Holacracy

Holacracy

The Revolutionary Management System that Abolishes Hierarchy

Summary

In Holacracy, Brian J Robertson outlines a ground-breaking approach to organisation: no managers, only roles

'Holacracy is the opposite of the cliché way to run a start-up. It creates clarity: who is in charge of what, and who makes each kind of decision' - Evan Williams, cofounder of Blogger, Twitter and Medium

In traditional companies, managers make decisions, and workers execute the plan. But Holacracy is a revolutionary and tried-and-tested new system which turns everyone into a leader. The organisation looks like a nest of circles, not a pyramid -- but it's not anarchy. It's finally clear who should make each decision -- the person on the frontline has that authority -- and the organisation succeeds by adapting swiftly to pursue its purpose.

In Holacracy, pioneer Brian Robertson explains how to adopt this system across your organisation -- and what you can do just within your department or for yourself -- and how to overcome any obstacles along the way.

Reviews

  • Holacracy is the opposite of the cliché way to run a startup. People romanticize startup cultures and their lack of structure, but it creates anxiety and inefficiency, whether we have to build consensus around every decision, or deal with land grabs for power. In contrast, Holacracy creates clarity: who is in charge of what, and who makes each kind of decision - and there is a system for changing that, so it's very flexible at the same time
    Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter and Medium

About the author

Brian J. Robertson

Brian J. Robertson created Holacracy and founded HolacracyOne, the organization that is training people and companies all over the world in this new system. Robertson had previously launched a successful software company, where he first introduced the principles that would become Holacracy, making him not just a management theorist but someone who has successfully implemented a holacracy-powered organization. He lives in Philadelphia.
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