Basics of HolacracySome internet research on this topic

Margôt van BrakelDecember 2015

Some quotes..• A management system that ‘suits’ the

ever changing and faster moving world.• Changing the way power works in an

organisation.• Becoming a responsive company.• “Don’t throw out structure, replace it! And

therefore it must me better.”• Structure: minimal / just in time / dynamic.• Holacracy is purpose driven.

The problem with hierarchical structures: there’s a lot going on that kills productivity

Shifting the management system means shifting power and in doing so empowering the employees

In Holacracy it’s all about working in circles.

The new orgchart looks like this:

The difference #1

The difference #2

The biggest difference: Shifting from people to roles

A new approach to organisational structure, meetings, automony and

decision making

When playing an new game, you need rules:

The Constitution; of course, open source

How it worksdifferent meetings for different purposes

Tensions tell us where we need to change and are the input for meetings

Tactical Meetingschecklist / metrics / project

• Frequency: Typically weekly• Purpose: To get each circle member on the same page and to

address any problems hampering progress• Process:

1. Check-in Round: Each person has an uninterrupted chance to mention anything on their mind.2. Checklist Review: Facilitator reads aloud a checklist for each of the roles, which the person in question responds to either with "check" or "no check."3. Metrics Review: Each role responsible for a data report shares a brief on it.4. Progress Updates: The facilitator reads aloud each project, asking, "Any updates?" The project lead either says "no updates" or gives a brief explanation.5. Agenda Building: Each person has a chance to raise a tension, represented only by one or two words.6. Triage Issues: Facilitator gives each person with a tension a chance to explain their issue and discuss it with other members. Facilitator determines what next steps need to be taken to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.7. Closing Round: Each person has an uninterrupted chance to share a closing reflection about the meeting.

Governance Meetingscollective and continuous process

for tweaking roles & accountabilities

• Frequency: Typically monthly• Purpose: To refine a circle's operating structure (i.e. creating, amending,

or removing roles, policies, or sub-circles; electing a facilitator, secretary, and rep link)

• Process:1. Check-in Round: "One at a time, each participant has space to call out distractions and orient to the meeting."2. Administrative Concerns: "Quickly address any logistical matters, such as time allotted for the meeting and any planned breaks."3. Agenda Building: "Participants add agenda items, using just one or two words per item. Each agenda represents one tension to process. Facilitator captures them in a list."4. Process Each Item Using the Integrative Decision-Making Process: "Each agenda item is addressed, one at a time, using the Integrative Decision-Making Process," which is a system that allows the proposer to speak uninterrupted and others to weigh in, one at a time.5. Closing Round: "Once the agenda is complete or the meeting is nearing its scheduled end, the facilitator gives each person space to share a closing reflection about the meeting."

Strategy Meetings

• Frequency: Typically every six months• Purpose: To review the circle's overall progress and develop long-term

goals• Process:• There is no mandated structure, but Robertson says the meetings should

last around four or more hours, and can fit into the following skeleton.1. Check-in Round2. Orientation3. Retrospective4. Strategy Generation5. Unpack the Strategy6. Closing Round

• A“Role” is an organizational construct with a descriptive name and one or more of the following:

• (a) a “Purpose”, which is a capacity, potential, or unrealizable goal that the Role will pursue or express on behalf of the Organization.

• (b) one or more “Domains”, which are things the Role may exclusively control and regulate as its property, on behalf of the Organization.

• (c) one or more “Accountabilities”, which are ongoing activities of the Organization that the Role will enact.

What’s a role? two examples

Special role #1: lead link• PURPOSE: The Lead Link holds the Purpose of the overall Circle. • DOMAINS: Role assignments within the Circle• ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Structuring the Governance of the Circle to enact its Purpose and Accountabilities • Assigning Partners to the Circle’s Roles; monitoring the fit; offering feedback to enhance fit; and re-assigning Roles to other Partners when useful for enhancing fit • Allocating the Circle’s resources across its various Projects and/or Roles • Establishing priorities and Strategies for the Circle • Defining metrics for the circle • Removing constraints within the Circle to the Super-Circle enacting its Purpose and Accountabilities The Lead Link also holds all un-delegated Circle-level Domains and Accountabilities.

Special role #2: rep linkPURPOSE: Within the Super-Circle, the Rep Link holds the Purpose of the SubCircle; within the Sub-Circle, the Rep Link’s Purpose is: Tensions relevant to process in the Super-Circle channeled out and resolved. ACCOUNTABILITIES: • Removing constraints within the broader Organization that limit the Sub-Circle • Seeking to understand Tensions conveyed by Sub-Circle Circle Members, and discerning those appropriate to process in the Super-Circle • Providing visibility to the Super-Circle into the health of the Sub-Circle, including reporting on any metrics or checklist items assigned to the whole Sub-Circle

Companies using / implementing holacracy… just a few of many

Read more about it …• https://startupjuncture.com/2014/05/07/holacracy-springest-openco/• https://hbr.org/2015/09/the-big-misconceptions-holding-holacracy-back• http://

www.sprout.nl/artikel/zo-breng-je-de-platte-organisatiestructuur-holacracy-de-praktijk

All input comes from internet sources & holacracy taster workshop in Amsterdam. Many thanks!