Teal Organizations: A Better Way to Organize Work | Matthew Spaur

Most organizations are built around hierarchy, clear reporting lines, and top-down control. But a growing number are experimenting with a different way of organizing work through self-management, distributed authority, and evolving purpose. As more organizations experiment with alternatives to traditional management, Matthew Spaur has spent years studying Teal organizations and what actually happens when hierarchy gives way to self-management.

In this episode, Dart and Matthew discuss what Teal really is, how self-managing organizations operate, and whether these post-bureaucratic management models are delivering on their promise.

Matthew Spaur is a marketing consultant, author, and researcher who studies self-managing organizations and emerging models of work. He is a co-author of the annual Teal Landscape Report, which tracks organizations experimenting with post-bureaucratic management.

In this episode, Dart and Matthew discuss:
- Beyond bureaucracy
- What Teal organizations really are
- Predict and control vs. sense and respond
- Roles instead of job descriptions
- Leadership without traditional bosses
- Bringing your whole self to work
- Organizations with an evolving purpose
- Are these models actually working?
- AI and the future of management
- And other topics…

Matthew Spaur is a marketing consultant, author, and researcher focused on emerging models of organization and management. He is a co-author of the annual Teal Landscape Report, a global study of organizations experimenting with self-management and other post-bureaucratic management practices. Through his consulting work, Matthew helps organizations communicate their ideas, adapt to change, and rethink how work is organized.

Resources Mentioned:
Reinventing Organizations, by Frederic Laloux: https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Organizations-Creating-Inspired-Consciousness/dp/2960133501
Holacracy: The New Management System for a Rapidly Changing World, by Brian J. Robertson: https://www.amazon.com/Holacracy-Management-System-Rapidly-Changing/dp/162779428X

Connect with Matthew:
Official website: https://matthewspaur.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewspaur/

Work with Dart:
Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.