Making decisions at work can be perilous. It's not always clear who has the authority to make them. And even when it is, it's usually just a chosen few that benefit. So, it's no surprise that making decisions about how we govern the organization—designing the rules and roles that underpin everything, is so hard that it's often avoided altogether.

That's why one of our favorite things to share is a form of governance that has its roots in the Quakerism, Sociocracy, and more recently, Holacracy. But the best part is you don't have to completely reinvent your way of working to get started. If you believe in iterative progress AND the notion that everyone should have a voice in steering the organization, you're ready to play.

In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans introduce the concept of participatory governance, and talk about its many benefits (and occasional challenges).

Check out our article about participatory governance.

Mentioned references:

• "JEDI episode" - BNW Ep. 40 with Sharan Bal
• Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun
• Dr. Akilah Cadet
• Quaker decision making
• Consent decision making
• Gerard Endenburg
• "Future Tension" - BNW Ep. 16 Thomas Thomison
• "Leading through transformation" - BNW Ep. 8 with David Marquet
• "Liberating structures" - BNW Ep. 49 with Keith McCandless
• McChrystal Group
• The Ready's Decision Proposal Template (no need to email us!)
• "Action meetings"
• "Retrospectives" - BNW Ep. 10 with Jordan Husney

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00:00 Intro + Check-In: What have you done lately to contribute to a more just society or confront your own privilege?

05:12 History of governance

09:24 How tensions lead to proposals

12:55 Understanding “safe to try”

18:25 Judgement without experiencing is not the move

21:03 Participatory governance process step by step

29:13 How it’s a game changer to objections and getting things done

33:31 How rounds disrupts power structures and dynamics in organizations

40:56 When to start with participatory governance in your team

48:53 Wrap up: Leave us a review!