Holokratie

Holokratie is a system of organizational governance that distributes authority and decision-making through a network of self-organizing circles and clearly defined roles rather than a traditional management hierarchy. It seeks to increase adaptability, transparency, and accountability by replacing top-down control with structured processes.

Key elements include circles and subcircles with defined purposes and accountabilities; dynamic roles within circles; governance meetings to amend roles and policies; tactical meetings for execution; consent-based decisions; and a double-link rule whereby each circle has a lead link and a representative from the circle participates in the parent circle. Policies are codified in a formal constitution that governs processes rather than people.

Holacracy was developed by Brian Robertson and published in the Holacracy Constitution. It gained attention when organizations such as Zappos experimented with it in the 2010s. Adoption remains selective; criticisms include complexity, training needs, and challenges of cultural fit, while proponents cite increased clarity and faster adaptation in complex environments.

Implementation considerations include investment in training and facilitation, potential use of software to manage roles and meetings, and recognition that Holacracy may not suit every organization or legal context. It is related to sociocracy and other participatory governance models and is often discussed as an alternative to traditional hierarchies.