I’ve been practicing Holacracy since 2016, and over the years I’ve had many insights about Holacracy really is about, and what it is not.
I’ve been making a note of them, and here complied 17 insights. Some of them I’ve expressed them visually. Many thanks to Brian Robertson who’s been an inspiration for these quotes.
Holacracy is not about removing authority
It’s about giving authority to the process.
Holacracy is not about running your organization like a well-oiled machine
It’s about structuring your organization like a living organism.
Holacracy is not a panacea for your organization’s problems
It provides a platform to recognize, frame, and address problems.
Holacracy is not a bossless organization
It makes the organization’s purpose the boss.
Holacracy is not easy to implement
It’s a life long practice.
Holacracy is not a quick fix
It’s changing how power works in your organization.
Holacracy does not do away with structure
It’s about getting just enough structure that serves the org’s purpose.
Holacracy is not about creating a perfect organizational structure
It’s about creating a responsive structure.
Holacracy does not feed answers to people’s problems
It empowers them to find their own answers.
Holacracy is not about creating a great culture
It’s about having a structure where a great culture will emerge.
Holacracy doesn’t solve organizational problems
It’s a framework to quickly surface problems and pathways to address them.
Holacracy is not about managing people
It’s about managing the process.
Holacracy’s decision making is not based on consensus
It’s based on meeting the needs of roles to serve the organization’s purpose.
Holacracy is not a governance process of the people, by the people, for the people
It’s a governance of the organization, through the people, for the purpose.
Holacracy is not anti-hierarchy
It’s pro-clarity.
Holacracy does not need managers to get clarity
It gets clarity from using a process.
Holacracy is not about preventing problems
It’s about getting good at learning from problems.
I’m planning to post some more thoughts & insights on Twitter. You can follow me here: https://twitter.com/CalmAchiever/
I believe our work should be an expression of our most creative selves. I work with business owners and their teams to achieve stress-free productivity.