use them in your meeting room, or laminate and bring along?
Talk to a real human!
Individual coaching with implementation teams for individuals. Benefit from the experience from many other journeys similar to yours!
All SoFA Resources on Sociocracy in Workplaces
What can sociocracy learn about best practices from research on self-management?
Sociocracy is one form of self-management that can be used in the workplace to implement collaborative decision-making and worker voice.
Continue Reading What can sociocracy learn about best practices from research on self-management?
Meeting Agenda Template- Free Download!
Feeling stuck trying to plan your meeting agenda? Sociocracy, a set of tools for sharing power, has a simple and effective agenda format. Get your meeting off to a great start by downloading this free editable meeting agenda templates now!
Presencing and Self-Governance – Theory U and Sociocracy (Video)
Otto Scharmer and some SoFA members explore how Sociocracy and Theory U complement and relate to each other.
Continue Reading Presencing and Self-Governance – Theory U and Sociocracy (Video)
Future of work – Interview with Aaron Dignan (video)
Recording of the Future of Work – Wishful Thinking or Reality webinar with Ted Rau interviewing Aaron Dignan on the impact of self-management in business
Continue Reading Future of work – Interview with Aaron Dignan (video)
Policy and Operations
Collaborative decision-making can be fast and efficient if we have clear guidelines what decisions are made by groups, and what decisions can simply made by a designated person in a role.
How SoFA uses sociocracy (webinar recording)
How does the nonprofit Sociocracy For All use sociocracy? Our refinements added to sociocracy allow for more flexibility and better community-support. Have a look!
Continue Reading How SoFA uses sociocracy (webinar recording)
Self-Organization – a leap into the unknown
There are organizations, and in them people, who will never see the value in involving employees in shared governance. There are those who, although they feel the growing discomfort of working ‘in the old way’, remain full of fears and doubts about the incomprehensible concept of self-organization.
Continue Reading Self-Organization – a leap into the unknown
How fast do you want to go?
Are self-management tools like sociocracy and Holacracy slow and bureaucratic? Or are they fast and agile?
Self-organization – A leap into the unknown
Self-organization – a leap into the unknown ‘What?! Self-organization ?! What is self-organization? We have already practiced socialism in this country and it did not work for us. What are you proposing to us here? ‘ – such a comment was given to me by a colleague from work when, inspired by F. Laloux’s “Reinventing…
Continue Reading Self-organization – A leap into the unknown
Clarity and empowerment: What is a domain?
Domains in sociocracy – while they are innocent-looking, they are the foundation that makes sociocracy so transformative – with empowerment, and clarity! So what are domains? Each circle has an aim (a description of what they do), anda domain (a statement of what they are responsible for and have authority over). Why is it important…
Sociocracy in Big Data: A case study with Hertzler Systems
The primary source of the information in this case study came from a 2021 interview with Byron Shetler, CEO of Hertzler Systems Inc. HERTZLER QUICK FACTS Location: Goshen, IN Size: 17 Employees Field: Manufacturing Data Analytics Origins Since its inception in the 1980s, Hertzler Systems Inc. has been making tools for data collection…
Continue Reading Sociocracy in Big Data: A case study with Hertzler Systems
5 Ways you’re already using restorative practices
5 Ways you’re already using restorative practices and how to become even more restorative when using sociocracy “Don’t tell anyone else we’ve trained, but this is by far the most restorative school I’ve ever seen.” I was shocked to hear that from the restorative practices trainer who visited our school. At the time,…
Continue Reading 5 Ways you’re already using restorative practices
Leadership without hierarchy – how to be a good leader
Leadership without hierarchy, is that possible? How can leaders empower others and move everyone towards the vision? This article describes healthy leadership in a consent-based system like sociocracy.
Continue Reading Leadership without hierarchy – how to be a good leader
Analyzing the power (harmful and/or generative) dynamics in your team – Rebecca Fisher-McGinty
Often, our cooperatives are formed as a response or alternative to the destructive power dynamics in the mainstream hyper-capitalist and oppressive systems. However, it often takes some unlearning and new structures to help us create the workspaces that we dream of.
Creating the climate where Sociocratic principles can thrive. 6 months in the life of “Building OUT” – Abi Handley
Building OUT is Outlandish’s programme of services and workshops that can build any team’s Openness, Understanding & Trust (see what we did there?). It’s delivered by practitioners from co-operatives that really use the tools we share in their everyday work.
Sociocracy or Holacracy?
We are observers and participants of a paradigm shift in management. More and more attention is focused on dynamic governance, which slowly, but inevitably replaces the so-called traditional management, hierarchical in the power-over meaning of the word. Different names are being used to describe organizations operating under the new model.
Allen Vernier: Experimenting with sociocracy in a top-down-context
Discussion between two cultures, discussion between a subsidiary and its owner. This presentation based on a business case will deal with the opportunity for command and control companies to test sociocracy and with potential obstacles and constraints.
Continue Reading Allen Vernier: Experimenting with sociocracy in a top-down-context
Sociocracy & Permaculture: Grow Engagement with Systems Design: John Buck
John Buck’s presentation at the permaculture and sociocracy online conference 2020.
Continue Reading Sociocracy & Permaculture: Grow Engagement with Systems Design: John Buck
