Comments on: Hierarchy and peer to peer – a recap https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/hierarchy-and-peer-to-peer-a-recap/2008/05/27 Researching, documenting and promoting peer to peer practices Tue, 27 May 2008 08:53:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.5.15 By: Martien https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/hierarchy-and-peer-to-peer-a-recap/2008/05/27/comment-page-1#comment-246130 Tue, 27 May 2008 08:53:41 +0000 http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/?p=1571#comment-246130 To quote Dee Hock: How about using the verb “to educe” to replace the “non-coercive”. It has a positive connotation and is a marvelous word seldom used or practiced, meaning “to bring or draw forward something already present in a latent, or undeveloped form.” It can be contrasted with induce, too often used and practiced, meaning “to prevail upon; move by persuasion or influence—to impel, incite, or urge.”.

Also, TMO hierarchy is an emergent phenomenon. It arises as a result of self-organization when a cell (group, department, organization, community) develops beyond the capability of its membrane and splits, while the cells are part of a whole, and the whole is incomplete without the parts. Hence a holarchy emerges. A holarchy can be seen as an autohierarchy.

And to quote Deepak Chopra: A great leader is the symbolic soul of a collective longing inspiring the collective consciousness. A great leader is a catalyst for change or transformation, inspiring this collective consciousness. You, as a leader, represent the longing of the people that you lead.

Finally, in a sociocracy, a holarchy also emerges where consent governs policy decision-making. Consent means there are no argued and paramount objections to a proposed decision. People are elected to functions and tasks by consent after open discussion. Groups elect the people (“leaders”) who will represent them at the next higher level in the holarchy. When a community cannot elect their ambassador, something’s wrong within. They have to go back to inner search and fix this before they can be heard in the rest of the holarchy.

So, both hierarchy and leaders emerge from the peer governance en consent-based processes. It is a bottom-up, grassroots process.

On the other hand, we have seen that having a benovelent dictator gives a community (or holarchy) a great evolutionary advantage (Linus Torvalds, Jimmy Wales) when the community as a whole is not able to reach a decision or make a choice.

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