Implementing a sociocratic circle structure
Impetus to the project
Start with a Friend is a non-profit organization that was very collaboratively organized at the time of first contact. Due to increasing growth and a change of management (formerly the founders), the internal organization needed a new structure and order. Competence-based hierarchy should ensure that no longer “all would decide everything”. At the same time, however, we wanted to avoid the trap of "power and hierarchy",[DG1] which is often found in classic forms of organization.
Internally, the team had already explored the concept of sociocracy, but it seemed necessary to bring order to the circle structure, to fill it with life, to internalize sociocratic work and to work on a supportive attitude.
In addition, we had to find a good way for informing new employees about the overall process and for involving them in the sociocratic structures.
What we did
First, we formed an implementation circle consisting of team members from all units. Their task was to develop a new circle structure. In the next step, we invited everybody in the organization to discuss and reflect upon the new structure, and by that connecting the new approach with the former culture that had always been heavily based on full employee participation. Together we decided to try out the new structure.
Gradually, we introduced instruments and tools of self-organization and successively integrated them into the practice of the individual circles.
By abandoning and replacing the cultural identity of "grassroots democracy" there was an explicit room for concerns and fears ("what if I no longer have a say?") where we could deal with them in an attitude of patience and understanding.
Experience and result
Together, we succeeded in finding a new holistic structure that fits our values and our project structure and at the same time was experienced as fair, meaningful and efficient for the whole team. Processes and tools of self-organization support the new way of working together.
Through the instrument of "open election," someone was elected to the board who would never have volunteered for this task himself. This experience showed what power lies in well-managed reflection processes that unite multiple perspectives.
What our client says
We have experienced working with subject:RESOUL as enormously supportive and enriching in times of change and rapid growth of our organization. The consultants took a lot of time for getting to know the organizational and team structure as well as the culture, in order to then develop solutions on how we can meet the diverse challenges together with us based on that.
Especially through adapting their consulting approach to our needs and resources, we had the possibility to react to changes in a flexible way. The friendly companionship and open communication of the consultants encouraged us and the team to dare implementing the new organizational system. By professionally moderating us they also gave us the opportunity of openly addressing and resolving structural conflicts and uncertainties.
Already, our new circle structure is showing relief and, above all, more clarity in distributing work and responsibilities. We are looking forward to the further transformation work with and within sociocracy, and the valuable cooperation with subject:RESOUL. In this sense, thank you very much!
Jakob Filzen, Management Board