12-week course
This course represents a “spiral” of learning new skills and mindsets within the Conscious Leader Program. It is embedded in a structured learning process over three (3) months which includes these elements:
Weekly 80-min live, facilitator-led sessions
Structured resources in an online Course Portal and Course Workbook to support learning
Structured practice activities with feedback and coaching in group practice sessions
Mutual peer coaching
A conscious learning community of people learning together and offering mutual support in a multi-level cohort
The Sociocratic Circle Method (SCM) is a decision making and organizational structure that is designed to enhance autonomy, empowerment and inclusion. It is a wonderful and pragmatic example of a governance structure where human needs are valued.
At its core, SCM fundamentally shifts the source of power in organizations from an individual (e.g. the boss or manager) to a circle of people on the same team (including the boss or manager). The circle then empowers its people (again, including the boss or manager) by electing people by consent to needed roles with a domain of responsibility. “The circle decides who decides.” In terms of making decisions within the circle, SCM defines a new decision-making process, called consent, which requires that the voice of each person in the circle be included as decisions are made within the circle.
At the same time that it shifts the source of power, it maintains the functional hierarchy which enables work to get done. So the group gets its work done as a team on a day-to-day basis, and meets periodically (e.g. every 4- to 8-weeks) as a circle of equals to assess and determine changes in how the work will get done.
This course is designed to not only introduce the core concepts, structures and processes of SCM, but also to provide practical activities to activate the use of SCM within a team or group.
Theme 1: Intro Concepts, Proposals & Issues
The Circle
Circles overlay the functional hierarcy
Consent Decision Making
The SCM Proposal Process
Processing Issues within the Circle
Theme 2: Defining a Circle's Role, Circle Roles & Elections
Creating a Circle Role
Understanding core elements of the circle role
Circle Domain
Circle Aim
New Roles for the SCM Circle
Circle Meeting Facilitator
Circle Log Keeper
The SCM Election Process
Theme 3: Circle Meetings
The Dynamic Circle Process WITHIN a circle
Circle Meetings vs. Operational Meetings
The SCM Circle Meeting Structure
Setting the agenda | Tracking proposals & issues
Theme 4: Delegating Authority Part 1: Delegating to a Person
Define the role, then elect a person to the role
Creating a role for an individual within the circle
Theme 5: Delegating Authority Part 2: Delegating to a Sub-Circle
Creating a Sub-Circle
Creating a Helping Circle
Theme 6: Interactions between a circle and its sub-circle
Typical SCM Organizational Structure
The Circle Representative
The Dynamic Circle Process BETWEEN circles
Double-Linking between circles
Prerequisites: