Self-Organising

They might, but if they did this would probably create a problem for someone in the organisation who is depending on them in one of their roles to get work done. This person could raise what is called a ‘tension’ and it would get resolved in a structured way.

Hierarchies tend to work when the emphasis is on becoming more efficient at doing the same thing in a world that is relatively static. In the complex, networked, ever-changing world we live in now, hierarchies are no longer fit for purpose. The symptoms of this include failing change programmes, employee disengagement, and widespread mental health and wellbeing issues.

In Self-Organising, people no longer have traditional job titles. Instead they are responsible for fulfilling a number of different roles that key into the organisation’s purpose, match their skills, and that they actively want to undertake.

Decisions are made by roles. Each role in the organisation has a clearly defined purpose and set of accountabilities and has the authority to make any decision in furtherance of its purpose, subject to agreed policies and within a specified remit (‘domain’).

In a Self-Organising system everyone manages themselves, which is why it’s sometimes referred to as Self-management. Managers in hierarchical organisations that are transitioning to Self-Organising transfer to roles where they can use their skills and experience to further the purpose of the organisation. This means that they do more of what they love and are good at.

Growth happens by mastering multiple roles or deepening expertise within a specific domain. Every organisation has a different way of doing it, but progression is more often driven by personal initiative and demonstrated value.

Tensions, as they are known in Self-Organising, are welcomed because there is a clear and structured way of processing them. Tensions are only considered processed when the person who has the tension agrees that they have what they need.