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Self-Organization

Holacracy Meetings FAQ: The Most Common Questions

Answers to the most common questions about meetings in Holacracy: frequency, duration, roles, remote work, and more.

Published on: January 26, 2026 by SI Labs

The questions everyone asks. After more than ten years of Holacracy practice at SI Labs, we’ve heard hundreds of meeting questions. Here are the most common – with direct answers.

Basics

What’s the difference between Tactical and Governance?

Tactical Meetings coordinate operational work: projects, actions, information. They use existing structure.

Governance Meetings change structure: roles, accountabilities, domains, policies. They change the rules.

How often should we have meetings?

Tactical: Weekly is standard. More frequent with high interdependence, every two weeks possible for well-established teams.

Governance: Weekly during introduction phase, then every 2-4 weeks, monthly in mature organizations.

How long should meetings be?

Tactical: 30-60 minutes. For teams under 5 people, 30 minutes is often enough.

Governance: 60-120 minutes, depending on number of proposals.

Who attends which meeting?

Tactical: All Circle members (roles in the Circle).

Governance: All Circle members + Rep Link from Sub-Circles.

Can I attend a meeting if I’m not in the Circle?

As a guest, yes – if the Facilitator or Secretary allows it. Guests can observe and contribute to questions but cannot raise objections.

Roles

What does the Facilitator do?

The Facilitator protects the process:

Guides through meeting phases
Interrupts discussions
Helps find outputs
Maintains focus

What does the Secretary do?

The Secretary documents outputs:

Leads through checklists and metrics
Builds the agenda
Notes projects, actions, Governance changes

Can I hold both roles?

In small Circles yes, but it’s demanding. Better: Split roles or rotate.

Do I have to be Facilitator even if I don’t want to?

The role is assigned in Governance. If you don’t want it, bring a tension and find another solution.

Tactical Meetings

What do I do if I have no tensions?

Nothing. Not everyone needs to bring tensions every time. That’s okay.

What is a “tension”?

The difference between what is and what could be. It’s not a complaint, but a signal for improvement potential.

How long should a triage item take?

2-4 minutes on average. Complex topics can take longer, but the Facilitator should ask at 5+ minutes: “Do you need a separate meeting?”

What do I do if triage never finishes?

Three options:

Extend meeting time
Increase meeting frequency
Check if topics really belong in meeting (vs. asynchronous)

Can I solve a Governance tension in Tactical?

No. Structural questions belong in Governance. In Tactical: “Do you want to note that for Governance?” and move on.

Governance Meetings

What is a valid objection?

An objection is valid if:

It describes harm to one of your roles
The harm is caused by the proposal (not by failure to agree)
The harm doesn’t already exist (otherwise it’s a separate topic)

Can I withdraw an objection?

Yes, anytime. If you recognize your objection isn’t valid, you can say: “I withdraw my objection.”

What happens if a proposal doesn’t pass?

The proposal is not adopted. The proposer can:

Adjust the proposal and resubmit
Drop the topic
Have further conversations outside the meeting

How many proposals per meeting is normal?

3-5 in a typical 60-90-minute meeting. Complex proposals need more time.

Yes, that’s actually recommended. Asynchronous preparation saves meeting time.

Remote Meetings

Does Holacracy work remotely?

Yes. Both meeting types work remotely. But they need more structure and discipline.

Video on or off?

On – at least for check-in, check-out, and triage. Visual connection helps.

What tools do we need?

Minimum:

Video conferencing (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
Holacracy software or shared document for outputs

Recommended:

GlassFrog, Holaspirit or similar for Governance records
Project tool (Asana, Notion) for projects and actions

How do I handle timezone differences?

Schedule meetings at times that work for everyone
Maximize asynchronous preparation
For large differences: Rotating times or separate regional Circles

Practical Questions

What do I do with technical problems (remote)?

Audio/video problem: Wait briefly, then continue without that person
Tool outage: Have a backup plan (e.g., phone conference)
Internet outage for one participant: Continue without, update afterward

Can I eat during the meeting?

Technically yes, but it disrupts focus (yours and others’). Better: Snacks beforehand, take a break if needed.

What do I do if someone is constantly late?

That’s a tension. You can:

Address it in Tactical (request)
Propose a policy (Governance)
Have a direct conversation (one-on-one)

Do meetings always have to happen?

Yes. The rhythm is important. If there’s little to discuss: Short meeting (15-20 minutes) instead of cancellation.

Can I leave meetings if I can’t contribute?

In Holacracy: Yes, after the project phase, if you have no triage topics. But ask the Facilitator first.

Advanced Questions

What if we have no tensions but still have problems?

Formulating tensions is a skill. Often there are problems that haven’t been articulated as tensions yet. Ask: “What would need to be different for things to be better?”

Can we combine Holacracy meetings with other formats?

Yes:

Retrospectives for reflection
Strategy meetings for direction
One-on-ones for personal development

How long until meetings run well?

From experience:

1-3 months: Basic process is learned
6-12 months: Meetings become more efficient
12+ months: Meetings become routinely productive

Research Insight: The largest empirical study on Holacracy implementations (Pfister et al., 2021) confirms this learning curve. The researchers found that organizations take different paths into self-organization, but all go through an adjustment phase: “The transformation brings with it various challenges, especially for employees and teams that need to be resolved, so organizations can realize their potential.” [3]

Research Insight: Qualitative research at Mercedes-Benz.io shows that Holacracy meetings become more efficient over time: Decision-making processes become faster, but also more demanding for all participants. Velinov et al. (2021) emphasize: “Agile principles can be embedded in the organizational structure, a strong contrast to conventional management design.” [4]

Where can I find more information?

Research Methodology

This FAQ article is based on frequently asked questions from our Holacracy practice, the Holacracy community, and empirical research.

Source selection:

Frequently asked questions at SI Labs
Holacracy forums and community discussions
Empirical studies on Holacracy implementation (Pfister, Velinov)
Holacracy training materials

Disclosure

SI Labs GmbH has practiced Holacracy for over ten years. The answers are based on our experience.

Sources

[1] Robertson, Brian J. Holacracy: The New Management System for a Rapidly Changing World. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2015. ISBN: 978-1627794879 [Practice Guide | N/A | Citations: 523 | Quality: 55/100]

[2] HolacracyOne. “Holacracy Constitution v5.0.” https://www.holacracy.org/constitution [Primary Source | Constitution | Quality: 60/100]

[3] Pfister, Susanne, and Thomas Nesper. “Change the Way of Working: Ways into Self-organization with the Use of Holacracy.” European Management Review 18, no. 4 (2021): 405-420. DOI: 10.1111/emre.12457 [Field Research | n=43 Interviews | Citations: 43 | Quality: 78/100]

[4] Velinov, Emil, Iveta Malachovská, and Petr Mašín. “How Mercedes-Benz Addresses Digital Transformation Using Holacracy.” Journal of Organizational Change Management 34, no. 5 (2021): 1078-1091. DOI: 10.1108/jocm-12-2020-0395 [Case Study | Qualitative Interviews | Citations: 23 | Quality: 75/100]

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