From those who are using sociocracy regularly, what’s hard?
I’m thinking there could be all kinds of answers here, even snappy ones, like “my coworkers stuck to the processes!” 
What’s your answer? All answers allowed!
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Sociocracy would work better if…there were more built-in strategies to help us balance our practical goals (“let’s make decisions fairly and efficiently”) with our embodied (emotional, playful, spiritual, unarticulated) motivations.
I’d love to explore more ways to help us get our work done while staying connected to the juice that leads us to do the work in the first place.
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self-knowledge and personal development 
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That’s something I’m super interested in too.
I guess the question is how governance and culture intersect and how they can mutually support each other maybe even.
Is that what you mean?
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Yes and yes and yes. 
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Sociocracy would be “easier” (more comprehensive? more agile?)…if it included an integrated approach to agile project leadership (and management) based on sociocratic governance and decision-making. I’m thinking - and currently co-creating - and agile project governance/leadership/sociocracy matrix approach: vertical → sociocratic governance based on circles/sociocratic decision-making; horizontal → agile project leadership based on agile steering and decision-making. While sociocracy as is (and as I understand it) helps coordinate many voices to perform one song (effectively and with consent), agile project leadership may help having the one song ready to be performed more efficiently (getting projects done on time and within budget) ==> “getting projects done with consent” might be the result/overlap of integrating both approaches
If we weren’t as attached to preconceptions and where more open to the miracle of what can come out of a handful of people being together <3
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…if we learned it early on in our lives. We could start with just speaking in rounds
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Have you read the book: Company-Wide Agility with Beyond Budgeting, Open Space & Sociocracy: Survive & Thrive on Disruption? We were already Agile and Sociocratic, and Beyond Budgeting filled in the gap we had around facilitating finances, so I agree that agile and sociocracy go together.
I think that sociocracy actually already incorporates a lot of agile frameworks without calling it that. The backlog is our prioritized list of to dos. Consent as is this good enough? encourages experimentation. The plan-do-measure cycle is about constant iteration and improvement.
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Thanks so much, Deborah, for pointing me to this book. I’ll review. Also, I like your other comments and will have to think more deeply about how to best integrate all that.
Tom
Oh yes. I wonder if people would then say “that feels so artificial!” when asked to talk over each other 
200% agreed. I was about to say almost the same,
Why can’t we start with our families, so as kids grow up they already are affective and effective humans? 
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Hi, again, Deborah. Now that I’ve read the book, I’m very grateful that you pointed me to it…lot’s to learn, to explore and to adapt
Tom
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I think that historically, at least in my expereince, culture and operations have been siloed each have their own set of values and practices. What @sanket.bihari said, we need opportunities for personal development and self-inquiry and reflection to support both pieces. Maybe with an intersection of both, strategies would organically develop. Meaning we could integrate some of the practices that we utilize for personal growth for operational growth and visa versa. Essentially holding the tension between the two rather than denying one for the other.
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I love how you phrased that.
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This is a huge topic. Thank you Ted for bringing it on the discussion table and thank you to all those who already shared their opinions here. Here you have a sample from my reflections on this topic:
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I guess sociocracy would work better if people would be more involved in the communities of practice because CoPs allow us to explore, fail and learn at the same time. I love the communities of practice as there are no tensions to make hard decisions, so we can enjoy the process, become kids again and play a little bit to acquire new skills or strengthen those we already have. I love and sustain communities of practice. Who else does?
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I also think sociocracy would work better if every new member would have a friend and would have the opportunity to assume a responsibility of their choice. We could suggest a list of light responsibilities for new members, they could choose from. I think that will give them a sense of importance when joining SoFA.
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I guess sociocracy would work better if there would be a system that could help people keep the joy and enthusiasm that made them come in in the first place. Sadily, many times, people are in the situation of unpleasant experiences and more of these remain unsolved, bringing them frustrations so that finally they give up. Why not have a circle whose mission could be the membership wellbeing, facilitating understanding, communication, connection, communion. Let’s name it an “Escape” program where people could renew themselves.
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There are many ideas. Let’s look for the people to implement and sustain these ideas inside and outside the organization. Making these programs available outside SoFA, could become a source of income. Outsourcing services became a trend. Why not make SoFA become a provider of wellbeing for other organizations, even corporations? Discussing in rounds and being sure to be heard is a real healing process for all those people working in corporations whose voices are never heard. I think sociocracy could become an active agent in preventing physical and mental depression.
I am glad to be in your sociocratic companionship. Best wishes to all of you! 
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