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swarms

Decentralization: A Brave Structure

We have just enough organization to get the job done

Every organization, whether it is centralized or decentralized, has a structure. Structures make the organization usable and active. Think of a structure as the “skeleton”: without the skeleton in your body, you would not have shape, mobility, or strength.

Bravery arises in part from observed success. Because you have seen others accomplish something, you are more willing to attempt it on your own: particularly if you have someone who can help you do it.

A brave structure is neither timid nor reckless. Humans must balance safety with speed. Those that are too safe are typically immobile: they never do anything. Those that are too mobile, too fast, too reckless can be easily destroyed.

A brave structure is neither nebulous nor rigid. It is defined enough to be seen, understood and functional. It must be flexible enough to adapt to the environment, yet stable enough not to change just for the fun of it. It must be cheap enough to be sustained with the resources the swarm has access to, yet have the capacity to gather, sort and use resources. It must be fixed enough to be findable, yet mobile enough to move if required (because structures that are threatened yet cannot move will die).

In most swarms, the structure has more to do with connections, times and locations of action, and how meetings are facilitated and people are connected, then about rank, titles, or purchased possessions like buildings or tools.

Most swarms are created first by organizing large numbers of small groups, each of which have 7 to 12 people, and each of which share a common purpose. These groups are later linked together in larger swarms to share information. However, in a swarm the responsibility and decision to act always lies with the individual group. Larger networks are not for command-or-control. Authority often instead flows from the promise up to the individual and group and through them to the wider swarm—not top down.

No one was rewarded for doing what was easy. Doing what is easy is unremarkable. Everyone does what is easy. People—and companies—are rewarded for overcoming their fear. For taking risks.
For being remarkable.
Cam Beck, ChaosScenario.com…

Case studies
• The environmental movement uses small groups of protestors linked together to disrupt governmental meetings.

Journal it
• What are the basic processes required to promote the promise and recruit your initial members? Do you need to build more at first?
• What relationships and hubs (see “Connected”) will you need? What structure is required to recruit and maintain these?
• What structures are needed to maintain connections and communication between the members of the swarm?
• What structures are required to enable the swarm to “go active,” to switch from information into activity?

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© 2008 Momentum Magazine.
Related: The Mission Manual · Justin Long's Annotated Links and Notes