My reflections, asking for yours
In a podcast recording recently, I was asked what happens when an organization uses sociocracy for longer than a few years. Does it change in any way?
Luckily, I had been given the question ahead of time so I could think about it, since it’s a question I had never been asked before.
And I want to share my - very tentative - answer that I came to, but I really absolutely want to hear your reflections on it, if you are in an organization that has used sociocracy for more than a handful of years. Ideally, I’d even ask you to stop reading and think about it for a moment. What has changed over the last few years?
In both organizations where I’ve used sociocracy for more than 9 years, I find that there is a shift, but it’s not a sudden or even noticeable change. It’s more than over long years, it’s like there are roots. The governance system becomes indistinguishable from the rest of the culture. It’s an un-eventfulness, a having-become-one with the system. It’s just who we are. It’s just what we do.
Are there still moments where people have to look up how to do xyz? Sure, but very rarely. Are there still moments when there is a little friction or push and pull about how to do something? Sure.
But the focus shifts. In the beginning, sociocracy is commonly introduced with the desire “for everyone to be heard” or “to hear all voices.” And of course that’s not wrong. But after having been heard for years, it’s not so urgent anymore. It’s not a purpose in its own anymore.
Instead of wanting to be heard foremost, it’s about asking ourselves - wait, now that I’m listened to, what do I want to say? Now that I have power and responsibility, what do I see wants to happen? What is really needed to say?
I’ve noticed myself having gotten quieter in meetings. The focus shifts from what I want, or ideas I have, towards a sitting-with, listening, observing.
Maybe that’s just me getting older, and maybe it’s that the whole organization has gotten older.
So to take the personal factor out of it, I wonder whether some of you would be willing to share? What would you have said?