Cultivating the Community: Management Methods Outside Corporate Settings

Different kinds of management styles have cropped up throughout the years. Complaints and inconsistencies in top-down management caused processes such as holacracy and sociocracy to take root.

Holacracy and sociocracy both follow similar principles such as circles and voting systems. This is a more democratic approach to company policies and such. These kinds of management processes are mostly associated with running businesses. Despite this notion, they can also be utilized by communities as well.

One can think of a community as akin to a business organization. Both are groups of individuals living or working together. They share common interests and goals. There may also be differences and conflicts. But in general, this will not stop most communities from ensuring harmony and prosperity for everyone involved.

An example of alternative management styles at work in communities is the kibbutz. A kibbutz is a kind of collective community in Israel that started out with socialist and utopian beliefs. In kibbutzim, all members are expected to contribute and carry their own weight in the community. Those who do not are seen as parasites and often looked down on.

Like holacracy and sociocracy, kibbutzim also use voting systems for the whole community. Members meet in their communal dining hall to discuss decisions that may affect the kibbutz.

A notable feature of kibbutz society is that positions of power are given through voting as well. The farmhand working at the ranch may soon be elected for a managerial position.

Many modern kibbutzim have unfortunately forgone this traditional approach. Some have even become privatized. It does not detract, however, the fact that using sociocracy or holacracy in a communal environment can work with the help of cooperative and willing members.