Three CEOs - Three Sectors - Three Stories of Implementing Sociocracy
1h 25m
Three CEOs experienced in implementing sociocracy share their expertise and wisdom. What surprised them about implementing sociocracy? What modifications, if any, did they make? What recommendations do they have for an organization’s journey to more inclusive leadership? The webinar includes participant questions for the panel.
Two of the companies are in the USA and one is in Australia. They range in size from 10 to 80 employees, and include a manufacturing company, a software company, and a not-for profit natural burial project. One of the CEOs recently retired, one sold the company, and one is overseeing the startup phase.
Our Guests:
Richard Heitfield was CEO of Creative Urethanes, a plastics manufacturing company in Winchester, Virginia, USA, from 1979 to 2018, when he sold the company and retired. Creative Urethanes began using sociocracy in 1988; it was one of the first companies in the U.S. to do so. Richard credits sociocracy with the company continuing to exist through the 2008 financial crisis.
Evan Miller was CEO of Hertzler Systems Inc., a software company in Goshen, Indiana, USA, from 1992 to 2018, when he retired. The company began its journey with sociocracy in 2014. Evan says that adopting sociocracy enabled the company to rapidly adapt and thrive since he left, even in the turmoil of the pandemic. It also made his early retirement possible, since leadership was now dispersed and less dependent on one person (him).
Kevin Hartley is the Founder, Director, and acting CEO of Earth Funerals Project, a natural burial enterprise based in Melbourne, Australia. Kevin, who is considered an authority on natural burials, says that sociocracy is proving itself as his team works to coordinate all the moving parts of this complex, multi-player project.
Webinar facilitator Sheella Mierson, Ph.D., a founding member of The Sociocracy Consulting Group, helps organizations design relationships, processes, and structures for collaboration so that people and the organization can flourish.
Go to Resources to Learn More for contact information for the three CEOs and suggested events and reading materials on the TSCG website.