Holacracy Community of Practice Archive, 2015-2019 Community Holacracy Web Site
7 Topics
French speaker needed for co-delivering Facilitation...
10/12/2015
Hi everyone,    < French translation of this post available here >   As some of you know, HolacracyOne offers "Facilitation Assessments" that people can take to get experience facilitating governance meetings and potentially earn...
Example of modified Tactical meeting process at Modest
02/22/2016
This article from Victoria Pater at Modest is a good example of a company tweaking the default Holacracy tactical meeting process to fit their need. Article: A Modest approach to hyper productive meetings that don’t suck. It's a good reminder that according to section 4.2.3 of the constitution 4....
Holacracy Implementation Roles App v.01
07/19/2016
Create the following roles in the client organization's GCC or other appropriate circle: Name: Holacracy Lead Accountabilities: Triaging all Holacracy implementation related questions, and communicating with internal and external coaches as needed to select appropriate support services Leading an...
GlassFrog Search workflow for Alfred 3
01/21/2017
If you're using Alfred for Mac , you can use this workflow to search GlassFrog directly from Alfred — it saves you a few manual steps to start a search. Download GlassFrog Search v3.1.alfredworkflow How to use it: Download the workflow file from this post Install it in Alfred like any other workf...
GlassFrog Search from Chrome bar
01/21/2017
Do you know you can search GlassFrog directly from your browser search bar? Here is how to set it up for Chrome. You can do it for Firefox, and probably other browsers as well, but I haven't done it. Here is how to do: Go to your Chrome Search Engines settings at chrome://settings/searchEngines S...
How to facilitate 'Open Discussion' before a Proposal
01/26/2017
I wrote this for a client today to clarify how to facilitate the "Open Discussion" space that a Proposer can request before making a proposal in Governance Meetings. Experienced practitioners know it's a "risky" space because it can easily derail into consensus-seeking, or other behaviors attempt...
Basic Partner Responsibilities and Authority in Hola...
05/11/2018
I put together this 2-pager that compiles the basic responsibilities and authorities that come with the Holacracy Constitution: It compiles the following: What's your authority? What are your basic responsibilities? What about expectations set outside of Holacracy? Download PDF Thanks to [@mentio...
75 Replies
German version of the Holacracy® Constitution available
10/12/2015
Nice job!!  This is awesome Sebastian, thank you. Have you considered putting your translation on Github, as a "fork" of the original one so others can find it and propose improvements? 
Random Constitution Questions
10/31/2015
Hi Paul, I love that you're going into the nitty gritty details of the constitution  Here is my take:1)      Is it possible to strike something from Governance if it is discovered after the fact it is NVGI (they do not have a valid tension, so should not have proposed it in Governance in the firs...
How should I translate Holacracy?
11/04/2015
Originally Posted by Davi Gabriel da Silva:By the way, should the framework name be translated?  Hey Davi,  In addition to the interesting discussion on the origin of the name Holacracy, at the end of the day "Holacracy" is the brand name and was an arbitrary invention. Because of that, we (at Ho...
cross link or rep link
12/09/2015
Hi Anita, The issue you're facing is one of the drawbacks with adopting Holacracy in parts of your organizations at a time. As you notice, there is no pathway for processing tensions between the two circles practicing Holacracy because they are not linked by any role. Technically, each of your tw...
Who sets Checklist items and key projects?
12/17/2015
Yes any circle member can request checklists items or projects, and every single role filler gets to decide whether a new checklist or project makes sense for them to take on, based on their interpretation of their role's purpose and accountabilities.To decide whether that "makes sense", they hav...
Partner Relationships Domain?
12/17/2015
Nick, One element of answer I have to offer is that the organization can only govern its own people processes, not the people themselves. The domain of "Partner Relationships" really means "how the organization will relate to the partners".A relationship is a two-sided affair; you cannot control ...
Roles vs. Business Functions
12/17/2015
Yes, that's an appropriate way of understanding a role!The nuances come when you need to decide how granular or broad a role should be, or simply when the work is unique enough that there is no clear 'industry standard' for how to split the work... but yes, as a general rule of thumb, a role is a...
Holacracy and Cooperative Businesses
12/29/2015
Michael, in the Bay Area you may be thinking of Three Stone Hearth http://www.threestonehearth.comAs far as I know they're implementing without external support (it's difficult!), so I don't know how they are doing.
Holacracy and Co-Operatives
02/01/2016
Hi Bruce, There is Three Stone Hearth, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. They're not as large as Scarabee Biocoop mentioned above, but they're still a good example I think. And they're in the US. Hope that helps
Resources for DIYers
02/02/2016
Thanks Chris! I think the "DIY Guide" could use being updated. I've talked to several companies that don't have the budget to hire a coach, but they're ready to start. They just don't know how; I get questions like "Where should we start?". Part of this is also getting to an initial circle struct...
Who decides which system a circle will use ?
02/02/2016
Hi Dien, Like Bernard Marie said, the Lead Link doesn't have the authority to mandate a process, you need to go to governance. There are different ways of achieving it. Two examples: Example 1: A policy that describes the process that every circle member must follow.Policy: All roles involved in ...
Who decides which system a circle will use ?
02/02/2016
Eric, I think a domain could work too if the process is clearly identified (e.g., all roles in the circle have clear accountabilities tied to that process). However, I find that a policy is clearer and more flexible when there isn't really a clearly identified process for a role to 'own'. For exa...
Resources for DIYers
02/10/2016
It would be useful to have examples of tensions and how they got processed concretely.I was just coaching one of our clients' tactical meetings, and someone asked how to process a specific tension about the need to harvest learning from the different consultants they have delivering work. I expla...
Who decides which system a circle will use ?
02/06/2016
One way to soften this is to have it formalized now through governance, so that team members can start proposing stuff if they feel they have tension with the new process, including scrum, and integrate their proposal with my objections, if any.I think you're spot on here Dien. If you process thi...
"Are you trying to help...the Circle?"
02/25/2016
Fred Magovern posted:Would the Lead Link be able to object on behalf of the circle though since their purpose is "The Lead Link holds the Purpose of the overall Circle"? In other words, is objecting on behalf of the circle the same thing as objecting for their role as the Lead Link?Yep, exactly
Rep Link of Sub-Circle in Super-Circle Tactical
02/25/2016
I agree with Bernard Marie. The reason is perhaps that the Rep Link is not meant to get requests for actions and projects from the broader circle — that's the Lead Link's role. The Rep Link represents a sub-circle, but if someone wants to request actions or projects from a sub-circle, they should...
Holacracy in Chicago
02/25/2016
Hi Sherrie and welcome!  Sorry you didn't get any response. I know Steve Starkey used to work with a company using Holacracy in Chicago, and last time I heard he was still in that area. You can try connecting with him via LinkedIn. Good luck!PS: I'm going to move your topic in the "Members Around...
"Are you trying to help...the Circle?"
02/24/2016
Fred, It all depends on the tension, that's the key. The Lead Link may raise an objection on behalf of the whole circle. Another circle member may only raise an objection based on a tension sensed from one of their roles.That circle member may be sensing a tension from their role and this tension...
"Are you trying to help...the Circle?"
03/05/2016
Paul Codd posted:Does this mean that anyone can raise a tension on behalf of the whole circle (even if it's not from one of their current roles) but only the LL can object to it on behalf of the circle as a whole?  If so, is this the case for Governance as well as Tactical meetings?No you can onl...
"Are you trying to help...the Circle?"
03/06/2016
@Paul: It's not an assumption - there is a rule for that If you're acting to serve one of your roles, then you can take any action you deem useful to express its purpose or accountability (article 1.3: Authority to Act).If you're NOT acting to serve one of your roles, then you may still act, but ...
What is unconstitutional versus what is allowed Governance?
05/09/2016
Ditto to what Andrea said!  In addition, clarifying which parts of the constitution allow for changes via policy and which don't, is part of the changes planned for the next version of the constitution (v5.0).
Spanish Constitution
08/17/2016
Hi Sebastian. Thank you so much for all your translation work. We created a repository on GitHub for the Holacracy Constitution in Spanish, for coordinating the translation with more people. Are you interested in participating? If yes and are familiar with GitHub (or are tech savvy enough to figu...
Spanish Constitution
08/25/2016
[@mention:456167666651727716] Little nudge in case you haven't seen my post above...
Policy 'all functions and activities for this circle / for entire organizatio...
09/03/2016
[@mention:454478741268114544] [@mention:450819477777465353] Yes Dien's interpretation is correct: at the Anchor Circle level, when a policy applies to the entire circle, it effectively applies to the entire organization unless specified otherwise in the policy itself. That is because the sub-circ...
Holacracy Anchoring App
11/10/2016
Thanks [@mention:456449141667144364], it's a great list of options for organizations new to this! I noted a few points for improvement:Organization Steward The accountability "Having a picture of where the organization stands currently based on input from the whole organization" doesn't qualify a...
Spanish Constitution
01/10/2017
[@mention:456167666651727716] there is no @silvaseba on GitHub, however I found a @silvasebastian - it is you?
Spanish Constitution
01/19/2017
[@mention:456167666651727716] oops okay, I guess I had given admin permission to the wrong person   It's fixed, I just added you with @sebasilva. Let me know if you have questions!
GlassFrog Search from Chrome bar
01/25/2017
[@mention:449693036337664795] yes it should work exactly the same - as long as you're logged in to your account of course
Holacracy Meetup in Amsterdam - February 6th
01/29/2017
Awesome  Finally I will be in Amsterdam during this meetup; I'll be there and looking forward to meeting people!
Dealing with resistance to Holacracy
01/29/2017
[@mention:491354494783059362] it would be useful to look into the specifics of the situation to be able to make concrete recommendations.But from what you're describing, it seems to me that the mechanisms of Holacracy (specifically the governance process) should be enough, if used correctly, to a...
How to facilitate 'Open Discussion' before a Proposal
01/29/2017
[@mention:455886150941203371] I like it. I know that my guidance above lacks a bit in terms of what the Facilitator should do or say exactly — it's more of a guideline for the participants, and I leave it to the Facilitator to then say the right things to help participants follow these guidelines...
Maintenance Window Update - Jan 20/21
01/21/2017
I've had to update my bookmarks and search shortcuts after today's GlassFrog update.It made me think it could be useful for others if I posted two methods for how to set up GlassFrog search shortcuts to save some time:GlassFrog Search from Chrome bar"GlassFrog Search" workflow for Alfred 3
Can Role Assignment Be Considered Invalid & Stricken
01/26/2017
The situation is the result of either of the following:LL has a different interpretation of the policy or the situation, and argues that he's not violating the policy In this case, clarify the policy and/or get a Secretary interpretation if you can't wait for the governance meetingLL isn't aware ...
Policies in a nutshell
01/27/2017
Hi Rémi. In addition to Margaux's link, you can also look at this Policy page on the Holacracy Wiki.A few thoughts on the policies you present:One that get the dishes dirty, washes it.Valid intent but weird phrasing. Something like "No one may use the dishes unless they wash them after use" would...
Secretary and Facilitator as single Roles?
03/04/2017
[@mention:549481866316609505] and if it's desirable for someone outside the circle to be elected Facilitator or Secretary, the Lead Link can always appoint them Core Circle Members, then they are eligible.See article 2.3.4:2.3.4 Special Appointments of Core MembersThe Lead Link of a Circle may sp...
Meeting Attendance - Voluntary?
03/04/2017
[@mention:491213757319414485] Tom and Jean-Michel have explained it already, but I thought it'd be useful to consolidate their responses in a single post for future reference. So here:The constitution (article 4.2.2) specifically says that Core Circle members are invited to meetings (implying the...
Secretary meetings planification domain
03/04/2017
[@mention:549200391377900110] It's true that it's not obvious and could be clearer (you can propose improvements here!) But the key is in the constitution.Several rules of the constitution are tied to the Secretary or, to use [@mention:450819477777465353]'s example, to the Lead Link. For example,...
Need Holacracy Consultant for SEKEM, Egypt speaking Arabic
03/05/2017
Hi [@mention:486709615772478349],to add to Margaux's and Rebecca's comments — you can find a list of Holacracy providers on http://holacracy.org/implement. There is currently no arabic-speaking Holacracy provider unfortunately. We at HolacracyOne work in English, however we have experience workin...
policy clarification
02/28/2017
Hi Geoff, The Constitution defines Policy in article 1.4 in the following way:"... “Policies” ... are either grants of authority that allow others to control or cause a material impact within a Domain, or limits on how others may do so when otherwise authorized."You can also see this page for fur...
Adding Policies to roles (sections 1.4 and 2.1.3)
03/06/2017
I interpret it similarly to [@mention:450819477777465353]. A concrete example that may or may not speak to you: At HolacracyOne, I fill the Website Strategy role with a domain on "The holacracy.org and the glassfrog.com public-facing (non-app) websites"Based on this domain alone, my role seems to...
Adding Policies to roles (sections 1.4 and 2.1.3)
03/07/2017
[@mention:549059653898032589] It's also my interpretation of article 2.1.3.[@mention:523162737680436711] Yes it's what I meant
Adding Policies to roles (sections 1.4 and 2.1.3)
03/15/2017
[@mention:544274267266420910] No, my interpretation is that if the Website Strategy role has a Domain over "the website", then the Web Support role only has two ways to get a policy allowing him/her to impact that Domain:Asking the Website Strategy role to create a role policy outside of a govern...
Adding Policies to roles (sections 1.4 and 2.1.3)
03/15/2017
Yes (unless the circle is a subcircle and had "the website" domain delegated from the broader circle), and yes
How should I translate Holacracy?
04/08/2017
Although anyone is free to use the words they want, it's worth noting that if you are offering Holacracy services (because you are a licensed agent or provider), then the current brand guidelines require that you use "Holacracy" and not a translation. 
Spanish Constitution
08/02/2017
[@mention:548355922639373031] It's a good question! I'm not involved in the translation, but maybe [@mention:456167666651727716] know?  You can find the document here: https://github.com/holacracyon...%C3%B3n-Holacracy.mdAlso tagging [@mention:551171168851329852] in his Translation Crowdsourcing ...
How to deal with demoralize partner when an accountability is transfered out ...
09/26/2017
[@mention:456308404149183518] There are good reasons for people to discuss a possible governance change before proposing it, so I'm not saying it's not a good idea in your particular case. There are also risks involved, especially if the people are unexperienced Holacracy practitioners.For exampl...
Tribe Space & the loss of the Team-structure: Tipps & Tricks?
09/26/2017
[@mention:551030431173357846] Out of curiosity, did you get professional help to implement Holacracy? In my experience, less experienced Holacracy coaches can tend to hold to the process rigidly in a way that feels overly controlling, especially in tactical meetings. Experienced coaches (or exper...
Policy Adherence
09/23/2017
[@mention:491073019777409299] I agree with [@mention:544274267239861666]. In addition, you might consider using the rules of Individual Action, especially the ones related to "Restoration" (article 4.3.2). It puts the burden on them to resolve any tension created by taking individual action, whic...
Ideas Needed
09/23/2017
[@mention:493184366878843164] Ditto to what [@mention:544274267239861666] said about raising an objection - it seems to me that you just articulated one in your post, so I hope you raise it at the governance meeting. I think you want to be cautious with how the parents are going to be represented...
How to deal with demoralize partner when an accountability is transfered out ...
09/23/2017
[@mention:456308404149183518] Sorry I had a hard time picture the process you described, so I'm not commenting on that. But a couple thoughts:If the person is less happy because they don't like the role as much after the change, then it sounds like a personal role-fit issue and s/he might conside...
(Formerly) Higher Management blocks daily business of a new formed circle
09/23/2017
[@mention:566795443642518737] I agree with [@mention:494451095081222324] on the general approach. Often times I see novice Holacracy enthusiasts carrying an "anti-hierarchy" banner and getting upset at previous power holders for not playing the Holacracy game correctly. Unfortunately, it's likely...
varied compensations format.
12/03/2017
Hi Shammi Nanda. At HolacracyOne, we have people at different levels of time commitment, which we assess in percentage. Basically, sometime full time is at 100%, someone working 4 days/week is at 80%, etc. We decide the compensation level based on our badge system — basically a system where peopl...
Being a founder / poking people
12/03/2017
I looks like you got some good advice already [@mention:491213757235914012]. I would add that addressing this kind of issues, which involve a lot of small behavior shifts rather than one change, is exactly what a good coach is useful for. So if you have a coach ask them to help -- especially duri...
(...) offering feedback to enhance fit (...)
12/03/2017
[@mention:519784817122741229] I don't think there is any difference — at least I don't interpret any difference.
Multi-Filled Roles and Domain decisons
01/17/2018
+1 to what was said above. In addition, you may also interpret that the Lead Link should give a focus to each role filler, if without it there is confusion due to the domain authority.In constitution 2.4.2:A Lead Link may assign multiple people to the same Defined Role, as long as that won’t decr...
varied compensations format.
02/08/2018
[@mention:568484858377802720] I invite you to look at HolacracyOne's operating agreement; you can find the link on this page: https://www.holacracy.org/hola...ance Search for "Class C Units" and "Class P Units", you will find details about that.
Online practice group - follow up's and basics
02/16/2018
[@mention:455886150941203371] Ha, I don't think I've published this chart anywhere... I definitely should, it's been on my list for months. Thanks for the nudge!
Online practice group - follow up's and basics
02/19/2018
[@mention:455886150941203371] Yep that's about it, thanks!
varied compensations format.
02/09/2018
Thanks [@mention:548355922639373031], I just fixed the URL in my post
After a year - hitting the limits - getting unstuck
03/22/2018
[@mention:544274267239861666] Thanks for this post, it's a great reflection to have and kudos for seeking help when you're starting to feel stuck, vs. just staying stuck!I can share that I've experienced some of that at HolacracyOne, and I've seen that happen in client organizations I've worked w...
Zappos
03/22/2018
[@mention:568484858377802720] Yes you could contact them directly - they organize "tours" of Zappos and explain their practices, including Holacracy.
Purpose of the circle member (role-filler)
03/22/2018
[@mention:532592670943008396] I like what you're trying to do. I didn't review it in depth (just skimmed through it), but I wanted to offer a thought: I think it can be very valuable, but in your effort make sure to not mix the Holacracy constitutional requirements and other things you'd like to ...
Purpose of the circle member (role-filler)
03/26/2018
[@mention:456308404254624012] Simply so that people know where these expectations come from, can assess their legitimacy and appropriateness, and choose to process any tensions they may have about them. Basically because of what article 4.1.5 of the constitution says: "Implicit Expectations Hold ...
Online Practice Group - Tactical Meeting
03/19/2018
Thank you for doing this Tom. If H1 can do something to support this group, let me know, I'd be happy to suggest it internally.
Zappos
04/12/2018
[@mention:489243058777271705] I don't know where this rumor started, but I've heard it a couple times. However it's false; Zappos is still using Holacracy. The simplest would be to ask them directly
GlassFrog Search workflow for Alfred 3
05/09/2018
[@mention:450960215289659578] [@mention:550326589936180144] Thanks for letting me know! The link is updated
GlassFrog Search workflow for Alfred 3
05/09/2018
I also tweaked the workflow with a nicer looking version of the GlassFrog logo -> version 3.1 of the workflow
Basic Partner Responsibilities and Authority in Holacracy (Handout)
05/13/2018
[@mention:476716727616148334] That's the one, thanks! I edited my original post. An example to the situation I describe is, say: John proposes to create a policy about mentorship to clarify what's expected of the Mentor role. But Sonia objects because "we already have rules about that, and this p...
Basic Partner Responsibilities and Authority in Holacracy (Handout)
05/17/2018
Thanks [@mention:532592670943008396] for the suggestions. One key element of the cheat sheet is that I tried to keep it as simple and concise as possible. So I chose words that are the most concrete and down-to-earth as possible for people to immediately relate to them - and they can consult the ...
Looking for a Facilitator in NYC
03/18/2019
Hi [@mention:550185852389690415], this is great to hear about your charter in NYC! I'm with HolacracyOne and we've been communicating with the Wildflower Foundation in the past. I believe I can help, if anything to help you figure out what would be the most appropriate support for your situation,...