Role Mapping in Holacracy: Converting Jobs to Roles

Role mapping is the process of translating your organization’s existing activities into Holacracy roles. It’s one of the most challenging steps in Holacracy implementation because it questions fundamental assumptions about work: Who does what? Who gets to decide what? Who owns what?

The most common mistake: simply converting job titles into roles. The “Marketing Manager” becomes the role “Marketing Manager.” This doesn’t work. A job is not the same as a role. Jobs are built around people; roles are built around work. A person typically has one job but fills multiple roles.

Why Jobs Aren’t Roles

In traditional organizations, jobs describe:

• Status and position (“Senior”, “Manager”, “Director”)
• Department affiliation (“Marketing Manager”)
• Career levels (“Associate”, “Principal”)
• Contractual relationships (full-time, permanent)

In Holacracy, roles describe:

• Purpose: Why does this role exist?
• Accountabilities: What recurring activities does it perform?
• Domains: What does it have exclusive control over?

Research Insight: An empirical study with 43 qualitative interviews in Swiss holacratic organizations shows: The transition from job-based to role-based work is one of the greatest challenges of the transformation. The study identified that employees often struggle to translate their work into clearly defined accountabilities because traditional job descriptions obscure tacit knowledge and informal responsibilities. [1]

Example: The “Marketing Manager”

Traditional Job Description:

Responsible for all marketing activities. Leads a team of 3. Reports to the CEO.

Problem: This description says nothing concrete. What exactly does this person do every day? What decisions do they make alone?

After role mapping, these roles might emerge:

Role: Newsletter Manager

• Purpose: Keep customers informed about news
• Accountabilities: Create and send monthly newsletter, maintain mailing list
• Domain: Newsletter distribution list, newsletter design

Role: Website Content

• Purpose: Current and relevant website content
• Accountabilities: Write blog articles, update landing pages
• Domain: Website copy (except legal text)

Role: Marketing Analytics

• Purpose: Make marketing decisions data-driven
• Accountabilities: Track campaign performance, create monthly reports
• Domain: Marketing dashboard, tracking tools

Role: Marketing Lead Link (in the Marketing circle)

• Purpose: Optimally allocate marketing resources
• Accountabilities: Set priorities in the marketing circle, assign roles

The original “Marketing Manager” might hold all these roles. But now it’s clear what each role contains, and others can take on individual roles when it makes sense.

The Role Mapping Process

Step 1: Preparation (individual, 1-2 hours per person)

Each employee answers for themselves:

Question 1: What do I do regularly? List all recurring activities. Not what’s in your job description, but what you actually do.

• Weekly: …
• Monthly: …
• Quarterly: …
• On specific occasions: …

Question 2: What decisions do I make? Where do you decide on your own without asking?

• “I decide alone about: …”
• “I’m asked about: …”

Question 3: What belongs to me? Which resources, systems, or outputs do you control exclusively?

• Tools: …
• Budgets: …
• Documents: …
• Systems: …

Question 4: What am I contacted about? What do colleagues come to you for?

• “Colleagues ask me about: …”
• “I’m the go-to person for: …”

Step 2: Collecting Activities (Workshop, 2-3 hours)

Materials: Post-its, large wall or digital whiteboard

Process:

1. Everyone writes their activities on post-its (one activity per post-it)
2. All post-its go on the wall
3. No discussion, just collecting
4. Duplicates are OK, they show overlaps

Tips:

• Formulate activities specifically: “Send newsletter” not “Do marketing”
• Use verbs: “Create”, “Review”, “Decide”, “Communicate”
• No project names: Projects aren’t roles

Step 3: Clustering (Workshop, 2 hours)

Goal: Group similar activities. Each cluster becomes a potential role.

Process:

1. Move similar post-its together as a group
2. Find a preliminary name for each cluster
3. Check: Does this cluster have a common purpose?
4. Split clusters that are too large, merge those that are too small

Guiding Questions:

• “If we had someone new doing only these activities, what would their mission be?”
• “Are these activities connected by content or just coincidentally done by one person?”
• “Could another person take on these activities individually?”

Step 4: Defining Roles (Workshop, 3-4 hours)

For each cluster, formulate a role:

Purpose: One sentence describing why this role exists.

• Format: “[Target state] for [beneficiary]”
• Example: “Customers informed about relevant developments” (Newsletter)

Accountabilities: Recurring activities that the role continuously performs.

• Format: Verb + object, optionally + condition
• Example: “Create monthly newsletter and send to distribution list”
• Maximum 5-7 per role (if more, split the role)

Domains: Resources or areas over which the role has exclusive control.

• Format: Noun or noun phrase
• Example: “Newsletter distribution list”, “Marketing budget under $5,000”

Research Insight: Studies on implementing self-organized structures show that clear domain definitions are crucial for avoiding conflicts. Unclear domains lead to repeated governance discussions about the same topics. The effort to cleanly define domains during initial mapping saves significant time in later governance meetings. [2]

Step 5: Assigning (Workshop, 1-2 hours)

Roles are assigned to people:

Principles:

• One person can have multiple roles
• One role can (theoretically) have multiple people
• Assignment is based on current capability and capacity
• Roles aren’t given “forever”

Process:

1. Go through roles one by one
2. Ask: “Who can best fill this role today?”
3. Seek consensus, don’t vote
4. When unclear: Lead Link decides

Typical Cases:

• Role has clear candidate: Assign immediately
• Multiple candidates: Discuss criteria (capacity, expertise, interest)
• Nobody wants the role: Assign anyway. Governance can adjust later.
• Role is new (doesn’t exist yet): Leave unfilled or Lead Link takes it temporarily

Step 6: Documenting

The result must be documented accessibly for everyone:

Options:

• GlassFrog (Holacracy-specific tool)
• Holaspirit (alternative)
• Notion, Confluence, or similar wiki tools
• At minimum: Google Sheets / Excel

Important:

• Each role has a unique name
• Purpose, Accountabilities, Domains are complete
• Current role holder is visible
• Change history is maintained

Workshop Formats

Format A: Intensive Workshop (1 day)

For: Small teams (5-15 people) that want to transition quickly

Agenda:

• 09:00-09:30: Check-in, explain goals
• 09:30-11:00: Collect activities
• 11:00-11:15: Break
• 11:15-13:00: Cluster
• 13:00-14:00: Lunch break
• 14:00-16:30: Define roles
• 16:30-16:45: Break
• 16:45-17:30: Assign
• 17:30-18:00: Documentation, next steps

Advantages: Fast, shared energy Disadvantages: Exhausting, little time for reflection

Format B: Distributed (3 x 3 hours)

For: Larger teams or when a full day isn’t possible

Session 1 (Day 1):

• Explain preparation, collect activities

Session 2 (Day 2 or 3):

• Cluster, first role definitions

Session 3 (Day 4 or 5):

• Finalize roles, assign, document

Advantages: Time to think between sessions Disadvantages: Momentum can be lost

Format C: Iterative (for larger organizations)

For: Organizations with multiple departments/teams

Process:

1. Pilot team does complete mapping
2. Learnings are extracted
3. Other teams follow with adjusted process
4. Cross-circle roles are aligned at the end

Advantages: Learning possible, less risk Disadvantages: Takes longer, pilot team bears learning costs

Common Mapping Mistakes

Mistake 1: Job Titles as Role Names

Symptom: The role is named like the old job: “Marketing Manager”, “HR Director”

Problem: Old hierarchies and status thinking are perpetuated

Solution: Role names describe the work, not the person: “Newsletter Editor”, “Recruiting Coordinator”, “Finance Reporting”

Mistake 2: Too Many Roles

Symptom: 50 roles for a team of 10 people

Problem: Overwhelming, nobody knows all the roles

Solution: Start with fewer roles (3-5 per person). Refine through governance.

Mistake 3: Accountabilities Too Vague

Symptom: “Take care of marketing”, “Maintain website”

Problem: Unclear what concretely needs to be done

Solution: Formulate specifically: “Create and send monthly newsletter”, “Update website copy when products change”

Mistake 4: Forgotten Domains

Symptom: Only Purpose and Accountabilities, no Domains

Problem: Nobody knows who gets to decide what

Solution: Ask for each role: “What does this role have sole control over?”

Mistake 5: Projects as Roles

Symptom: “Project Alpha Team Lead” as a role

Problem: Roles describe recurring work. Projects are time-limited.

Solution: Identify the recurring work behind the project. “Project Alpha Lead” might become “Product Development Coordination”

Mistake 6: Ignoring Implicit Activities

Symptom: The mapping captures only official responsibilities

Problem: Much work happens informally and isn’t captured

Solution: Ask: “What do you do that’s not in any job description?”

Special Cases

Mapping Managers

Managers in traditional organizations often have diffuse responsibility: “Leads the team”, “Is responsible for the area”. These descriptions must be resolved.

Typical roles for former managers:

• Lead Link (in the corresponding circle)
• Technical roles (the operational work they also do)
• Area-specific roles (budget responsibility, personnel planning)

Important: The Lead Link in Holacracy is not a manager in the traditional sense. They assign roles and set priorities, but they have no direct authority to command.

Shared Roles

Sometimes a role should be performed by multiple people:

Option A: Copy of the role Two identical roles with different holders.

• Example: “Support Agent” is held by 3 people
• Advantage: Clear who does what
• Disadvantage: Coordination between roles needed

Option B: Focused roles The role is split by specialization.

• Example: “Support Agent DACH”, “Support Agent International”
• Advantage: Clear delineation
• Disadvantage: More roles to manage

Cross-functional Activities

Some activities don’t fit clearly into any circle:

Solution 1: Role in the parent circle The role sits in the Anchor Circle or another parent circle.

Solution 2: Cross-Links A role that operates in multiple circles with explicit connection.

Temporary Work

Seasonal or project-related work:

For seasonal work: Create the role normally. It’s just only active when relevant.

For projects: Don’t create a role. Projects are managed in tactical meetings, not through roles.

Research Insights on Role Design

Design Principles for Flatter Structures

Research on organizational design provides important guidelines for role mapping [3]:

Key Finding: “Systematically thinking through classic organizational design questions to shape a custom-tailored design is more promising than adopting any fashionable management approach wholesale.”

Implications for Role Mapping:

• Don’t blindly copy role structures from other organizations
• Analyze your specific work and dependencies
• The initial mapping doesn’t need to be perfect – it needs to be good enough to start

Design Questions for Each Potential Role:

1. What decision rights does this role need?
2. What coordination mechanisms does it need?
3. How will conflicts with other roles be resolved?

Conflict Avoidance Through Role Design

A theoretical analysis in the Strategic Management Journal shows how role structures can minimize conflicts [4]:

Two Levers for Low-Conflict Roles:

1. Self-managing roles: Define roles so they produce few conflicts requiring external resolution
2. Self-contained roles: Define roles so they generate few conflicts between themselves

Practical Consequence for Role Mapping:

• Clear domains are more important than comprehensive accountabilities
• The cleaner the boundaries, the less governance overhead later
• Avoid domain overlaps, even if it means more roles

Templates

Template: Role Profile

Role: [Name]
Circle: [Associated circle]

Purpose:
[One sentence: Why does this role exist?]

Accountabilities:
- [Verb] + [Object], [Condition if relevant]
- ...

Domains:
- [Resource/area over which the role has exclusive control]
- ...

Role Holder: [Person's name]
As of: [Date]

Template: Activity Collection

Name: [Your name]
Current Job: [Job title]

Recurring Activities:
1. [Activity] - [Frequency: daily/weekly/monthly]
2. ...

Decisions I make alone:
1. [Decision]
2. ...

Resources I control:
1. [Resource/Tool/Budget]
2. ...

What I'm asked about:
1. [Topic]
2. ...

After the Initial Mapping

The initial mapping is the starting point, not the destination. Roles will change:

First Governance Round

After the initial mapping, a governance meeting should take place within 2-4 weeks:

• Correct obvious errors
• Add missing roles
• Clarify unclear accountabilities
• Process first tensions

Ongoing Evolution

Roles aren’t set in stone. They evolve through governance:

• New accountabilities are added when new work emerges
• Domains are adjusted when conflicts occur
• Roles are split when they become too large
• Roles are merged when they become too small

Role evolution is a natural part of Holacracy.

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Research Methodology

This article synthesizes insights from a research database of 655+ academic papers on Holacracy and self-organization (2012-2025). Studies were selected based on:

• Methodological rigor: Empirical studies with clear methodology preferred
• Implementation focus: Studies on implementation processes and job redesign prioritized
• Practical relevance: Case studies and application-oriented research included

Database queries:

./scripts/research/paper-search.sh "role mapping job design self-management" --contextual
./scripts/research/paper-search.sh "holacracy implementation" --contextual

Limitations: Academic literature on specific mapping methods is limited. Our recommendations rely heavily on practical experience.

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Disclosure

SI Labs has practiced Holacracy since 2015 and conducts role mapping workshops as part of our consulting services. This experience informs our methods but may also lead to bias.

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Sources

[1] Pfister, Andres, Markus A. Fehn, and Gian-Claudio Gentile. “Change the Way of Working. Ways into Self-Organization with the Use of Holacracy: An Empirical Investigation.” European Management Review 18, no. 4 (2021): 367-380. DOI: 10.1111/emre.12457 [Empirical Study | N=43 Interviews | Citations: 43 | Quality: 67/100]

[2] Martela, Frank. “Managers Matter Less Than We Think: How Can Organizations Function Without Any Middle Management?” Journal of Organization Design 11 (2022): 7-20. DOI: 10.1007/s41469-022-00133-7 [Concept Paper | Self-Organization | Citations: 13 | Quality: 72/100]

[3] Reitzig, Markus G., and Boris Maciejovsky. “How to Get Better at Flatter: A Guide to Shaping and Leading Organizations with Fewer Hierarchical Levels.” Journal of Organization Design 11 (2022): 5-18. DOI: 10.1007/s41469-022-00109-7 [Research Article | Organizational Design | Citations: 24 | Quality: 75/100]

[4] Reitzig, Markus, and Stefan Wagner. “Scaling Nonhierarchically.” Strategic Management Journal 44, no. 6 (2023): 1489-1517. DOI: 10.1002/smj.3541 [Theoretical Analysis | Scaling | Citations: 6 | Quality: 71/100]