What is sociocracy? And how do you use it?

And how do you use it?

Sociocracy is a governance system for organizations. It helps set the “rules of the game” so decisions can be made effectively and as equals.

Sociocracy comes with:
a way to make decisions,
a way to distribute decision-making into small groups a way to decide who decides what, ways to improve the system itself.

Advantages:
• increased clarity and effectiveness
• better buy-in via non-coercive decisions
• value alignment - walking the talk!

1. WHAT IS SOCIOCRACY?
And how do you use it?

2. Content
Super brief overview
Basic principles
Who uses sociocracy?
History and the field
How to implement in an organization
About SoFA

3. Super brief overview
Sociocracy is a governance system for organizations.
It helps set the “rules of the game” so decisions can be
made effectively and as equals.
Sociocracy comes with:
a way to make decisions
a way to distribute decision-making into small groups
a way to decide who decides what
ways to improve the system itself
Advantages:
increased clarity and effectiveness
better buy-in via non-coercive decisions
value alignment - walking the talk!

4. Basic principles: circles
Decision-making
in circles
Teams (circles) of 4-8 do work in an
area and make decisions in that
domain. Circles are defined via a
shared aim.
Circles are connected by people in
“linking roles” (people who are part of
two circles) to ensure alignment
between related circles.
Each circle comes with a default outfit
of functions (like process roles: leader,
facilitator and note-taker).
Circles are the final decision-makers in their respective
domains, leading to a distributed, responsive system
where everyone is a decision-maker somewhere.

5. range of tolerance
For general decisions, circle
members need to give their
consent.
Within that frame, people are free
to make operational decisions.
To reach consent, it’s enough if no
one within the circle has an
objection. That means we don’t
need to all agree to move forward
and try something out.
Basic principles: consent
Decision-making
by consent
preference
objection
consent
outside the aim
An objection would mean that a proposal is in conflict
with our aim. (It makes perfect sense that we would
modify any proposal that harms standing agreements.)

6. Improve with
feedback
All processes, all decisions, all structures and
even governance processes themselves are
reviewed and improved.
This creates an adaptive, self-repairing system
over time.
There is a strong commitment to equal voice and
direct participation via speaking in rounds
(speaking one by one) and a robust meeting
format. That way, thoughts from the whole
group are incorporated in an ongoing fashion.
Basic principles: feedback
The distinction between decision-making and
feedback is core to sociocracy.
Before making an autonomous decision,
circles often ask for feedback from outside the
circle to check for alignment organization-
wide.

7. Sociocracy is used in a variety of organizations.
intentional communities - commonly sociocratic
cooperatives - known in the field
nonprofits - known among worker-led groups
business - known in some areas, like management consulting
Democratic schools, collective impact, municipal bodies, higher
education
It is often combined with agile, permaculture, and Nonviolent
Communication.
Hot beds are in Scandinavia, Switzerland, Austria, Brazil, the UK, the
USA, and Canada.
Most organizations interested in sociocracy are highly values-aligned
and committed to “walking the talk.”
Who uses sociocracy?

8. History and the field
Sociocracy was developed in the Netherlands by
Gerard Endenburg and tested in his electronics
business in the late 1970s. It has roots in
cybernetics, natural systems, and quaker
decision-making.
For years, it was stewarded by The Sociocracy
Group, and since the mid-2000s, a couple of
other groups have picked it up, some in
variations, under various names.
It continues to be a free and open system,
owned by no one.
“Socio-cracy”
= governance by those who associate together;
also called “Dynamic Governance.”

9. About Sociocracy For All
Sociocracy For All (SoFA) is an inter-
national, sociocratic, member-run non-
profit with 200+ members in 50+ ever-
changing circles.
SoFA offers training, consulting,
networking, and free resources for those
who want to live in a world where power-
over is transformed into power-with.
We’re proud of our multi-language, multi-
sector approach. Easy access and integrity
are important to us.
www.sociocracyforall.org | [email protected]

10. Sociocracy is both a mindset and a practice. Learning
sociocracy means building “muscle memory” and
understanding of the process.
Some practices like consent, rounds, meeting format,
sociocratic (s)elections, and performance reviews are
considered standard, and they support the flow and
integrity of the system.
The mindset is hard to pin down but may include
flexibility, intentionality, openness to learning, self-
responsibility, and commitment to balancing the
collective purpose with the individuals’ needs.
How to learn
Initial skepticism often fades
once people make a first-hand
experience. They often feel like they
“remember” how relating to each
other can feel like.
One cannot solely think one’s
way into sociocracy.

11. Adoption
official adoption of the new
governance system
Initiators
initiating a change in
governance
Initially, the people in the
organization need to be clear that
they want to change their
governance. What’s working,
what isn’t? What are our hopes?
And who has the legitimacy to
make such a decision?
They often form a change team,
the Implementation Circle.
Implementation Circle
making a governance proposal
How to implement in
an organization
That Implementation Circle then
puts together a proposal. That
typically means drafting a structure
of circles and roles, and writing a
description of governance
agreements. They also steward
training so all members can build
literacy in the system. Ideally,
there’s lot of feedback in this phase.
As a last step, the new system
needs to be formally adopted (by
whoever has the legitimacy to do
so). This is often celebrated!
An evaluation after a chosen time
frame and ongoing improvement
lead into the maintenance phase.
Some practices like rounds or meeting formats can “just” be
done without organizational-level buy-in. (“software”)
For organizational level buy-in (“hardware”), legitimacy must
be built to change the factual power structures (e.g., for
changes in the organizational structure or the agreed-upon
decision-making method).

12. Contact
Sociocracy For All
120 Pulpit Hill Road, Unit 8
Amherst MA 01002
USA
www.sociocracyforall.org
[email protected]