Holaspirit NextGen Mapping of Adaptive, Agile or Shared Governance Organizations

Download the map and the white paper

Derived from the book 'The Next Generation Enterprise ', this map, which revisits and completes the one created by German researchers at Kollegiale Führung, illustrates the different theories, philosophies, and tools that have shaped trends in agility, inclusion or collaboration, and complexity management within organizations. Here is a summary of the major trends illustrated in the white paper available for free download:

Agility: This sector includes methodologies and frameworks such as Scrum, eXtreme Programming, and Lean, which emphasize adaptability, iterative processes, and team empowerment.

Inclusion: This refers to approaches that value collaboration, employee engagement, and shared governance models, such as sociocracy and learning organizations (e.g., 'The Fifth Discipline' by Peter Senge).

Complexity: This dimension recognizes the complex nature of modern organizations and promotes systemic, quantum (units and parts of a whole) approaches to manage them, such as Complex Systems Theory and Viable System Theory.

We describe the theories, tools, and philosophies of management:

Management Theories: These are the theoretical foundations of modern management, including Taylorism (scientific management) and Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophy, which still influence organizational practices today.

Tools: These encompass various techniques and specific practices used to implement management principles in organizations, like Kanban for workflow management, Toyota Manufacturing System for operational efficiency, OKR for aligning purpose with operational objectives, etc.

Philosophies: These schools of thought influence the values and underlying principles of organizational management, like Quaker thought with its focus on fairness and community, or the Human Potential Movement emphasizing human potential development.

The map shows how these different elements interact and influence each other to form contemporary organizational development practices. It also highlights the evolution of these concepts over time, showing a movement towards more flexible, adaptive, and human-centered organizations.

On this map, several theories and philosophies are considered as the foundations of modern management currents and organizational development:

Taylorism (Frederick Taylor, 1911): Also known as scientific management, Taylorism is based on operational efficiency through analysis and standardization of workflows. It focuses on organizing and optimizing tasks to maximize productivity.

Anthroposophy (Rudolf Steiner, 1919): This philosophy emphasizes individual spiritual development and the creation of social and educational systems that support this development. It has influenced organizational approaches that balance employee well-being with business objectives.

Quaker: Quaker thought, based on the beliefs of the Society of Friends (Quakers), promotes principles of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and environmental respect. It favors consensus-based decision-making over voting, seeking unanimity and unity within the group. Quakers value inner listening and the quest for 'Inner Light' or spiritual truth in each person, leading to a life guided by personal conscience rather than formal dogmas. Their approach to management is characterized by inclusivity, ethical business practices, and social responsibility, promoting servant leadership over authoritarian practices. Quakers have a tradition of social activism, including actions for social justice, peace, and human rights.

Sociocracy (Kees Boeke, 1945): This is a collaborative governance method that seeks to involve all members of an organization in decision-making processes, with a minimal hierarchical structure and consent-based decisions.

Human Potential Movement (Maslow / Frank / Assagioli, 1950-1970): This movement emphasizes exploring and realizing human potential. It has influenced managerial practices by encouraging employee autonomy and recognizing the importance of intrinsic motivation and personal fulfillment.

Systems Theory (Ludwig von Bertalanffy, 1968): This theory approaches organizations as complex systems made up of interdependent elements. It has led to managerial practices that recognize organizational complexity and the importance of relationships between different parts of a company.

Sociotechnical Systems Theory (Emery / Trist, 1960): This theory combines the technical and social elements of organizations, stressing that both should be designed together to create effective and humanly enriching work systems.

These foundations have evolved and been adapted over time to respond to changes in the business world and society, but they continue to deeply influence contemporary management and leadership practices.

Spiral Dynamics

This image illustrates a model of human and organizational development contrasting the evolution of individual and collective values.

On one side, we observe a progression from instinctive survival to materialistic and competitive success, then to a systemic understanding that integrates and accepts complexity.

On the other side, the collective evolution moves from tribal security to order and obedience to rules, towards a pursuit of communal harmony, and ultimately aspiring to a holistic and pluralistic vision. This model suggests a spiral dynamic where personal and collective development intertwine and mutually reinforce each other through cycles of change.

Evolutionary Stages of Frédéric Laloux

This image describes the evolution of organizational paradigms through different stages of development:

Red (Impulsive): Centralized power with strong leadership, typical of mafias or tribes, where fear and force are the main bonds.

Amber (Conformist): Structured organizations with clear hierarchies, like schools or armies, valuing order and repetition.

Orange (Achievement): Modern enterprises focused on innovation, accountability, and meritocracy, aiming for growth and success.

Green (Pluralistic): Organizations valuing culture, employee empowerment, and consultation, typical of startups or companies like Starbucks.

Teal (Inclusive): An approach centered on integrity, trust, self-management, suited to complex environments, as seen in companies like Buurtzorg or Morning Star.

Testimonials offered in the mapping document

Bj?rn Schneider , Holacracy and Agile Coach, Hypoport, Germany.

Ted Rau , Leader of Content & Training, Sociocracy For All.

Niels Pflaeging , Founder of the BetaCodex Network and Red42.

Michel LEVASLOT , Creator and facilitator of the French-speaking SAFe Club.

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Appendices

'The Fifth Discipline' by Peter Senge is a book that presents the concept of the learning organization, where businesses transform into places where individuals continue to learn together to better adapt and innovate. Senge identifies five essential disciplines for achieving this transformation: personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking, the latter being the integrative discipline that merges the other four. The book proposes strategies for organizations to become more dynamic, responsive, and interconnected in an ever-changing environment.

'Complex Systems Theory' is an interdisciplinary approach that studies how interactions between parts of a system can give rise to unpredictable and emergent collective behaviors that are not directly deducible from the properties of the individual parts. It applies to various fields, from natural sciences to sociology, and emphasizes properties such as non-linearity, self-organization, and networks of interdependence. This theory helps to understand, analyze, and design complex systems by recognizing the importance of relationships and patterns rather than isolated components.

The 'Viable Systems Theory', developed by Stafford Beer, is a systemic approach to managing organizations inspired by cybernetics principles. It proposes a model for designing and operating organizations so that they can survive and thrive in changing environments, with a structure composed of five interconnected systems that regulate internal processes and interactions with the environment. The focus is on self-regulation, adaptability, and autonomy at different organizational levels to maintain long-term viability.

Anthroposophy, founded by Rudolf Steiner, is a philosophy that extends the scientific understanding of the physical world to a broader perception that includes spiritual realms. It aims to develop the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual faculties of the individual to achieve higher consciousness. In the organizational context, it influences management by advocating ethical practices, a holistic approach to education, agriculture (biodynamics), and medicine, emphasizing the balance between personal development and collective objectives.

Kees Boeke was a Dutch educator and social reformer, a pioneer of progressive education, and founder of the experimental school 'De Werkplaats' in the Netherlands. He is known for his contributions to sociocracy, a democratic and participative management method that aims to balance decision-making among all members of an organization. His work has influenced democratic and participative management practices in modern organizations.

Sociocracy:

• Historical Stages of Sociocracy: Founded by Kees Boeke in the 1940s: Introduction of decision-making in circles and consent.
• Developed by Gerard Endenburg in the 1970s: Application in businesses with formal circle structures.
• Key Actors:

Kees Boeke: Founder of the initial concept.

Gerard Endenburg: Formalized sociocracy as a management method.

Principles of Sociocracy 3.0:

• Consent: Decisions are made in the absence of reasonable objections.
• Circles and Double-Link: Organization in interdependent circles with two-way links.
• Equivalence: Equitable participation of all members in the decision-making process.
• Continuous Improvement: Constant adaptation and evolution of management processes and structures.

An autopoietic system is a concept developed by biologists Francisco Varela and Humberto Maturana, describing systems that are self-creating and constantly maintain and renew themselves from their own components. They are characterized by their autonomy, operational closure, and ability to resist external disturbances while remaining structurally cohesive. Originally applied to biological systems, this concept has been extended to systems theory to describe organizations and processes that self-organize and self-maintain.