Presented at NSW KM Meetup - “Innovative Knowledge" Series | Sydney, Australia | October 2016
“Social Technology”: The new organisational structures of Holacracy and Dual Organisation: what are they and how might they work in practice?
Case study of an experiment in implementing our own form of Circles to engage Genea in building capability and a culture for future success in this new world of learning.
Playing with hierarchies and circles - Experiments of holacracy
1. ‘Playing’ with hierarchies
and circles
Experimenting with organization structures
and motivation to get things done
Alexandra Lederer
Learning & Organisational Development Manager
11. Let’s ‘play’ with a circle
#think outside the boss
#no hierarchy
#experiment
#collaborate
12. The Learning Curve
Team (May 2011):
Volunteers
No hierarchical
reporting
Min. contributions
required
No monetary
rewards
Let’s ‘play’ with a circle
14. All staff regardless of background or
location have access to our new
educational program.
Colleagues are encouraged to get involved in L&D by
sharing their knowledge with others,
which is turn also improves their own
skills.
This year alone I would hazard a guess that our internal education program
has saved Genea upwards of $50 000.
Education the most powerful tool we have at hand, now at a price we can all
afford.
Linda T., Laboratory Manager at Genea – December 2012
15. Learning Curve : focus on micro peer to peer
exchange of critical knowledge
Embedded continuous transfer of critical knowledge
21. Join the
[serious]
fun!
Celebrate
what we
believe in:
Values Circles
Welcome our
newbies:
Genea
Buddies
Pass on your
knowledge:
Learning
Curve
Foster our
wellness:
Good for You
Circle
Encourage us
to do the right
things: Good
for All Circle
Cultivate the
fun and build
bonds: Social
Club Circle
Let’s play with more circles
#think outside HR
#seriousfun
22. Anatomy of a circle
#wirearchies
Encourage us
to do the right
things: Good
for All Circle
23. Anatomy of a circle
Volunteers
No hierarchical reporting
No monetary rewards
Core members
From each business area
Champions + ad-hoc contributors
HR = Sponsor
Rules of engagement
28. We let employees co-create
the change they wanted to see
#open source change
#employees know best
#smarter together
29. We let employees co-create
the change they wanted to see
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Corporate L&D (4)
Nursing L&D (3)
Labs L&D (3)
WHS L&D (2)
‘Underground’ or
‘under-the radar’
conception, design
and development
work
Regular learning
deliverables by:
‘abovetheline’‘belowtheline’
30. We offered them spaces for
innovation
#allow experiments
#spirit of a start-up
31. Our employees are smart, we
let them shine
#switch on the lights
#empowerment
#sculpt your career
#do something different
#be a leader
32. What’s in it
for you?
Celebrate
ourvalues:
Values
Welcome
our
newbies:
Genea
Buddy
Passon
your
knowledge:
Learning
Curve
Fosterour
wellness:
GFY
Committee
Encourage
ustodo
theright
things:
CSR
Committee
Cultivate
thefunand
build
bonds:
SocialClub
Committee
Do something different
Integrity
Excellence
Accountability
Innovation
Passion
Strategic thinking*
Engage and inspire*
Talent enhancement*
Collaboration*
Process improvement
Results
Building relationships
Adaptability
Have [serious] fun
33. We let them be
#autonomy
#build intrapreneurship
#own it
34. We kept it informal
#coffee solves everything
#coffee opens conversations
35. We coached circles to
success
#leader as a connector
#all I know is I know nothing
#contextual leadership
36. We coached circles to
success
Leadership
Collaboration
Purpose-driven with organisational goals in mind
Results-orientation
Autonomy levels
Sponsor
Coach
Drive
Direct
Intervene
37. We went with the flow
#everything always changes
#it’s OK
38. We went with the flow
Circles life cycles
10Q3 10Q4 11Q1 11Q2 11Q3 11Q4 12Q1 12Q2 12Q3 12Q4 13Q1 13Q2 13Q3 13Q4 14Q1 14Q2 14Q3 14Q4
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Creating
Social Club Good for You Learning Curve Good for All
39. We went with the flow
Members life cycles
11Q2 11Q3 11Q4 12Q1 12Q2 12Q3 12Q4 13Q1 13Q2 13Q3 13Q4 14Q1 14Q2 14Q3 14Q4
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Creating
Creating members
Creating member uneasy
with uncertainty (‘anti-
storm’)
Continuity
gap
Members come & go
continually
New ‘anti-norm’
member
40. We went with the flow
Members contributions life cycles
Observers
Opportunists
Contributors
Creators
• +80%
• Seem inactive
• Read, click, transact
• May be ambassadors
• 10-20%
• Seem annoying but useful
• Provide feedback, ask questions, vote,
forward to others, ambassadors
• 3-10%
• Review, provide feedback, ask
questions, do as told
• Contribute as told
• 0-3%
• Establish, create, innovate
• Drive, plan, organise
• May become bored once in order
Source: The four levels of community engagement, Gartner 2008
41. We managed to find balance
#dual organisation
#elements of holacracy
John Kotter, Dual organizations
42. John Kotter, Dual organizations
We were rigorous
#looks messy
#but it’s not
43. We were rigorous
“Job ads”
Internal marketing campaign
Selection criteria
Selection process
Discussion and alignment with
line manager
Business comes first
45. We were grateful
Knowledge Sharing Awards
Participation in ‘circles’ discussed & recognised in performance reviews
Celebrate achievements
Celebrate people moves & news
46. Should you be ’playing’ with
circles?
#win win deal
#give it a try
47. Should you be ’playing’ with
circles?
Diversity
Visibility
Step-up
Learn & grow
Collaborate
Have fun
Get promoted!
Involve
Democratic
representation
Hit the target
Shared workload
Reduced costs and
FTE
Engaged workforce
Agile and flexible
Fast and iterative
Collaboration
Innovation
Co-creation
Cost savings
? Best Employer
WIIFM for employees WIIFM for HR WIIFM for business
48. Acknowledgements & sincere thanks to each co-creator of the Genea Circles
Alexandra Lederer
alexandra.lederer@gmail.com