Planting Deep Roots of Organizational Democracy
-- Peter Pula

Political pundits are lamenting low voter turnout in societal elections. There may not be so much to worry about. The fact that democracy in this arena seems a bit sleepy doesn’t necessarily translate to a lack of interest in democracy. Low engagement could come from the fact that our societal democracy simply deals with questions too large to be dealt with in any intimacy.

The range and scale of decisions being made by people we elect are so vast and wide that our vote can only be representative. We are electing other people to do things for us. In societal democracy it’s just too easy to park our beliefs on someone else’s shoulders and leave them to execute on our behalf. We are passive simply because of the immensity. Perhaps we tire of proxy.

Democracy is about having a voice and expressing our beliefs in word and action in order to create the world we want to see. To participate in democracy at a meaningful level means we have to be close enough to the action for our actions make a difference.

It’s no wonder organizations are becoming one arena in which many people are now expressing their democratic tendencies.

In an organization a common purpose is set, the organization sets it. So defined, the task is a little easier to get one’s arms around. We rub shoulders with colleagues as we roll up our sleeves, engage in our craft, and shape co-creative relationships: Much better chance of making a difference.

Democracy in organizations comes in many forms and stages. Participative, dialogic democracy is the earliest form of it. Leaders invite people into discussions about decisions and direction. This can certainly open the door to liberating creativity but it can still allow us to leave accountability at the feet of leaders. ‘They’ are left responsible for seeing a decision executed, for shaping teams, structures, plans, budgets. If all that doesn’t work we can still say it was management that blew it.

Structured democracy can take many forms as well. Teams can elect leaders who then have authority within certain mandates. Open space summits can be used to decide directions and projects and see them funded (we do all of the above at Axiom News). Employee-owned organizations can govern themselves democratically (although many that are governed democratically are still run autocratically). Structured democracy is another element of, or way to do, democracy.

To become as powerful as possible, democracy must be rooted with each person taking responsibility for creating the organization they want to work in. To be sure, top management must still decide on product and objectives. This allows people joining an organization to know what they’ve signed up for. Yet, each person in an organization is personally responsible for a vision for themselves, to build shared vision with their direct team members, and the values that will shape how they work together. This can be hard, difficult, and confusing at first. It’s also great stuff.

We cannot be expected to live up to values, for example, we had no hand in crafting. Nor are we likely to do anything remarkable if all we are doing is filling in the blanks in a plan someone else created. The way people are together is worked out every day as we rub shoulders with each other and contend with the work that comes our way.

Democracy at its best is not a system for keeping other people accountable or for protecting what we already have. At its best it creates environment that removes the barriers to the full expression of gifts in the act of co-creating new possibilities and desired ideals.

To be accountable to oneself for the creation of the workplace and world we want to see, and then negotiating whatever must be negotiated, be it discussions, decision-making structures, and the gifts and dreams of our colleagues is the beginning of the best democracy has to offer. We are already free to do it.