Holacracy & sociocracy in Nestr: frameworks & best practices

Nestr is built to support multiple self-organisation frameworks. Whether you practice Holacracy, Sociocracy, Sociocracy 3.0, or a custom approach, Nestr adapts to your governance rules.

Choosing your framework

When setting up your workspace, a workspace admin chooses the governance model in Workspace settings → Applications under the Self Organisation app:

• Holacracy — follows Holacracy constitution rules for governance and tactical meetings.
• Sociocracy — follows sociocratic principles with consent-based decision making.
• Custom — flexible setup that lets you pick and choose practices.

Holacracy in Nestr

Governance meetings

Nestr's governance meetings follow the Holacracy facilitation process:

1. Check-in — opening round.
2. Process agenda — each tension is processed through: proposal presentation → clarifying questions → reactions → objections → integration.
3. Reflect — closing round.

Tactical meetings

Holacracy tactical meetings include: check-in → checklist review → metrics review → project updates → tension processing → closing.

Elections

Electable roles (Facilitator, Secretary, Rep Link) can be filled through the Hold election option in a governance proposal. The election follows the IDM (Integrative Decision Making) process.

Core governance roles

Each circle automatically gets: Circle Lead, Facilitator, Secretary, and Rep Link. These follow the Holacracy constitution definitions.

Sociocracy in Nestr

Consent-based decisions

When Sociocracy is selected, governance proposals use a consent process: the proposal is shared, members can raise objections (not just disagreements — reasoned objections that the proposal would cause harm), and the group integrates objections until consent is reached.

Asynchronous consent

For proposals that don't need a meeting, use Propose now to run an asynchronous consent round. Each circle member responds with "No objections" or "Escalate to meeting". See Tensions & governance proposals for details.

Rounds

Sociocratic rounds (speaking in turn) are supported through the check-in and reflection tabs in meetings.

Delegate circles

A delegate circle brings together representatives from multiple circles. To set one up in Nestr:

1. Create a new circle (the delegate circle).
2. Assign the Rep Link from each participating circle as a role filler in the delegate circle.
3. The delegate circle operates with its own governance and meetings.

Preventing changes outside governance

In workspaces with governance enabled, structural changes (new roles, modified accountabilities, etc.) are routed through the governance proposal process. Non-admin users will see "Create proposal" instead of direct creation buttons, ensuring changes go through the consent process.

[SCREENSHOT #4]

Further reading

• Structure and governance in Nestr
• Running meetings in Nestr
• Tensions & governance proposals