futures insights: Working in a holacracy.
futures insights: by insight & foresight looks at trends, weak signals, and emerging change that could impact for-purpose organisations 5 to 10 years from now. The content is design fiction written from a futures viewpoint about possibilities that may or may not eventuate and should not be read as fact. It is designed to support creative, exploratory thinking about futures and what might happen next. Enjoy!
In a land not far away from today...
Elliot yawned, stretched and decide that today he would sleep a little longer than usual. After all, what was the rush? He had no job to go to, no boss to answer to. Elliot worked in an organisation that used a holacracy to govern itself, and he loved it.
In a traditional workplace, Elliot would have had a job title and a clear set of responsibilities. But in a holacracy, things were different. Rather than having a fixed job, Elliot occupied several roles, all built around a specific area of responsibility. And rather than having a traditional hierarchical structure, the organisation was governed by a series of nested circles, each representing an autonomous team.
It was a system that allowed for great flexibility and creativity, and Elliot loved the fact that he could make a real difference in his organisation. He didn't have to worry about pleasing a boss or meeting unrealistic targets. Instead, he could focus on doing what he loved, and he knew that his contribution was valued.
Elliot had always been a bit of a traditionalist. He preferred the stability and predictability of a traditional command structure, with defined job responsibilities and a clear path for advancement. However, when he was laid off from his job in 2025, he was forced to take a closer look at alternative work arrangements. After researching various options, he decided to try working in a holacracy.
What is a holacracy?
Holacracy is a system of governance that seeks to replace the rigidity of a traditional command structure with a more flexible and adaptive system. It is based on the idea of self-organising teams, with individuals occupying several roles within specific areas of accountability. In a holacracy, there is no fixed hierarchy, and advancement is based on an individual's ability to contribute to the team's success.
Working in a holacracy has its challenges, but it can also be very rewarding. At first, Elliot found it difficult to adjust to the lack of structure and increased flexibility. However, after a few months, he started to see some of the benefits of working in a holacracy. He liked the fact that he could take on several roles, all built around his area of expertise, and that he could move between teams as needed. He also liked the idea of periodic governance meetings that connected teams, kept them focussed and resolved any conflicts.
Integrative decision-making.
Governance in a holacracy uses integrative decision-making. This is a process that allows for different perspectives to be considered and integrated into a decision. It is based on the idea that there is no one right answer, but that the best solution emerges when all voices are heard and respected. Integrative decision-making has the following advantages; it focuses on addressing a problem in the best possible manner instead of choosing a one-size-fits-all solution, it guarantees that something is completed using a well-established procedure, it places power in the hands of those who are most affected by the issue, it provides a safeguard against unforeseen circumstances with "objections" and it sets standards for what constitutes an objection so that people can't shut down issues just because they don't like them or want to consider unlikely "what if" scenarios.
Not everything about integrative decision-making is effective. The disadvantage is that the process may be perplexing and difficult, it generally necessitates the use of a skilled, unbiased third party to be successful, those with the most knowledge of the process and rules can "win" the debate without a competent facilitator, everyone involved may detest the solution that is ultimately agreed upon, the process focuses on one person at a time, which might lead to the impression that it doesn't consider others, someone has the power to make a decision in the end, which can make others feel like their input is being ignored if the decision goes against their recommendations and it can encourage self-interested behaviour.
There are challenges.
Elliot also faced some challenges in his new role. He found it difficult at times to remain a subject matter expert and to keep up with all the changes and updates in his area of responsibility. And since there was no clear path for advancement, he sometimes felt like he was stuck in limbo. Overall, Elliot felt that holacracy had its benefits and challenges, but that it was slowly gaining traction amongst organisations.
In 2045 most organisations had adopted the holacracy system of governance because of the benefits it provided. Benefits to the organisation included increased flexibility, creativity, and adaptability. Organisations found that they could deliver greater results due to the increased engagement and ownership of employees and that they could save costs by eliminating the need for a traditional hierarchical structure. However, not everything ran smoothly when organisations started implementing this style, some challenges that needed to be addressed included: the need for clear roles and responsibilities, the importance of effective communication, and the challenge of sustaining motivation without a clear path for advancement. Although there were some challenges, overall holacracy was successful in delivering benefits to organisations.
Futures with holacracy.
Despite some challenges, Elliot believes that holacracy is here to stay. It is a system of governance that allows organisations to be more adaptive and responsive to change. And it is a system that enables employees to take on a range of roles, each within a pre-defined area of responsibility. The move from a conventional hierarchical structure to a more flexible and adaptable one was the most beneficial development for Elliot. This change allowed him to stay involved and enthusiastic in his career, and he was able to give more value to his company. Thanks to holacracy, Elliot was able to find fulfilment in his work once again.
Elliot is now retired, but he looks back fondly on his time working in a holacracy. He is proud to have been a part of something so revolutionary and transformative. And he is glad that he was able to experience the benefits and challenges of working in a holacracy first-hand.
How could the emergence of working in a holacracy impact your organisation?
Learn more about Universal Basic Income.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/holacracy.asp
https://hbr.org/2016/07/beyond-the-holacracy-hype
Acknowledgement
The identification of these emerging change concepts started with the Futures Platform™ database of trends, signals and emerging change. You can read more about the Futures Platform™ here . insight & foresight is a paying customer of the Futures Platform™ and we use the data to support our clients think and plan for their futures.
