Simon Holzapfel, an innovative educator and coach, discusses the untapped wisdom of ancient collaborative practices that align with our natural instincts. He critiques modern hierarchical management, advocating for decentralized organizational structures that foster connectivity. By exploring concepts from anthropology and neuroscience, he highlights the power of human adaptability and the failings of top-down well-being initiatives. Holzapfel urges leaders to create environments rooted in trust and inclusivity, unlocking the potential for resilience and collaboration in today’s workplaces.
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Ancient Decentralization
Nebalivka, a prehistoric mega-site, housed 10,000 people 6,000 years ago.
It thrived without hierarchical structures or modern management tools, challenging assumptions about organizational design.
insights INSIGHT
Shift in Mindset
Industrial-era thinking shifted towards viewing nature as resources for exploitation and profit.
This separation of humans from their ecosystem fostered a mechanistic, zero-sum mindset, impacting organizational structures.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Embrace Adaptability
Individuals are built for adaptability, a concept called pluripotency.
Embrace adaptability by responding to environmental triggers and developing diverse skill sets.
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In this book, Jared Diamond explains why Eurasian and North African civilizations have survived and conquered others. He argues that differences in societal development arise primarily from geographical causes. The book details how agricultural societies developed immunities to deadly diseases, advanced in technology, and formed centralized political structures, ultimately leading to the conquest of other societies. Diamond also discusses the impact of germs, domesticated animals, and environmental factors on human history[2][4][5].
The Dawn of Everything
A New History of Humanity
David Wengrow
David Graeber
This book offers a dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging fundamental assumptions about social evolution, the development of agriculture, cities, the state, democracy, and inequality. Graeber and Wengrow argue that traditional theories of human history, such as those posited by Hobbes and Rousseau, are not supported by anthropological or archaeological evidence. Instead, they show that humans have lived in large, complex, but decentralized societies for millennia, often without ruling elites or hierarchical systems. The authors draw on extensive research in archaeology and anthropology to reveal a history that is more varied and hopeful than previously assumed, emphasizing human experimentation with different social arrangements and the potential for new forms of freedom and societal organization.
Sand Talk
Tyson Yunkaporta
In this episode of the Agile Uprising podcast, host Andy Cleff chats with Simon Holzapfel about how humans organized and learned together before industrial-age practices disrupted our natural patterns. Through examples from anthropology, biology, and neuroscience, they explore what ancient societies and our own biology can teach us about effective collaboration at scale. The conversation challenges common assumptions about organizational hierarchy and control, suggesting that agile principles aren't new inventions, but rather a rediscovery of how humans naturally work and learn together. For leaders and change agents, this episode offers practical steps toward creating organizations that work with, rather than against, human nature. Contact Info Related shows: Sociocracy-related Read More: About the Agile Uprising If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a review, a rating, or leave comments on iTunes, Stitcher or your podcasting platform of choice. It really helps others find us. Much thanks to the artist from who provided us our outro music free-of-charge! If you like what you heard, to find more music you might enjoy! If you’d like to join the discussion and share your stories, please jump into the fray at our We at the Agile Uprising are committed to being totally free. However, if you’d like to contribute and help us defray hosting and production costs we do have a . Who knows, you might even get some surprises in the mail!
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