Here are the power dynamics I’m striving for in a “decentralised organisation”:

1. Maximise power-from-within: everyone feels empowered; they are confident to speak up, knowing their voice matters; good ideas can come from anywhere; people play to their strengths; creativity is celebrated; growth is encouraged; anyone can lead some of the time.

2. Make power-with transparent: we’re honest about who has influence; pathways to social power are clearly signposted; influential roles are distributed and rotated; the formal org chart maps closely to the informal influence network.

3. Minimise power-over: one person cannot force another to do something; we are sensitive to coercion; any restrictions on behaviour are developed with a collective mandate.

For platforms, the idea is simple: use company revenue to fund a Universal Creative Income program for emerging creators on the platform. For instance, companies like Facebook or YouTube could carve out a fund to support creators on the platform and send them a monthly check to cover basic living expenses, regardless of skill, training, or background. UCI differs from most prevailing platform creator funds in terms of consistency of payments, transparency of eligibility criteria, and focus on smaller emerging creators. To the last point: we believe focusing on creators who are in the greatest financial need would create the largest impact on participation in the creator economy. 

Can hierarchies be useful? Can hierarchies be oppressive?

Hierarchies can be oppressive when they are unacknowledged and when people abuse their power, taking advantage of, manipulating, or neglecting their group members. Some hierarchies can be productive, if people who take on specific tasks on behalf of the group can be held accountable by their group members. For example, if one group member has been part of a specific community or project and is bringing other collaborators in from outside, it may be helpful to have the person who has been involved with the community prior to the collaborative process, to guide or lead the group. Hierarchy doesn’t mean one person has all the say; it can simply mean acknowledging and trusting the different sets of skills and expertise each collaborator brings to the table and trusting group members to fulfill their roles in the group.