The difference between knowing and practicing sociocracy lies in the level of experience and application of the sociocratic principles and methods.
Here’s a breakdown of the two concepts:
- Knowing Sociocracy:
Knowing sociocracy refers to having an understanding of the sociocratic principles, concepts, and practices. It involves gaining knowledge about the key elements of sociocracy, such as consent decision-making, circle structure, double-linking, and the role of the facilitator. When someone knows about sociocracy, they may have read books, attended workshops, watched training videos, or engaged in discussions about sociocratic principles and practices.
- Practicing Sociocracy:
Practicing sociocracy goes beyond just having knowledge about the principles. It involves actively applying sociocratic methods and processes in real-life situations. Practicing sociocracy requires individuals or organizations to implement sociocratic governance structures, decision-making processes, and communication techniques in their daily operations. It means integrating sociocratic principles into the way they collaborate, make decisions, and interact with one another.
The key difference is that knowing sociocracy is about having theoretical knowledge and understanding, whereas practicing sociocracy is about actively using and applying that knowledge in practical settings.
It’s important to note that while knowledge is a necessary foundation, the true benefits of sociocracy are experienced when it is practiced and embedded in the culture and processes of an organization or community.
Through practice, individuals and groups can experience the effectiveness, efficiency, and empowering nature of sociocracy in real-life situations, leading to more adaptive, inclusive, and resilient decision-making and governance.
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:
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Start here:
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Sociocracy – basic concepts and principles:
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Why Sociocracy For All (SoFA)?
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Social Justice Statement of Sociocracy For All:
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Sociocracy For All in the news
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Sociocracy basic resources
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SoFA Membership - Why join Sociocracy For All?
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Sociocracy Training
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More sociocracy resources: articles and videos
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SoFA events
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Many Voices One Song – A sociocracy manual
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Who Decides Who Decides? - How to start a group so everyone can have a voice!
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Let’s decide together - The definitive guidebook for practicing decision-making with children
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Meeting Evaluation Cards - This is the Meeting Evaluation Cards product by Sociocracy For All
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Case studies
