Self-organizing work groups value collective spontaneity over individual ideas and planning. For me, there’s just no other way of working that’s as interesting, rewarding, fun, and impactful. The tradeoff, though, is that I can’t individually control/plan my way into a self-organizing work group the way I individually planned my way into groups in the past. To become part of a group that values collective spontaneity over individual planning, I’ve learned that I have to prioritize “spontaneous Lori” above “planning Lori.” And I have to actually listen to spontaneous Lori, God help me.
Today, for me, a self-organizing group is a collective whose members are surprised and delighted by what they become and do together. These collectives create themselves and contain members who become increasingly aware that the group is giving them more than they could imagine and plan as individuals.
In the 25 groups I’ve studied and been part of so far, here are the reasons mentioned for group formation. To: Change the way the organization plans and designs its products (working across silo’d product teams instead of within silos) Help all of our kids (those we had in common that year) to graduate by working more closely during one school year Help group members … [Read More]
Three years ago when I was asked this question for the first time, off the top of my head I said something like “That with the right group of people, I can do anything.” Luckily for me, because I’m a researcher, that impromptu comment was recorded. I got to listen to it over and over for an entire year as I sought to understand what … [Read More]
When your self-organizing work group succeeds in accomplishing the work-of-the-moment that it came into existence to do, it may be obvious that the group needs to end. But it may also be unclear at what point–exactly–you as an individual should let go of the group and its work. From my perspective today, here are five signs that it may be time to let go of your SOWG and its work and ideas…
There is one additional indicator of self-organization–at the group level–that I could not see at an individual level. As a self-organizing work group, you can: Indicator #9. Re-form and immediately exist again, as needed, after your lifetime. Demonstrated, for example, by: Group members continuing to help each other, as needed, months and years after the lifetime of the group. Group members happily coming together again … [Read More]
How do I know when I’m self-organizing and how do we know if our group is self-organizing? Indicator #8: Enjoying yourself in the moment and in hindsight I am self-organizing when I enjoy myself in the moment and in hindsight. Demonstrated in the following ways: Laughing and smiling Experiencing a sense of freedom, talking about experiencing a sense of freedom/describing a sense of freedom, and … [Read More]
How do I know when I’m self-organizing? How do we know if our group is self-organizing? Indicator #7: Spontaneously demonstrating something, learning in the moment, and reflecting and learning more in hindsight I am self-organizing when I spontaneously demonstrate something, learn in the moment, and reflect and learn more in hindsight. Demonstrated in the following examples: Example 1 Spontaneous demonstration: Using “we” and “us” to … [Read More]
How do I know when I’m self-organizing? How do we know if our group is self-organizing? Indicator #6: Behaving thoughtfully, demonstrating awareness and reflection I am self-organizing when I behave thoughtfully, demonstrating awareness and reflection. Demonstrated, for example, by: Talking about unexpected consequences emerging from your actions (in my study, people often spoke of difficult yet ultimately positive consequences emerging from collective actions) Talking about … [Read More]


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