These agreements help participants communicate in unambiguous terms, and guide them to apply their in-depth knowledge of the workings of the organization in a rational manner rather than just lobby for personal gain. In this way, Structural Cybernetics provides a systematic basis for participative design, facilitating healthy contributions from everyone while avoiding political contests. In fact, it is just the opposite. It allows those who must live within the organization to design it, and in the process, understand it as a dynamic system. In a series of carefully orchestrated workshops, people not only create a new organization chart, but they also design a new culture and a new way of doing business.
Healthy contributions depend on people being open and objective.
Some guarantees are necessary to build a safe environment conducive to open participation, and to elicit the maximum commitment to the new organization. No one will lose their job as a result of restructuring. If job losses are blamed on the new structure, the new organization will be resented and not seen as a positive change leading to a healthy work environment for those who remain. No one will be forced to relocate as a result of restructuring. The facilitators teach participants the language and principles of Structural Cybernetics, and then allow participants a forum for testing and adapting it.