In the rapidly shifting terrain of organisational management, debates around structure have become increasingly prominent. On one side, there are proponents of trendy frameworks like Holacracy, which advocate for flat, self-organising teams with distributed authority.

On the other hand, traditional hierarchical structures still hold sway, promising clarity and stability in decision-making. Yet, the real challenge facing organisations today isn't about choosing between hierarchy and flat structures.

I propose a holistic approach to enabling organisations to operate in increasing complexity and uncertainty, allowing them to be self-organising, self-regulating, and adaptable. This holistic approach looks to develop a synergy between the Viable Systems Model (VSM), the principles of Misson Command and a culture of decentralised decision-making.

How can organisations effectively balance the needs of the present with preparing for the future?

The Viability Challenge: Balancing Present and Future, Inside and Outside. For any organisation to be viable over the long term, it must strike a careful balance. It needs to meet the demands and realities of the present while also adapting and evolving for the future. It must optimise internal operations while responding to the external environment. Stafford Beer, a pioneer in management cybernetics, emphasised that for systems to be viable, they must be "self-organising, self-regulating, and capable of adapting to ensure long-term sustainability and effectiveness."