In a thought-provoking discussion, Ted Rau, co-founder of Sociocracy for All and expert in consent-based governance, explores innovative ways to empower organizations. He argues against majority rule, emphasizing the value of consent over consensus for long-term collaboration. Ted shares the four pillars of resilient organizations and how to turn brainstorming into actionable steps while embracing uncertainty. He also highlights the essential role of objections in decision-making as opportunities for growth, inviting listeners to rethink power and responsibility in group dynamics.
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Three Forms Of Power
Rau distinguishes power within (filling your role), power over (overstepping), and power under (not using your power).
Missing a clean interface from someone who underuses power burdens the whole group.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Define Who Decides What
Identify who decides what and how you decide, then distribute decision domains into circles with clear authority.
Treat the distribution like an irrigation system that spreads power where work happens.
insights INSIGHT
Circles As Final Decision Makers
In sociocracy, circles are final decision makers within their domains instead of mere advisory committees.
Linking circles with members in both ensures alignment and prevents one circle from harming another.
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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)
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Katherine’s LinkedIn page
Center for Callings & Courage
Conflict Decoded Podcast 
