Holacracy - Self-Organizing with Alexis Gonzales-Black Transformative Principal 245 1
Sep 23, 2018
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Alexis Gonzales-Black, principal designer at IDEO, discusses holacracy and self-organization. They explore the challenges of shifting to holacracy, the importance of self-advocacy skills, and managing ourselves in an interactive way. They also talk about the role marketplace and the growing desire for autonomy, mastery, and purpose in the workforce. Lastly, they discuss transformative leadership tips for principals, such as offering one piece of their work to someone eager for more responsibilities.
Holacracy is a practice of self-organization that distributes authority to those doing the work, prioritizing the organization's purpose over individual ego.
Confronting tension and misunderstandings through open communication is essential for resolving conflicts and improving relationships in a self-managed organization.
Deep dives
Role Mapping and Distributing Authority
In this episode, the co-author of the book 'The New School Rules', Alexis Gonzalez-Black, discusses the concept of Holacracy and self-organization. Holacracy is a practice where authority is distributed to the individuals who are doing the work, rather than following a traditional hierarchical structure. Each person or team manages their own work, making decisions and driving the vision and strategy within their area. The key is to have a clear understanding of the different roles that individuals play within an organization, and to be willing to distribute those roles and offload tasks to others. This shift requires individuals to prioritize the organization's purpose over their individual ego and desire for control.
Confronting Tension and Misunderstandings
Another important aspect of self-management is the ability to confront tension and misunderstandings in a productive and healthy way. This involves owning and resolving tensions instead of ignoring or passing them on to others. Alexis emphasizes the importance of honest and vulnerable communication, where individuals openly address their feelings and the stories they tell themselves about certain situations. By confronting tension and having open conversations, individuals can work towards finding resolution and improve their relationships with colleagues.
Redesigning Roles in Education
The podcast delves into the topic of redesigning roles in education to better align with individual strengths and interests. The traditional approach of allocating teachers' time solely based on the number of students they teach is questioned. Alexis suggests a role-mapping process where educators reflect on the various roles they fulfill within the organization and evaluate their strengths and passions. This process can reveal opportunities for sharing or offloading certain roles, allowing individuals to focus on areas where they can make the greatest impact. Although challenging, embracing flexibility in systems and experimenting with new planning and budgeting strategies is necessary to meet the evolving needs of students and educators.
Empowering Others and Creating Growth Opportunities
The episode concludes with a call to action for transformative leadership: offer a piece of your own work to someone else. By identifying a role or responsibility that could be entrusted to someone eager to take on leadership, principals can empower others and create growth opportunities. This encourages the development of emerging leaders and fosters a culture of shared responsibility and growth within the organization.
Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life!
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