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Many Voices One Song: Shared Power with Sociocracy
Many Voices One Song is a detailed manual for implementing sociocracy, an egalitarian form of governance also known as dynamic governance. Sociocracy means governance by those who associate together. This book is based on the Sociocratic Circle-Organization Method (SCM) developed in the Netherlands by electrical engineer Gerard Endenburg, based on earlier work of educator Kees Boeke. Many Voices One Song includes step-by-step descriptions for structuring organizations, making decisions, and generating feedback. The content is illustrated by many diagrams, tables, examples, lists, skits, and stories from the field. The book includes a glossary and index, and an appendix summarizing processes in easily reproducible form. The book covers four major areas: Sociocratic organizational structures based on linked teams (circles) that distribute authority from the top of organizations to the most frontline teams that are appropriate. These teams are linked by both top-down leaders and bottom-up delegates to ensure that influence and power are shared in a circular rather than linear hierarchy. Organizational diagrams illustrate different ways to structure organizations in an egalitarian way. Decision making by consent, defined as no one having an objection to a proposed decision. Consent is a participatory and inclusive approach to decision making, in contrast to win-lose voting and most forms of consensus. Decision-making steps (understand-explore-decide) detailed include proposal generation and the proposal to consent decision-making process. The book also outlines the steps for selection of people to roles in open dialog processes. The insights of compassionate communication (Nonviolent Communication/NVC) are integrated into the context of decision making. Meeting format and design, including facilitation skills and processes that ensure that all voices matter in decision making.Feedback processes for evaluating the effectiveness of meetings, policies, workflows, and role performance support an ongoing learning cycle and continuous improvement, not just in production and delivery but in the embodiment of equality itself. The intent of this book is to contribute to the spread of sociocracy by making information available. Egalitarian self-governance needs to be simple enough so everyone can share power in a healthy way.
294 pages, Paperback
Published August 6, 2023
94 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 26, 2018
This is a new book on sociocracy by Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzalez. The book is a collection and description of sociocratic tools and practices.[1] Sociocracy is a set of principles and tools for shared power. The assumption is that power sharing requires a plan.[2]
Sociocracy is designed to distribute power.[3] Sociocracy enables each team to contribute to the organization’s mission.[4] The teams decide themselves how they govern themselves.[5] Values translates into principles that are the underpinnings of the tools described in the book.[6] Equivalence and effectiveness are the two major principles in sociocracy. Equivalence is defined as everyone’s needs matter equally.[7] Sociocracy strives for both effectiveness and equivalence.[8]
There are three reasons for why Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzales have written the book. The reasons are (1) to build skills, (2) to avoid reinventing the wheel, and (3) because they care deeply about equivalence. In the book, they share what they know about shared power and how to do it.[9]
The book has six major chapters covering the:
- Organizational structure (68 pages).[10]
- Consent decision-making (60 pages).[11]
- On feedback and learning (28 pages).[12]
- How to run a sociocratic meeting (56 pages).[13]
- Roles and elections (29 pages).[14]
- Implementing sociocracy (37 pages).[15]
Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzales write that implementing sociocracy is harder than running an organization sociocratically. If you are the one who is in power, you have to be willing to share the power. And if you are not in power, you have to ask the one who is in power to share it.[16] This means that the implementation of sociocracy starts in your mind.[17] No matter what you do, you need to have two things absolutely clear: (1) a commitment to equivalence, and (2) a clear aim. You need to start with a shared agreement that you will strive for equivalence. The shared aim is necessary for effectiveness.[18]
To summarize, this book is a sociocracy manual. Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzales are very experienced. They say themselves that if you are a beginner, the book probably gives you a level of details that is way too much.[19] The book requires, in other words, a combination of reading and practicing and reading again.
The paradox, for me, is that 300 pages are required to describe what basically is common sense. People have cooperated for as long as humanity has existed. The principles behind sociocracy are not new.[20] Nomadic hunter-gatherer societies practice it, and have likely been practicing it, since prehistoric times. The book can help you to become more effective, provided you embrace equivalence and shared power. The latter is not so common.
Notes:
[1] Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzalez, Many Voices One Song: Shared Power with Sociocracy (Sociocracy For All, March 2018), p.ix.
[2] Ibid., p.1.
[3] Ibid., p.2.
[4] Ibid., p.1.
[5] Ibid., p.7.
[6] Ibid., p.3.
[7] Ibid., p.5.
[8] Ibid., p.6.
[9] Ibid., p.7.
[10] Ibid., pp.16--84.
[11] Ibid., pp.85--145.
[12] Ibid., pp.146--174.
[13] Ibid., pp.175--231.
[14] Ibid., pp.232--261.
[15] Ibid., pp.262--299.
[16] Ibid., p.262.
[17] Ibid., p.263.
[18] Ibid., p.266.
[19] Ibid., p.13.
[20] Ibid., p.ix.
Sociocracy is designed to distribute power.[3] Sociocracy enables each team to contribute to the organization’s mission.[4] The teams decide themselves how they govern themselves.[5] Values translates into principles that are the underpinnings of the tools described in the book.[6] Equivalence and effectiveness are the two major principles in sociocracy. Equivalence is defined as everyone’s needs matter equally.[7] Sociocracy strives for both effectiveness and equivalence.[8]
There are three reasons for why Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzales have written the book. The reasons are (1) to build skills, (2) to avoid reinventing the wheel, and (3) because they care deeply about equivalence. In the book, they share what they know about shared power and how to do it.[9]
The book has six major chapters covering the:
- Organizational structure (68 pages).[10]
- Consent decision-making (60 pages).[11]
- On feedback and learning (28 pages).[12]
- How to run a sociocratic meeting (56 pages).[13]
- Roles and elections (29 pages).[14]
- Implementing sociocracy (37 pages).[15]
Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzales write that implementing sociocracy is harder than running an organization sociocratically. If you are the one who is in power, you have to be willing to share the power. And if you are not in power, you have to ask the one who is in power to share it.[16] This means that the implementation of sociocracy starts in your mind.[17] No matter what you do, you need to have two things absolutely clear: (1) a commitment to equivalence, and (2) a clear aim. You need to start with a shared agreement that you will strive for equivalence. The shared aim is necessary for effectiveness.[18]
To summarize, this book is a sociocracy manual. Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzales are very experienced. They say themselves that if you are a beginner, the book probably gives you a level of details that is way too much.[19] The book requires, in other words, a combination of reading and practicing and reading again.
The paradox, for me, is that 300 pages are required to describe what basically is common sense. People have cooperated for as long as humanity has existed. The principles behind sociocracy are not new.[20] Nomadic hunter-gatherer societies practice it, and have likely been practicing it, since prehistoric times. The book can help you to become more effective, provided you embrace equivalence and shared power. The latter is not so common.
Notes:
[1] Jennifer Rau and Jerry Koch-Gonzalez, Many Voices One Song: Shared Power with Sociocracy (Sociocracy For All, March 2018), p.ix.
[2] Ibid., p.1.
[3] Ibid., p.2.
[4] Ibid., p.1.
[5] Ibid., p.7.
[6] Ibid., p.3.
[7] Ibid., p.5.
[8] Ibid., p.6.
[9] Ibid., p.7.
[10] Ibid., pp.16--84.
[11] Ibid., pp.85--145.
[12] Ibid., pp.146--174.
[13] Ibid., pp.175--231.
[14] Ibid., pp.232--261.
[15] Ibid., pp.262--299.
[16] Ibid., p.262.
[17] Ibid., p.263.
[18] Ibid., p.266.
[19] Ibid., p.13.
[20] Ibid., p.ix.
July 7, 2018
Tämä on yksi parhaista kirjoista, jotka tänä vuonna olen lukenut. Kuulin käsitteen sosiokratia ensimmäistä kertaa vajaa vuosi sitten Mastodonissa, ja koska organisoituminen ja toimintakulttuurin kehittäminen ovat minua käytännössäkin kiinnostavia aiheita, tsekkasin tietenkin, mistä on kyse. Kuulosti hyvältä jo nettisivujen lyhyen johdannon perusteella. Ja tuolloin tätä kirjaa vasta lupailtiin. Nyt kun kirja vihdoin on ilmestynyt, niin täytyy sanoa, että olen todella vaikuttunut. Juuri tällä tavalla yhteisöjä tulisi pyörittää. Juuri tähän olen intuitiivisesti itsekin pyrkinyt jo pitkään. Mutta minulta ovat puuttuneet työkalut ja käsitteet, ja sen vuoksi pyrkimykseni ovat jääneet puolivillaisiksi.
Kyseessä on siis käytännön asioista puhuva oppikirja, jossa esitellyt käytännöt myös perustellaan periaatteellisella tasolla. Jos hallintokulttuuri ei kiinnosta ja hallinnon järjestäminen ei ole ajankohtaista, tästä kirjasta ei varmaan saa kovin paljon irti. Mutta jos mietit usein sitä, miten asioiden tekemisen muiden ihmisten kanssa voisi järjestää paremmin, kiilaa tällä kirjalla saman tien lukulistan kärkeen.
Kyseessä on siis käytännön asioista puhuva oppikirja, jossa esitellyt käytännöt myös perustellaan periaatteellisella tasolla. Jos hallintokulttuuri ei kiinnosta ja hallinnon järjestäminen ei ole ajankohtaista, tästä kirjasta ei varmaan saa kovin paljon irti. Mutta jos mietit usein sitä, miten asioiden tekemisen muiden ihmisten kanssa voisi järjestää paremmin, kiilaa tällä kirjalla saman tien lukulistan kärkeen.
September 16, 2018
This book explains both the principles and practices of Sociocracy though many clear examples. The book is packed with useful reference information for people that are working within a Sosiocracy lead organization. However, the high level of detail and repetition makes this book a bit boring to read otherwise.
October 17, 2018
Detailed dive into the world of self-management with lots of practical tips. May be overwhelming to someone just beginning to explore this way of working, but highly useful to practitioners and those interested in going deeper.
August 5, 2021
Good read if system based on egalitarism interests you
+ Many good points and insights
+ Concrete actions, no just theory
+ Good illustrations
- At the times too generic and vague
+ Many good points and insights
+ Concrete actions, no just theory
+ Good illustrations
- At the times too generic and vague
October 16, 2018
If your looking for info on Sociocracy. This is the most comprehensive volume you will find at the moment. The search stops here... until you finish it
November 22, 2023
Interessante livro sobre sociocracia, dicas, sugestões, explicações, praticas. otimo material consultivo e bem didatico, mas como eles mesmo sugerem, para aprender tem que ser na pratica realmente.
Para consultas futuras esporadicas.
Para consultas futuras esporadicas.
April 23, 2019
A good and comprehensive intro and description.
January 6, 2022
Sociocracy! For all.
It should at the very least be known by all.
Highly recommended. Well written.
It should at the very least be known by all.
Highly recommended. Well written.
December 1, 2018
Best book about sociocracy!
September 11, 2019
THE BEST
It doesn't matter if you are new to sociocracy or if you have a lot of experience, this book is perfect to carry around and solve any doubts you have on the go.
It doesn't matter if you are new to sociocracy or if you have a lot of experience, this book is perfect to carry around and solve any doubts you have on the go.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews