Sociocracy UK

How-to, community & developing Collaborative Governance in the UK

Francois Knuchel
  • Male
  • London (West)
  • United Kingdom

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Francois Knuchel's Discussions

Neighbourhood Parliament System

Saturday, April 1st (no fooling )Father Edwin John, United Nations recognized leader for his work in organizing more than 100,000 "neighborhood parliaments" in southern India that use sociocracy, is…Continue

Started Mar 28, 2017

Opportunity for freelance Organisational Development work - Call for expressions of interest

The Transition Town network have put out a notice calling for freelance OD practioners to put in proposals for working with the TT. Here is the letter (email), further below copied from the TT…Continue

Started Feb 26, 2016

Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - Part 3 -- What else I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities in Findhorn

Here is the third report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:  Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is…Continue

Started Nov 25, 2015

Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - Part 2 - What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities in Findhorn

Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:  Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no…Continue

Started Oct 3, 2015

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Francois Knuchel's Page

Latest Activity

Francois Knuchel left a comment for Paulina
"Welcome to the Sociocracy UK community site.  I hope you can find some interesting articles here. To be frank, we are not very active on this site at the moment, but feel free to post or interact as you see fit. I also wanted to ask if you know…"
May 13, 2020
Francois Knuchel posted a discussion

Opportunity for freelance Organisational Development work - Call for expressions of interest

The Transition Town network have put out a notice calling for freelance OD practioners to put in proposals for working with the TT. Here is the letter (email), further below copied from the TT website:Dear Sociocracy.co.uk, At Transition Network we are embarking on a three year process of organisational development - to look at our organisational structures and processes, and experiment with more helpful ways of working.  We think we may well be seeking a range of contributions and suggestions…See More
Feb 26, 2016
Francois Knuchel replied to Martin Grimshaw's discussion How to find out more about Sociocracy
"Connect Agile Teams to Organisational Hierarchy: A Sociocratic Solution"
Jan 9, 2016
Francois Knuchel replied to Martin Grimshaw's discussion How to find out more about Sociocracy
"Source Link left out, sorry: sociokrati.se "
Jan 2, 2016
Francois Knuchel posted a discussion

Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - Part 3 -- What else I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities in Findhorn

Here is the third report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:  Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no longer possible to put the whole piece directly on the site (or one would have to split it into 8), so I attach a PDF document of it insteadHello again,          This is the third report (one of a planned four reports) for friends and colleagues who teach Sociocracy or are interested in it, and…See More
Nov 25, 2015
Francois Knuchel posted a discussion

Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - Part 2 - What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities in Findhorn

Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:  Unfortunately due to new restrictions (max 100,000 characters) by Ning, it is no longer possible to put the whole piece directly on the site (or one would have to split it into 6), so I attach a PDF document of it instead Hello again,          This is the second report (one of a planned four reports) for friends and colleagues who teach or are interested in Sociocracy, and especially…See More
Oct 3, 2015
Francois Knuchel posted a discussion

Report from DIANE LEAFE CHRISTIAN - What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities at GEN Conference

Here is a report from Diane Leafe Christian, sent to me by email, to be shared by all interested in sociocracy:What I learned about Sociocracy for intentional communities at GEN ConferenceThis report, the first email of three, is for friends and colleagues who teach Sociocracy, and especially those who teach it to intentional communities.              I want to tell you, first, what new things I learned at the five-day Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) conference at Findhorn Community in…See More
Sep 12, 2015
Francois Knuchel replied to Martin Grimshaw's discussion How to find out more about Sociocracy
"More information also available in What is Sociocracy Forum sections:"
May 30, 2015
Francois Knuchel posted discussions
May 13, 2015

Profile Information

How did you discover this site?
Through Sociocracy UK, initially via internet
How are you using sociocratic principles?
I am a sociocratic practitioner, Using it in my personal or family life, Actively engaging in and supporting the sociocratic networks, Applying it in my business
Please write a brief description of your experience of sociocracy and a bit about yourself
Had no experience using sociocracy in its pure form, but had had extensive experience in collective decision-making facilitation, in particular total participitory decision-making and problem-solving as applied across Asia, particularly in Japanese corporate settings. I sincerely believe that engaging the hearts and minds of all in organisations (versus charisma top-down leadership styles still prevalent in many organisations) is the only way forward, in terms of inventing a new form of collaborative "capitalism" for 21st century, which is green, sustainable and community good driven, rather than profit or GDP based. Whereas collective decision-making has been practiced for the last 30 or so years in Japan, I believe Europe is now ready for a more collaborative form of leadership, and sociocracy seems to meet all the needs of the future. Hence I was and am eager to get very involved in sociocracy (statement on joining 2010)


How I came across Sociocracy:
I can’t remember how I stumbled across sociocracy, but I had been looking for “it” for a long time. I had been trying to develop a decision-making process in the workplace which is based on total engagement, empowerment and consensus of ‘social’ groupings (work-teams, companies etc), as I had experienced it in Japan for many years, and yet which was ‘adjusted’ and palatable to Western culture. For lack for a better word I called it ‘democracy in the workplace’ even though it is not based on elections or voting (not even Swiss-style issue-based direct democracy) nor is it country political. So when I stumbled across ‘sociocracy’ I immediately recognised it, not only the method but the word too – and the beauty was I didn’t have to invent the approach, it had already been invented, tried and tested. My amazement is that it took me so long to find it, given I’d been looking for a collective decision-making circle organisation system for so long.


Update 2013:
I have now been practicing sociocracy for a few years now, have taken some of the advanced courses (with John Buck) and have been heavily involved in building and developing Sociocracy UK as a membership network promoting sociocracy in the UK. I am considering becoming a certified sociocratic trainer or consultant. I am developing a number of simulation based interactive workshops in various aspects of sociocracy, and have just created a series of short 1-hour peer-learning teleclass (over the phone) modules each concentrating on one aspect of sociocratic facilitation and based on the sociocratic meeting 'montster' chart (9-step workflow). I am also a lean practitioner (from my years in Japan) and have created an equivalent set of modules in lean management, total problem-solving and hoshin policy deployment. In my view LEAN operations, AGILE development and DYNAMIC governance (sociocracy) complement each other very well, together with a sprinkling of Zen-Jidoka (Total Respect Autonomation).
Please tell us what you hope to get out of this membership site
Learning, Exchange and network
If you have a web-site, blog, twitter, facebook or similar account, please enter url here
http://open2flow.co.uk

Comment Wall (11 comments)

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At 12:42 on February 3, 2014, Andrew Thornton said…

Francois can we have a chat sometime? My e-mail address is andrewisaacthornton@gmail.com, can you send me some contact details?

At 20:45 on January 9, 2014, Azul-Valerie Thome said…

Hello Francois et Bonne Annee to you! Yes I get it!

I am still slowing down until I get back on Monday 13th Jan to jump into a new river... 

At 22:39 on January 5, 2014, Ruth Cristina Menks de Andrade said…

Hi Francois,

Thank you for the welcome. I will write soon asking for possible opportunities for Sociocracy practice in the UK in the summer of 2014. I will also share the events as soon as I have the flyers. Exciting times!

At 23:24 on November 28, 2013, Azul-Valerie Thome said…

Thank you Francois for your kind welcome and may the adventure begin! :-)

At 19:13 on July 29, 2013, Peter Jadinge said…

Great to be here - thanks

At 14:01 on July 9, 2013, Ruth Strauss said…

HI Francois, thank you for welcoming me here, and for alerting me to the workshop with John Buck this October! What a strangely auspicious day - 18th of October .. the main reason why I am getting active here is in the hope a process of Sociocracy Learning can be started here in Scotland in preparing for the 18th October 2014 Scottish Referendum. Unfortunately I did not know about Sociocracy or J.B.'s last workshop up North last April (2012), as it would have been a better timing to get people trained from then on.

Have looked round yesterday on www who from the network here says something on Sociocracy and Civic Governance, and came across a post from Sharon Villines (March 2010) on https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/congenialist/bLNayc9Tt5s, which got me curious to find out whether she could be invited here to Scotland round about the 18th October this year. Now I see John is up North that time anyway, so I am wondering could his stay be extended and both can be persuaded to do a workshop funded by means available through Citizenship learning orgs here...

Looking at Sociocracy through a wider national democracy lens is something different from looking at it through the lens of a business or small alternative community. If Sociocracy is to be made known here in Scotland, I feel now is the time, and - unfortunately - not through workshops in Findhorn or solely through other alternative initiatives alone.

Could it be possible to arrange something that can bring people together from all walks of life here now, in the wake of the urgency of education for decision making in something as big as the Independence Referendum?

If so, who are the people connected already with (and if poss. established in) sociocratic practise who could be engaged to take Sociocracy to the next level?

best wishes and looking forward to hear from you

(and yes, maybe post on the wider forum here, have had a look, and as it is so quiet right now there, I think person to person linking here might work faster?)

Ruth

At 6:24 on October 2, 2012, Martin Roche-Nishimori said…

Thanks.

At 9:59 on September 30, 2012, Martin Roche-Nishimori said…

Thanks Francois. This reply is rather late. I have just become a father and all of a sudden I am struggling to keep up with any thing.  So, just to say thanks and I will still stay connected but somewhat in the background.

At 6:58 on October 29, 2010, Sue Bell said…
Hi Francois. I meant about your experience of sociocracy. sorry I did not have time to talk with you at facilitation camp. look forward to seeing you on 4th November. best wishes Sue
At 16:07 on October 28, 2010, Sue Bell said…
Hi Francois. I found your profile information about sociocracy interesting. I am really happy that I have met people who have the same ideas and commitment.
I never had time toi talk with you at Facilitation Camp, it will be good to meet up on 4th November. sue
 
 
 

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