Humanocracy
Building an organization that’s as amazing as the people inside it
As human beings, we’re adventurous, resilient, creative and passionate. Our institutions, by contrast, tend to be timid, inertial, incremental, and soulless. They are, in other words, less capable than the people inside them. These disabilities are the legacy of an industrial age mindset that treats human beings as “resources” rather than “resourceful.” Unfortunately, that mindset is deeply embedded in management structures, systems, and processes—most of which were built to maximize control rather than contribution.
That’s why there’s no way to unleash the full potential of an organization without rethinking management-as-usual. Luckily, a small but growing number of vanguard companies show us what the new model—humanocracy—looks like: minimal hierarchy, leaders who are accountable to the led, influence that correlates with competence not rank, dynamic resource allocation, employees who compete to add value (not promotion), powerful collaborative networks, dynamic resource allocation, and staff groups that serve rather than dictate. This is the sort of organization that emerges when you start with new principles, such as meritocracy, velocity, community, transparency, trust, experimentation, and empowerment.
The organizations who’ve embraced these principles are dramatically more adaptable, innovative, and profitable than their peers. Overhauling outdated management structures and systems is hard work, but the rewards for doing so are immense.
Gary can help your organization turn disabilities into human-powered advantages.