Johan Galtung defined two structures for human interaction: thin-and-big (the pyramid) or thick-and-small (the wheel). Which describes your organization? And is it the right one?
As a small arts org currently very intentionally embracing the strengths of "wheeliness" it was really great to see someone discuss that hierarchal pyramids aren't the only way to set up an organization - and that while yes, wheels are more complicated and somewhat more fragile, they also work, move well, and enrich the lives and work experiences of those who are part of them in meaningful ways.
Thanks Katherine! So glad to know your team is embracing wheeliness. Curious what pressures (if any) you feel from external constituents to act more like a pyramid.
Some of the largest are funders - who want to see that we're stable, supportable, etc. And are unsure 'who is responsible for what' - and then interpret that as instability. I try and highlight the things that ARE stable - how and when we communicate things like 'who is responsible for what', remain predictable and repeatable, so that things that are commonly markers of stability (read by donors as "fundability") - can be understood as being constantly in conversation/not forgotten/covered. Etc etc. The others are things like forms! You would be surprised how many forms and things you fill out that start with stuff like "this should be completed by the person who makes artistic/HR/marketing etc. decisions for your organization". Often folks are looking for a single point of contact, and it's hard when you have a lot of potential "ins". That said, it also has made us much more accessible to folks - many don't worry if they have "the right person" since they're reaching out to what they understand is a group of artists/administrators.
As a small arts org currently very intentionally embracing the strengths of "wheeliness" it was really great to see someone discuss that hierarchal pyramids aren't the only way to set up an organization - and that while yes, wheels are more complicated and somewhat more fragile, they also work, move well, and enrich the lives and work experiences of those who are part of them in meaningful ways.
Thanks Katherine! So glad to know your team is embracing wheeliness. Curious what pressures (if any) you feel from external constituents to act more like a pyramid.
Some of the largest are funders - who want to see that we're stable, supportable, etc. And are unsure 'who is responsible for what' - and then interpret that as instability. I try and highlight the things that ARE stable - how and when we communicate things like 'who is responsible for what', remain predictable and repeatable, so that things that are commonly markers of stability (read by donors as "fundability") - can be understood as being constantly in conversation/not forgotten/covered. Etc etc. The others are things like forms! You would be surprised how many forms and things you fill out that start with stuff like "this should be completed by the person who makes artistic/HR/marketing etc. decisions for your organization". Often folks are looking for a single point of contact, and it's hard when you have a lot of potential "ins". That said, it also has made us much more accessible to folks - many don't worry if they have "the right person" since they're reaching out to what they understand is a group of artists/administrators.