Leadership and dynamic self-governance

I am currently reading We the People by John Buck and Sharon Villines, which is a book about dynamic self-governance or sociocracy. The concept of leadership goes much deeper in a self-governed organization than in a traditional autocratic organization, because leadership is the responsibility of all. Each person is expected to take part in both the leadership and the decision-making. This is supported by both the governing principles and the organizational structure.

The sociocratic structure is fundamentally different from authoritarian structures which constrict rather than encourage leadership.  In a self-governed organization, leaders are not – and cannot be – autocrats since they are assigned by consent. The election of leaders by consent after open discussion creates a very different dynamism compared to in an autocratic organization. The election process results in a strong working group. There is a very positive effect on the way everyone works together. The elected leaders know that they have full support and understand what the expectations are of them. Ensuring that everyone consents to the selection of the leader reduces friction, increases productivity, and improves quality.

Another difference is that the autocratic leader is encouraged to avoid expressing uncertainty, while the sociocratic leader can be uncertain and still remain strong. This is a major benefit since uncertainty is an important part of finding the best way forward. The sociocratic organization is dynamic, or agile, by design.