A Guide to Sociocracy
Sociocracy is an organisational system which helps groups make decisions to benefit an organisation while maintaining an egalitarian environment. Read more about this non-traditional form of governance below.
What Does the Word Sociocracy Mean?
The word “sociocracy” was created by combining two Latin words: socius, which means companions and cratia which refers to the ruling class.
Who Invented Sociocracy?
Sociocracy was coined by Auguste Comte, a French philosopher who believed that an effective government should be led by sociologists following scientific methods to meet the needs of society.
What is Sociocracy?
Sociocracy is a governance method which allows self-management in an organisation.
Similar to holacracy, sociocracy empowers each subsection of an organisation to have an “authoritative voice”.
This organisational structure allows an organisation to switch between hierarchical and non-hierarchical structures depending on need.
In a sociocratic organisation, a hierarchical structure supports the logistical side of running the company, and a non-hierarchical structure supports creative thinking and dialogue.
This way of organising is said to retain the advantages of a hierarchy while supporting an egalitarian outlook.
Sociocracy is defined by the following four elements:
Circles: For an organisation to be sociocratic, it must be made up of circles (groups) of individuals who are semi-autonomous. These circles run specially structured decision making meetings to ensure all members are in agreement on any proposals or changes. Each circle has its own defined aim and field of authority.
Consent decision-making: During circle meetings, only decisions that face no major objections by members of the circles are pushed forward. A major objection is made when an individual feels that the proposal would be detrimental to them, the circle, or the business as a whole. This is where the consent element comes in – a pivotal part of the decision making process.
Double linking: This element of sociocracy relies on the idea that each circle of individuals is linked to a circle higher up in the chain via a double link. In other words, each circle has at least two people who are members of both their own circle and the next higher circle to facilitate the flow of information. In this way, an organisation becomes a series of interconnected “dynamic feedback loops” thriving on transparency.
Elections: Rather than the autocratic assignment of members of an organisation to specific posts within it, in a sociocratic organisation, there’s a nomination process that ensures that all members accept the selection.
Continuous Improvement in Sociocracy
Sociocracy is built upon the desire for continuous improvement of the organisation in which it functions. Methods to ensure this include performance and policy reviews and meeting evaluations. Constant feedback is also highly encouraged at all levels of the organisation.
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