Self-Organization

New power operates differently, like a current. It is made by many. It is open, participatory, and peer-driven. It uploads, and it distributes. Like water or electricity, it’s most forceful when it surges.

– Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms
New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnectd World–and How to Make It Work for you

At SheEO we preach the gospel of self-organization. Don’t wait to be asked. You get what you give. Don’t wait for permission. Just do it.

Call it karma, “you only get out of it what you put into it”, or the (not-so-secret) secret of success, Activators and Ventures who pick up the self-organization ball and run with it are discovering it has an incredibly positive impact on their businesses, their careers, their connections, their goals, and their personal growth.

For those of you who have already figured this out, fantastic! Keep going! For the rest of you, here’s a primer on how to self-organize like a SheEO to help you get started.

Be a Learn-It-All

We learned this expression from event participant Diane Juhl. A learn-it-all is the opposite of a know-it-all. It’s someone who approaches things with curiosity and an open mind and it’s a great mindset to have as you begin looking for ways to self-organize. Often it’s just as easy as being open.

Don’t Wait to Be Asked – Don’t Wait for Permission

I know we’ve said it once but it’s worth saying again: if you’ve got a great idea, go for it!

If you are passionate about a Venture, reach out directly; you don’t need our permission. Excited and proud about something in the SheEO network you think should be shared with bloggers or on social media? Live out loud and share away! If you want to have more meetups in your community, feel free to organize them.  

Get Inspiration from Other SheEOs

Not sure how to get started? Here are just a few examples (and these really are just a few, the sky’s the limit) of how others are self-organizing for success.

Self-Organize for Business Success

Got a question about your business needs and goals? Post an #Ask in our online community Workplace. Chances are huge that one of the 3000+ radically generous women who make up the SheEO network have an answer. It’s your community and we have our sleeves rolled up, ready to help.

Self-Organize for Personal Growth

A group of Activators in and around the Greater Toronto Area who found each other at a Toronto Activator Meetup have formed a mastermind group called “WeFuel”. Their group gets together once or twice a month and runs monthly “challenges” to support and uplift each other. Previous challenges include rewriting their bios and journaling every day for a month using Slack (an online collaboration tool) to help hold each other accountable. As one WeFuel group member put it, “These are the most meaningful relationships of my adult life.”