 | 6.2. How to introduce sociocracy | |
|---|---|---|
| ↢ | Chapter 6. Implementing Sociocracy | ↣ |
There are so many ways sociocracy may be introduced to organizations. From the inside or the outside. In a start-up or in an established organization. To an organization that is working well and wants to work even more in line with its values or to an organization that is in deep pain with its finances, its interpersonal dynamics, and its productivity. We start here with a step-by-step approach to introducing sociocracy to an established organization. The sequence of steps is not strict, and many of the steps are repeated in different ways or different levels. This list is framed from the perspective of someone inside the organization and is intended to give you a sense of scope and strategy for the process of introducing sociocracy. We are going to present mostly the same list to you in two formats because different people think in different ways (even the co-authors!). The first list is framed in phases and the second list is 27 steps, one by one.
Phase 1: Understand. Connecting and educating.
Find your allies inside the organization: identify key people who share your concerns about the state of governance and introduce them to sociocracy.
Connect your allies with others outside of your organization. Potential ways of doing that: bring some of the early adopters to a training, connect with other sociocratic practitioners in your industry/sector, visit a sociocratic organization. SoFA can help you connect with people in the same region/language/sector.
Phase 2: Explore. Building a home base and experimenting.
Create an implementation team and operate it sociocratically. Encourage implementation team members to educate themselves more by attending webinars, signing up for mailing lists, etc. Frame the challenges of the present governance system and reasons for switching to sociocracy.
Introduce elements of sociocracy (rounds, policy term dates, selection process) wherever they are compatible with your current structure. You can run experiments in individuals units of the organization.
Understand and engage with the possible concerns about sociocracy in the organization.
Phase 3: Decide. Solidifying your governance proposal and putting it in place.
Write a first draft of the governance agreement, adapting the sociocratic framework to your unique organization. Design the organizational circle structure proposal.
Present the governance agreements draft and proposed circle structure and invite feedback. Revise. Repeat as many times as necessary.
Make a formal proposal. Work through objections. Consent to governance proposal.
List what you see as the challenges of the present governance system and why you are motivated to consider a switch to sociocracy.
Identify key people who share your concerns about the state of governance in the organization.
Introduce your potential allies to sociocracy. Share videos and articles/handouts, and discuss. Share with them case studies and existing templates (decision making sheet, organizational structure diagrams, governance agreement, table of aims and domains, this book).
Bring some of your allies with you to sociocracy workshops and webinars.
Have people report to the organization about their experience in the workshops.
Gather interested people for informal conversations about sociocracy in the organization.
Invite an outside person to do a brief sociocracy intro and answer open questions with parts or the whole of the organization.
Create an Ad Hoc Sociocracy Exploratory Circle and operate it sociocratically – this will be your home base from which all energy radiates, so it is not a solo project.
More formally frame the challenges of the present governance system and reasons for sociocracy. Share with others and get feedback.
Invite key people to participate in study circles and workshops.
Introduce elements of sociocracy (rounds, policy term dates, selection to leadership, double-linking, etc.) wherever you can in the existing structure.
Find a team or unit that is willing to experiment with making decisions sociocratically.
Have people visit an organization that is running sociocratically and report on their visit.
Write a first draft of “Governance Agreements” adapting the sociocratic framework to your unique organization. Pay particular attention to legal structure, by-laws, and financial issues.
Begin designing the organizational circle structure.
Identify both leaders who may be early supporters and people who are most likely to be resistant or wary towards sociocracy and start talking to them one on one.
Offer trainings in sociocracy in your organization to build the knowledge base and familiarity.
Present the draft Governance Agreements and circle structure, especially to the Board.
Revise and revise the draft Governance Agreements and Circle Structure.
Identify where every member stands and connect with them to move supporters into leadership, neutrals into supporters, opposers into neutral. Keep emphasizing that sociocracy is flexible and would be adapted based on experience. That after an initial period there would be an evaluation and improvements made based on that evaluation.
Repeat the key phrases: egalitarian, effective, safe enough to try, good enough for now.
Listen to and take seriously people’s concerns.
Present the circle structure to key committee meetings.
Revise the draft Governance Agreements and Circle Structure.
Make a formal proposal to adopt sociocracy, to the Board at minimum and to the whole organization if possible.
Work through objections and try again! And again!
Launch implementation of accepted proposal!