Published: August 25, 2023

This article was written by advisor Renate Sova (HORIZONT3000).

Recently, as part of one of my positions as an advisor for organisational development in Guatemala, I facilitated an introduction to the system of sociocracy and its tools for the organisation Ixoqib’ Miriam.

Sociocracy is a system of decision-making and governance that aims to create a more democratic and equitable society. In an organisation that practices sociocracy, decisions are made by consent rather than by simple majority, which means that everyone has a voice and no one is left out. The system also emphasises the importance of building relationships and trust between members, and encourages regular feedback and evaluation to continually improve the organisation. Overall, sociocracy seeks to create a collaborative and harmonious community where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

Sociocratic organisations also encourage regular feedback from members, which can help identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. By giving everyone a voice and empowering them to participate in decision-making, sociocracy can help create a sense of ownership and investment among members. This can lead to greater dedication and motivation, as well as better results for the organisation as a whole.

However, sociocracy is not without its challenges. One of the biggest obstacles to implementing sociocracy is the need for significant change within organisational culture. This may require a willingness to abandon traditional hierarchical structures and adopt a more collaborative and participatory approach to decision-making. In addition, sociocracy may require more time and effort to implement, as the process of building consent can be slow and require a high level of commitment from all members.

The implementation of sociocracy is worthwhile if the organisation’s managers are interested in it. It is necessary that there is curiosity in sociocracy and organisational change and that a common basic knowledge about the structure and processes is created.  It is also important that everyone involved in the process has trust and therefore it is also important that decisions are made transparently. Everyone must be involved in the implementation.

To test the effectiveness, the organisation Ixoqib’ Miriam will evaluate in the following two months the implementation of sociocracy and some its tools within their organisational structures.

Further information in English: https://www.sociocracyforall.org/

Further information in German: https://soziokratiezentrum.org/

Further information in Spanish:

• How to design a new circle structure (for an existing organisation) by Ted Rau
• Decision-making by consent by Ted Rau
• On Objections in Sociocracy by Hope Wilder