How to Build Teams That Distribute Power & Share Responsibility

If we are to have any chance of bringing forth a world in which all people have the power necessary to meet their needs, we must develop the governance structures necessary to wield our power effectively. In this episode, I speak with Ted Rau, co-founder of Sociocracy for All, about ways to govern our groups and organizations that empower people to work together well. We talk about: Why majority rules systems inevitably lead to conflict The difference between consent-based decision-making and consensus The four pillars of resilient organizations How to move from brainstorming to action How to experiment with new governance and new projects in safe enough ways And much more! Even if you love the people in your group and your mission, if you don’t share clarity about who decides what and how we decide, then problems will emerge. If you want your group to do what needs to be done, while avoiding power games, drama, and the decision-making bottlenecks, this is for you. About Ted: Ted is an advocate, trainer and consultant for self-governance. After earning a PhD in linguistics and working in academia, Ted co-founded the membership organization Sociocracy For All in 2016 and spends his days consulting mission-driven organizations, advocating and training on self-governance, and deeply immersed in the work as a member within Sociocracy For All. Ted is the author of four books on self-governance, which I link to in the show notes, and he has five children between 12 and 22 years old. Learn More from Ted: Sociocracy for All 75-Minute Free Video Primer on Sociocracy Ted’s Books: Many Voices One Song (2018), Who Decides Who Decides (2021), Collective Power (2023), From Here to There (2025) Learn More from Katherine: Episode with Donnie MacClurcan: Why Capitalism Makes Us Tense & What to do About it (Donnie’s organization, the Post-Growth Institute governs itself with sociocracy and is a great model for how this process can work) To receive new episodes along with other nourishment for the fight ahead, subscribe to Love Letters for Changemakers Katherine’s LinkedIn page Center for Callings & Courage