SYSTEMS THINKING
AEQUACY: A NEW HUMAN-CENTERED
ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN TO THRIVE IN A COMPLEX WORLD A book excerpt by Mobius Friends Giovanna D’Alessio and Stefano Petti
In the last decade, it has become increasingly obvious that we are under adaptive pressure: the solutions to the most common corporate issues are not to be found in the current capability of the organization. When a problem emerges in an organization, the classical response of the managers and top executives is to focus on the symptom of the problem and to identify the most effective solution to that particular symptom. It’s time for a radical departure from the system we have today. In this book we introduce AEquacy, a leaderless organizational design and operating system that changes the paradigm of the traditional, hierarchical organization and paves the way for greater innovation, collaboration, and performance.
In 2016 a study by Deloitte grabbed our attention. That’s when we started our research project to “The New Organization: Different by Design” survey of design a new, revolutionary organizational “kernel.” 7,000 respondents in more than 130 countries showed (The kernel is the program that is the core of a very interesting results. Two facts stood out: 82% of computer's operating system, with complete control large companies are either currently reorganizing, plan over everything in the system. It is the first program to reorganize or have recently loaded on start-up.) reorganized to be more responsive We propose that any organization to customer needs; 92% of in which subordination of some Hierarchy generates kind is present generates typical the companies surveyed cite “redesigning the way we work” as dysfunctional systemic patterns peculiar, predictable one of their key challenges, making that cannot be overcome without systemic patterns. this the #1 trend or concern of the questioning the whole concept of year. hierarchy. Of course we were well aware that many The central idea of our research findings is that organizations were going through their umpteenth re- only hierarchy-free, self-governing organizations will organization, but these numbers really struck us. How be in the best condition to foster innovation, boost could we help organizations get into better structural performance and expand people’s potential. and cultural shape to not just survive, but thrive in the The problem with the available solutions (Holacracy, next ten years? Sociocracy and the like) is that they maintain a certain
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Reprinted with permission from the authors. Excerpted and adapted from AEquacy: The New Human-Centered Organization Design to Thrive in a Complex World. Asterys s.r.l. Copyright 2018.
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