What should we forget when we want to learn and practice sociocracy?



When learning and practicing sociocracy, it’s essential to be open-minded and ready to embrace a new way of organizing and making decisions.

However, there are certain things you may need to forget or unlearn from traditional hierarchical structures to fully grasp and implement sociocracy effectively.

Here are some key aspects to consider:


  1. Hierarchical Power Structures:

In sociocracy, the emphasis is on distributed authority and decision-making. You should be prepared to let go of the traditional top-down hierarchy and embrace a more inclusive and decentralized approach.


  1. Command and Control Mentality:

Sociocracy encourages collaboration and consent-based decision-making rather than a command and control approach. Forgetting the need to control every aspect will foster a more cooperative and engaged environment.


  1. Fear of Change:

Embracing sociocracy may require changes in organizational processes and culture. Letting go of the fear of change will allow you to adapt to new practices more effectively.


  1. One-Size-Fits-All Solutions:

Sociocracy is flexible and adaptable to different contexts. Forget the idea that there’s only one way to organize or make decisions; instead, be willing to tailor sociocratic principles to your specific needs.


  1. Decision by Majority:

In traditional systems, decisions are often made by majority vote. In sociocracy, consent-based decision-making is used, which means finding solutions that everyone can live with and support, even if they aren’t necessarily their first choice.


  1. Siloed Departments:

Sociocracy promotes cross-functional collaboration and breaking down silos. Forget the idea that departments should operate independently and embrace the concept of interconnectedness and shared goals.


  1. Lack of Empowerment:

In sociocracy, the focus is on empowering individuals and teams to take ownership of their work and contribute to decision-making. Forget the belief that only a select few should be involved in important choices.


  1. Short-Term Thinking:

Sociocracy encourages long-term perspective and sustainable decision-making. Avoid being solely focused on short-term gains and consider the broader impact of decisions.


  1. Limited Feedback Loops:

Embrace the idea of continuous feedback and improvement. Forget the notion that feedback should only happen during formal performance reviews.


  1. Inflexible Rules:

Sociocracy provides a framework, but it’s not about rigid rules. Forget the idea that strict rules are the best way to maintain order, and instead, focus on principles that allow for adaptation and evolution.


By being open to unlearning these aspects, individuals and organizations can better embrace the principles of sociocracy and foster a more inclusive, participatory, and adaptive way of working together.


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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