‘The Socially Dynamic Organisation’: Domains, Hierarchy, and Investment

The first chapter of my new book on the Socially Dynamic Organisation considers the origins of our existing Organisational Design, and the ways that ‘domains’ were established. These Domains have gone on to influence everything else: the ways that power is held and maintained, the systems of education and development that we pass through, and the ways that we struggle to truly change.

Hierarchy is the mechanism by which formal power is held in an Organisation: when you join, you are literally given your power and ‘put in your place’ within the system. This has proven highly effective to drive conformity and control, but now leaves us in a place where we are unable to explore difference and to unlock the power of collaboration and co-creation at scale.

Central to this chapter is an exploration of the currencies of the Organisation, held in a series of triangles: money, time and utility is the most visible one, but others are more significant when it comes to the willing investment of the things we need to transform,

‘The Socially Dynamic Organisation’ proposes a new model of Organisational Design: one that is lightweight and reconfigurable, permeable to knowledge and expertise, changes without becoming breathless, and is deeply fair.

I am sharing this book as a free eBook as part of #WorkingOutLoud, stressing that this is not an answer, but part of an ongoing exploration and reflection.

Almost our biggest risk is to believe that we have all the answers in a rapidly emerging and constantly evolving context. The best we can do is to learn and share, to build our ‘sense making’ communities, and to interconnect between them.

You can download the new book here, of if you prefer, the paperback will be available on Amazon in late August.