What happens when a co-founder leaves an organisation like In-Situ?

What happens when a co-founder leaves an organisation like In-Situ?

Paul Hartley is leaving, and we're exploring what this means for us, when we have a 'fluid structure' and consensus decision making.

As many of you will know; we’re a pretty unique organisation; building a way of team working that shares power and sees leadership as fluid. We have equal pay, no Director, consensus decision making and we are intentionally building diversity and equity amongst the team which brings many interesting challenges.We have always worked with non-hierarchical aims, and in recent years have started to consolidate what this looks like, which we now refer to as our ‘fluid structure’. Our way of working draws on models of consensus, sociocracy and fluid leadership, as well as our action learning around what it means to create equitable working conditions for a diverse team to genuinely share leadership.


​ Our approach allows different team members to lead on particular ideas and projects, working with people’s strengths and interests to allow the team as a whole to operate within a consensus decision-making model.
That said, Paul often been seen externally as the face of the organisation, attending council and partner meetings and holding many key stakeholder relationships.

He's recently taken the decision to transition from being part of the team and board, to working on a reduced freelance-basis with In-Situ from the end of June onwards. You’ll still see him around Pendle, doing different roles including facilitating Talkaoke (the pop-up talk show where participants lead the conversation around topical issues).

In-Situ- will continue to evolve ways of working, with current team members  running and developing the organisation collectively.

It’s affirming to know that the work we’ve always been involved in, in decentralising power and enabling everyone to have a powerful voice, has strengthened and solidified, enabling this progress of me stepping away to become just part of the continual process of renewal and growth and emergence of In-Situ as the organisation continues to explore and develop. Let's see what happens next!