Sociocracy: What if Everyone has a Voice

What Is Sociocracy?
Most workplaces are run like pyramids. Power sits at the top, and decisions trickle down. But sociocracy dares to ask: What if everyone had a voice? It’s a system where people are trusted—truly trusted—to share responsibility. Instead of one leader making all the calls, sociocracy divides decision-making into small, thoughtful groups called circles. Each circle manages its own work and links to others through shared members, creating a living web rather than a rigid chain. This makes Sociocracy a natural fit for mission-driven organizations that value participation, equality, and transparency in pursuit of their social or environmental goals.
In sociocracy, decisions are made by consent. This doesn’t mean everyone has to love an idea. It just means no one has a strong objection. If something is “good enough for now, and safe enough to try,” it moves forward. Life is uncertain—sociocracy embraces that, making space for learning through action.

Where Did It Come From?
The story begins with a school in the Netherlands. In the early 1900s, a man named Kees Boeke imagined children and teachers sharing power, not divided by age or status. Later, in the 1970s, an engineer named Gerard Endenburg took that idea into his family’s business. Inspired by the science of feedback and systems, he built a model that was fair, but also efficient.
What started in a school and a workshop has now spread across the world—to nonprofits, co-ops, businesses, and communities. People are discovering that organizations can be both structured and deeply human.

How Does It Work?

• Decisions by Consent: A decision moves forward unless someone says, “This won’t work,” and can explain why. It's not about winning a vote. It’s about making sure the group can live with the outcome.
• Power in Circles: Each circle takes care of its own work. It’s a small team with real authority. These circles connect through shared members, so decisions flow both ways—up and down, in and out. This double-linking process ensures that strategic priorities are communicated and understood at all levels, while also providing a channel for frontline perspectives to reach leadership.
• Accountability Within Circles: Members of each circle are accountable to one another for fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. Circles regularly evaluate their performance and identify areas for improvement. There may be a process involved in doing so.
• The Role of the Board: There’s usually a top circle made up of people from all the others. But instead of ruling, it coordinates. It listens. It makes sure the whole organism works as one.
• How People Talk: Meetings are structured, respectful, and purposeful. Everyone has space to speak. Problems are surfaced gently and solved collectively.
• Resolving Conflict: Disagreements are welcomed as signs of life. People are invited to speak openly, with care, and the group finds a way forward that respects everyone’s concerns.

How Do You Begin?

• Start with Learning: Before anything else, teach people what sociocracy is. The ideas may feel new—but they are ancient too, rooted in dignity and mutual respect.
• Form Circles: Break the work into areas. Give each one a circle to care for it.
• Choose Roles Together: Elect facilitators, delegates, and secretaries by consent, not popularity. Focus on what helps the group thrive.
• Try Consent-Based Decisions: Begin small. Let people get used to the rhythm of discussion and agreement.
• Link Circles: Let each group send one person to the next circle up—and welcome someone from above too.
• Keep a Steady Rhythm: Meet regularly. Reflect often. Let governance become part of your organizational heartbeat.
• Pause and Reflect: From time to time, step back. Ask what’s working. Ask what needs to change.

Why Try Sociocracy?

• The Good:
  • People feel seen and heard.
  • Teams can adapt quickly when things change.
  • Conflicts are less about ego, more about purpose.
  • Power is shared. Leadership is something everyone carries.
• The Hard:
  • It’s new—and new things take time.
  • Early decisions can feel slow.
  • Without good facilitation, discussions may drag.

Challenges and Gentle Advice

• If people resist: Start small. Let one team try it. Show that it works.
• If “consent” is misunderstood: Clarify that it's not the same as full agreement. It means “no strong objection.”
• If circles are confused: Define clearly what each group does. Boundaries bring peace.
• If accountability is lacking: Clarify circle functions and train people on doing so.
• Scalability. Start small and scale up with clear understanding of limits and problems.

Real-Life Examples

• Sociocracy For All (SoFA): A global group that teaches sociocracy and uses it too. Its strength lies in clarity and culture—people trust each other.
• Mindfulness First (USA): A nonprofit that helps schools. With sociocracy, they stayed strong through COVID. The key? Ongoing facilitator training.
• Findhorn (Scotland): A spiritual community that found sociocracy useful—but also learned that commitment to feedback is essential.
• Others: Endenburg’s own company. City governments in the Netherlands. Wherever people want shared leadership, sociocracy can grow.

Legal and Formal Stuff
Even when using sociocracy, organizations must follow local laws. This often means keeping a traditional board for legal reasons. But that board can still act in the spirit of sociocracy—connected, listening, humble. Consult legal council.


Best Practices

• Teach. Teach again. Teach again.
• Start small. Learn by doing. Don't order around.
• Train facilitators well—they hold the space.
• Keep clear records. Confusion leads to tension.
• Stay open. Let governance evolve as people grow.

• The best implementation of Sociocratic principles can be found in the equal care collaborative, who value people and have good process.