The Concept of Self-Organization (Networking Organization)
Networking organization or self-organization is where individuals manage themselves and their operations. An ideal example to understand and elaborate on is self-organization or management, highlighted in a book on reinventing organizations: The Case of Buurtzorg (which translates to neighborhood care in Dutch). In self-organization, staff members organize themselves in teams and delegate duties among themselves (Laloux 2014, p. 89). According to Laloux, the team is in charge of the tasks without fragmentation, as in the case of traditional organizations with structures and leaders. Thus, the workers are responsible for handling their jobs and deciding how much work they should do each day or session.
Unlike in typical organizations with HR departments, customer service, or other specializations where each department deals with specific tasks, in self-organization, the workers are responsible for determining the planning, organizing, controlling, and leading themselves in their jobs. In other words, there are no bosses or leaders in self-organization. Aspects like middle management are also nonexistent in these settings. A TED Talk by Eddie Obieng also adds insights into self-organization. According to the speaker, self-organization can involve a single individual working remotely but connected to other workers through the internet (Obieng, 2012). This means that self-management or organization gives an individual autonomy unavailable in traditional workspaces.
Difference Between Self-Organization and Hierarchical Organizational Structures
The abovementioned aspect of autonomy is the first aspect that differentiates self-organization from hierarchical organizational structures. In self-organization, employees control how they want their work done. Such power needs to be improved in hierarchical organizational structures since the managers and leaders determine the size and type of work an employee should do. Failure to adhere to the instructions in a hierarchical organizational structure can get the employee fired. Conversely, self-organization ensures no leaders to direct the employees on what to do; hence, staff members do not risk getting fired for failing to follow instructions.
Similarly, self-organizational structures do not have a concentration of power at the top of the hierarchies, as witnessed in hierarchical organizations. Hierarchical firms are organized such that the top management has and maintains all the controls while the middle managers and subordinate workers are powerless. The concentration of power has been linked to mistrust, greed, fear, and politics in firms. For instance, unions have been established to give power to powerless workers and help fight for their rights. In contrast, self-organization firms ensure all staff members have equal power since there is no division of duties through authority. As a result, issues such as resignations and resentment are not witnessed in self-organizations, yet they are rampant in hierarchical firms.
Changes In Mainstream Processes to Make It Work
Although self-organizations present a more appealing and exciting work environment, some changes might be required to make these networking organizations work. Before allowing team members to decide their responsibilities by themselves, an organization must align the organization to the employees’ personal goals. Most individuals are motivated and pushed by the desire to accomplish individual goals and prefer firms that provide opportunities for personal growth and development. Thus, aligning these objectives is necessary for self-organization to work as it offers more job satisfaction that pushes workers to exceed their expectations.
Besides, the TED Talk by Eddie Obieng addresses some critical changes that will make self-organization operational. The speaker argues that organizations must allow workers to be creative and devise solutions to problems without interference. An article that addressed the differences between leaders and managers has emphasized the same views. The author states that, in leadership, a leader’s qualities, including creativity, determine whether they are managing or leading their organizations (Wajdi 2017, p. 77). Although some managers only count value, others reduce it when deactivating those adding value to the organization. This implies that leaders who allow creativity add value to a firm while those curtailing it minimize weight.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-organization
It is important to note that self-organization does not imply the absence of leadership but rather a situation or approach where management is equally distributed among the team members. This is one of the advantages of self-organization in that everyone will be accountable for their work input, output, and leadership. The team members only consult among themselves or with their chosen leaders when they need further guidance or support. At the same time, this kind of organization ensures more flexibility in decision-making and performance. Staff members can decide on the tasks they should conduct and when to do them. As such, when one member is unavailable or needs time away from their duties, the others can take over until the individual is available. The lack of hierarchical structures also means that employees will not be controlled by leaders who consider themselves superior. This motivates workers and offers more job satisfaction, less resignation or resentment, and autonomy. There is also more trust and less political issues within such organizations.
However, the lack of proper structures can reduce accountability. When organizations are organized under formal leadership structures, the employees will be more accountable since the managers will measure their work rate and compare it with that of others. Some individuals are also more productive when working under influential leaders. For example, managers who lead by example maximize the abilities of their employees since the workers will embrace and emulate the actions of their leaders.
Aspects to Develop
Although there are several aspects one needs to develop to work in self-organized firms, trust, effective communication, and collaboration are the skills and components that will help me work in such firms. Self-organization requires effective communication and collaboration with the team members for the corporation to operate efficiently. Besides, the members must trust each other’s abilities before dividing their duties. Since self-organization is based on the premise that individuals can make informed decisions and adapt to organizational changes efficiently and quickly, the workers need effective communication to inform the other members about their tasks, especially in duties that require teamwork and collaboration. I also consider creativity an aspect I must develop when working for self-organized firms. In these organizations, workers are encouraged to formulate solutions to their challenges. Thus, I must become more creative to promote problem-solving within myself. Independent networks of small and autonomous teams established in self-organized firms will also require collaboration and partnership skills for better performance (Reinventing Organizations Wiki, n.d). In these firms, teams are formed temporarily and then disbanded, indicating that several groups will be created depending on the tasks involved, requiring effective collaboration with different employees.
References
Laloux, F., 2014. Reinventing organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations. Brussels: Nelson Parker.
Obieng, E. (2012). Eddie Obeng: Smart failure for a fast-changing world. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjSuaeVfE9I (Accessed 8 December 2023).
Reinventing Organizations Wiki. n.d. Self-Management. Available at: https://reinventingorganizationswiki.com/en/theory/self-management/ (Accessed 8 December 2023).
Wajdi, B.N., 2017. The differences between management and leadership. Sinergi: Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Manajemen, 7(1): 75-84.
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