Posts Tagged ‘Hindsight’

Holacracy, Literacies and Organisational Transformation

Jul 13th, 10 / 2 Comments

Over the last couple of years I’ve had several people point me towards a new “breakthrough” “amazing” “truly integral” “third tier” approach to organisational design and management: Holacracy.  The implication was you need to learn this; the nice side was that people aligned my interests with ‘breakthrough,’ ‘amazing,’ ‘truly integral’ and ‘third tier.’

Frankly, in the world of organisations and getting things done collectively, I’ll settle for anything ‘first tier’ that actually works!  For those not familiar with ‘first tier’ whatever, don’t worry, the references in this piece stop here (or start here if you’re curious – but be warned it’s a deep rabbit hole;).  I’m also quite wary of new ‘management methods’ as they populate like rabbits, and tend to be as useful as the proverbial lucky rabbits foot.

Holacracy is, as the name suggests, an organisational governance method that attempts to embody Holarchy.   Hol what?  Well, holoarchy is an extension of the philosophical observation of holons, a term coined by Arthur Koestler, and popularised most recently by Ken Wilber and his version of Integral Theory, the AQAL model.  A Holon is anything that is both a part and a whole at the same time.  A whole/part – a brief history of holons is here.  The organisational approach is that there are natural (read ‘healthy’) collections of holons (the part aspect) that form functional wholes (teams, organisations etc).  Just so we’re clear, Holacracy isn’t the first effort at this… just the most recent, and the one most often passing across my desk lately.   It is also a misapplication, technically speaking, of how Ken Wilber would regard a holon… another messy little rabbit hole if ever I journeyed one;)

The other week I had a discussion with the executive staff and executive director of a community organisation in the USA.  The community has thousands of loosely associated members worldwide, a 15+ year formation history, and real viability challenges in terms of ‘getting things done.’  Well, that’s not  quite right, they’ve survived this long right?  But from their point of view, they’re looking to take the next steps towards greater coherency in collective actions.  Something most organisations can relate to…

In presenting an opportunity for a (pro-bono) strategic foresight project to them, the method of Holacracy again reared its’ head.   Apparently it’s the flavour of the month, something everyone is aligned to and looking to implement as their next big step.

Well, in line with that, I’d like to offer some reflections as someone who has engaged in organisational establishment and transformation professionally for the past 10+ years.  Let’s call them some not-so-subtle cautionary considerations.  Not-so-subtle largely because I’m in a hurry, but also because I want the warnings to stand out clearly for them: they’ll risk being called half formed, biased and non-appreciative… but if they are, at least we’re talking about them.

So, what are my warnings?  Well, let’s start with a fly-by critique.  Holacracy could easily be described (negatively) as: Read More

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An Open Letter to Peter Georgiou

Jun 9th, 10 / 0 Comments

It is rare that I am inspired, and actually follow through, with writing to someone I do not know. For me, it has always seemed a strange thing to do. But today, I could find no other way to do service to my reactions to reading the final speech of Peter Georgiou, upon his retirement from Australia’s federal parliament. A copy of the letter I sent Peter is below.

Dear Peter

You do not know me, nor I you. I was struck, however, by the immense respect, appreciation and hope that I felt in reading your final speech to Federal Parliament. Please know, I am not one to write letters. This is my first to an MP, although yes I have as a youth met and discussed issues with John Howard, Tony Abbott and Peter Reith while the Liberals most recently were in Government, and with several members of the current Government.

You may not have the time to read all your correspondence, but for your sake, I hope you will take the time during or after your transition period to whatever is next, to read it all – personally. I say this in the firm belief that if you have inspired myself to write, then surely there will be many others. Your work for the past many years in parliament is not, in my view, a highly lucrative one; hardly appropriate one might say, for the work load and personal tolls involved. My confident expectation of the clear and detailed positivity with which your service will be regarded is, while merely words, hopefully of some weight in balancing the scales in return for your efforts.

You may like to know that I am not, by voting, a Liberal. But the ideals you expressed in your speech, and the resonance they had for me that you have truly lived them and fought for them, find me in complete agreement. I recall your stance and no doubt only some of your efforts with regards to asylum seekers and Aboriginal youth. I recall thinking ‘thank God, there are people with Heart and Principle in our Parliament.’ I am not, I should say, at all religious. Yet my Spirit leapt to attention, in recognition of your clear, sane and compassionate approach to these issues. It is so easy to forget, to lament, to denigrate, the leadership we as a people have. I have often been guilty of this. Your leadership, however, reminded me of the inherent dignity our leaders can have. It inspired in me an aspiration to further embody the common decency I was raised to cherish; the fundamental human respect and freedom we all desire and deserve.

With you Sir, I am a liberal, no matter how I vote. As one seemingly inconsequential citizen, I thank you for your service. I hope you enjoy your well deserved retirement from Parliament; may it spur others to continue where you have left off.

Regards

Chris Stewart