Sociocracy: The Worker Co-op Operating System

Sociocracy: The Worker Co-op Operating System

Sociocracy: The Worker Co-op Operating System (By John McNamara. Originally posted on workersparadise.) Over the last couple of years, I have had the incredible opportunity to work with Sociocracy For All (SoFA). This organization has worked diligently to...
Pittsfield Listens!

Pittsfield Listens!

Pittsfield Listens  Pittsfield Listens is an organization in Pittsfield, New Hampshire, that works to build community, inform on civic issues, solve problems through community conversations, and to award individuals, groups and organizations who make positive...
To decide or not to decide?

To decide or not to decide?

To decide or not to decide 3 decisions every young organization will make — with intention or without Starting and growing a young organization is a tender and complex process. In setting up a new organization, we have to make three decisions: Where do we put...
Sociocracy a la carte?

Sociocracy a la carte?

Can one pick and choose from sociocracy? This question is a hot topic as many people want to benefit from sociocratic tools but might be skeptical about adopting a “boxed” system. So, can one just pick and choose tools from sociocracy, or is it a package...
Everyday sociocracy

Everyday sociocracy

The insights from sociocracy don’t only apply to formal organizational governance. Wherever people make decisions together – or by themselves – the clarity of process that we learn in organizational governance is beneficial to every-day situations....
Common pitfalls for implementation of sociocracy

Common pitfalls for implementation of sociocracy

What could possibly go wrong when implementing sociocracy?!   A change in governance or an organization can be compared to open-heart surgery; the heart needs to start beating and yet, its very core is undergoing some work. Just like heart surgery is invasive for...

Sociocracy and the brain

https://youtu.be/-QQ9sffUxZQVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Why the brain loves sociocracy (https://youtu.be/-QQ9sffUxZQ) When, and why is learning fun? How can we create a meeting where everyone is addicted to learning...
On interpersonal feedback

On interpersonal feedback

There is no right and wrong Many people are afraid of feedback. “Can I give you some feedback?” is typically followed by criticism, and we don’t do well with criticism. When we face criticism, the most typical reaction is to shut down, get reactive,...
Sociocracy Starter kit

Sociocracy Starter kit

We assume you’re part of an organization — your own business, your workplace, your community, your association. You have some basic knowledge in sociocracy. Let’s say you know that you are dreaming of turning your organization into a...
Participatory proposal writing

Participatory proposal writing

Participatory proposal writing How to write up a policy draft in a group This is a brief how-to of writing proposals, based on materials from the sociocracy handbook Many Voices One Song.  Step-by-step process I am focussing here on step 2 in making a (policy)...
Strategies for integrating objections

Strategies for integrating objections

How to deal with objections Dealing with objections is one of the core pieces of sociocracy. If you know how to deal with objections in a constructive and skillful way, you will turn every concern into something better for your organization. This can be on the...
Consent decision making

Consent decision making

1.  Introduction a. The way we make decisions In an autocratic system, one or only few people make a decision. Autocracy is a very simple way of making a decision (at least in the short run). It is also fast. However, a clear challenge of autocratic systems are a...
ArboLife

ArboLife

Arbolife was founded by Morli and Marc Mathys because they wanted to take a road to better care about themselves and the planet. They experienced the difficulty of finding the right information, the proper contacts, be informed about ongoing events. So, they decided...
Non-profit: Learn To Change

Non-profit: Learn To Change

Learn to change is a Non Governmental Organization that brings together a community of teachers and educators working to support educational transformation for the benefit of building sustainable democratic societies. Read the case...
Mindfulness first

Mindfulness first

Mindfulness First is a 501c3 nonprofit located in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. Founded in 2014, Mindfulness First’s mission is “to offer scientifically-informed programs based in Mindful Awareness and Social-Emotional Learning which provide children and...

Sociocracy In An Agile World – Leif Hanack and Michael Geiß

https://youtu.be/VHHRWW2gGwUVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Sociocracy in an agile world: Michael Geiß and Leif Hanack (https://youtu.be/VHHRWW2gGwU) From leader to leadership. We formed a cross-functional unit out of 3 teams. Instead...

Sociocracy – Top 10 Fast FAQ: John Schinnerer

https://youtu.be/zThnHTuQHUMVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Sociocracy – Top 10 Fast FAQ: John Schinnerer (https://youtu.be/zThnHTuQHUM) An FAQ-style tour of ten top questions or issues that arise in learning and implementing...
Cohousing: Cohabitat Québec

Cohousing: Cohabitat Québec

An intentional community: Cohabitat Québec (Canada). This case study is helpful if you are interested of part of cohousing, or would like to see a good implementation of sociocracy and see how others learn from their mistakes! “For them the most important part of...
Holma Folk Highschool

Holma Folk Highschool

This case study features a permaculture school in Sweden This case-study is helpful if you are a school or interested in permaculture Holma Folkhögskola is a newly established school in Sweden with a focus on sustainability, ecological cultivation, permaculture and...
Selection process

Selection process

One of the richest processes in sociocracy is the selection process of people to leadership roles in a circle. It is also the process that diverges most from what we are used to doing.  There are many reasons to love the sociocratic selection process: It has the...
On rounds

On rounds

The signature tool of sociocracy are rounds. Like all tools in sociocracy, rounds support equal voice and effectiveness. Everybody gets a chance to talk. Everybody gets a chance to listen. Rounds can easily be underrated. This article is a celebration of rounds! 1....
The day I consented to a proposal I hated

The day I consented to a proposal I hated

It was yet another Thursday morning 7.30am – our weekly support circle meeting in Sociocracy For All with 3 staff people present. We were all stretched thin. The last few months had been a phase of wild growth, and although exciting and wonderful, the constantly...
Sociocracy and virtual meetings – engaging, clear and fair

Sociocracy and virtual meetings – engaging, clear and fair

I’m in virtual meetings every day. Here is why I love them:  While it is true that hanging out with real people is much more fun than staring at a screen, I actually find decision-making meetings on zoom much more productive than in-person meetings! Here is...
Could sociocracy be used to a self-govern a country?

Could sociocracy be used to a self-govern a country?

I completely understand the hope underlying this question. Sociocracy is a way to govern organizations in a way so everyone’s voices are valued and heard, while still moving forward together. Given the divisiveness and bipartisanship in our societies,...
Relationship magic

Relationship magic

Sometimes people tell me that what sociocracy does to groups is “magic”. I agree that it’s not uncommon that people who had never met before create meaningful connection and deeply care about each other already after a few meetings. I am assuming...