Is sustaining each other useful in sociocracy?



I guess sustaining each other is a key principle in sociocracy.

Sociocracy places importance on creating and maintaining healthy relationships within an organization or community.

Sustaining each other involves fostering a supportive and respectful environment where the well-being and needs of individuals are valued and addressed.

Here’s how sustaining each other is useful in sociocracy:


  1. Emotional well-being:

Sociocracy recognizes that individuals’ emotional well-being impacts their ability to contribute effectively to the system. By creating an environment that supports and sustains each other, sociocracy promotes a culture of empathy, understanding, and care. This can enhance the overall morale, motivation, and satisfaction of team members, leading to increased productivity and positive engagement within the system.


  1. Trust and psychological safety:

Sustaining each other helps build trust and psychological safety within a sociocratic system. When individuals feel supported, respected, and valued, they are more likely to trust their colleagues and the decision-making processes. This trust creates a foundation for open and honest communication, collaboration, and risk-taking, enabling individuals to express their ideas, concerns, and feedback freely.


  1. Conflict resolution and consent-building:

In sociocracy, sustaining each other plays an essential role in resolving conflicts and building consent. When individuals feel supported and heard, they are more likely to engage in constructive dialogue to integrate objections or resolve disagreements. By fostering a culture that encourages active listening, empathy, and understanding, sociocracy enables the exploration of different perspectives and the search for mutually agreeable solutions.


  1. Growth and development:

Sustaining each other promotes personal growth and development within the sociocratic system. When individuals are supported and nurtured, they have the opportunity to learn, acquire new skills, and take on greater responsibilities. Sociocracy recognizes the value of ongoing learning and offers mechanisms for individuals to develop their capabilities and contribute to the system’s success.


  1. Collaboration and shared success:

By sustaining each other, sociocracy encourages collaboration and shared success. When individuals feel supported and connected, they are more likely to work together, share knowledge, and leverage each other’s strengths to achieve common goals. Sustaining each other fosters a sense of collective achievement and belonging, leading to a stronger and more cohesive sociocratic system.


It’s important to note that sustaining each other in sociocracy is not limited to individual well-being but also encompasses the well-being of the entire system.

By nurturing and sustaining individuals within the system, sociocracy promotes a healthy and sustainable organizational or community ecosystem, which contributes to the overall success and resilience of the system.


If you want to share your personal reflections on this topic, please feel free to do so in a comment below. Thank you.

Best wishes!


Resources:

  1. Start here:

  2. Sociocracy – basic concepts and principles:

  3. Why Sociocracy For All (SoFA)?

  4. Social Justice Statement of Sociocracy For All:

  5. Sociocracy For All in the news

  6. Sociocracy basic resources

  7. SoFA Membership - Why join Sociocracy For All?

  8. Sociocracy Training

  9. More sociocracy resources: articles and videos

  10. SoFA events

  11. Many Voices One Song – A sociocracy manual

  12. Who Decides Who Decides? - How to start a group so everyone can have a voice!

  13. Let’s decide together - The definitive guidebook for practicing decision-making with children

  14. Meeting Evaluation Cards - This is the Meeting Evaluation Cards product by Sociocracy For All

  15. Case studies

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