The Secretary Role in Holacracy: Complete Guide

The Secretary role is one of the elected roles in Holacracy and serves as the guardian of governance records. While the Facilitator guards the process, the Secretary guards the outcomes. Without accurate records, no one knows which roles exist, who has which accountabilities, and which policies apply. The Secretary role makes governance real.

At SI Labs, we’ve refined the Secretary role over the years. We’ve learned what makes good documentation and which mistakes typically occur. This article shares that knowledge.

What Is the Secretary Role?

The Secretary role is one of the three elected roles in every Holacracy circle, alongside the Lead Link and the Facilitator. It’s not an administrative assistant—it’s a governance role with its own authority.

Core functions:

• Maintain and update governance records
• Schedule governance meetings (on request)
• Ensure constitutional compliance of records
• Serve as point of contact for governance questions

What the Secretary role is NOT:

• Assistant for the Lead Link
• Minute-taker for all meetings
• Administrator for operational tasks

Research Insight: A study on self-organized teams shows that clear documentation is a critical success factor for distributed authority. Without accessible, current records, role holders cannot effectively use their authority. [1]

Responsibilities (Accountabilities) in Detail

The Holacracy Constitution defines specific accountabilities for the Secretary role:

1. Maintain Governance Records

The Secretary role documents all governance outcomes of the circle:

• Roles (Name, Purpose, Domains, Accountabilities)
• Sub-circles and their structure
• Policies of the circle
• Elected roles (Facilitator, Secretary, Rep Link)

Practically this means:

• After every governance meeting, enter the changes
• Ensure all decisions are correctly documented
• Format records so they’re easily findable

2. Schedule Governance Meetings

At the request of a circle member, the Secretary role must schedule a governance meeting. This means:

• Coordinate timing
• Send invitation
• Ensure at least 24 hours notice

The Secretary role doesn’t decide IF a meeting happens—it only organizes WHEN.

3. Publish Meeting Outcomes

After every governance meeting, outcomes must be published promptly. Typically:

• Within 24 hours after the meeting
• In a system accessible to all
• With clear indication of what changed

4. Interpret Constitutional Compliance

The Secretary role interprets the Holacracy Constitution in cases of ambiguity. When someone asks “Can a role do that?”, the Secretary role is the first point of contact.

Important: The Secretary role interprets the constitution but doesn’t create new rules. In real conflicts, the constitution itself ultimately decides.

Domains of the Secretary Role

The Secretary role has exclusive control over:

1. Governance Records of the Circle

No one else may modify the official records. If someone finds an error, they report it to the Secretary role, which makes the correction.

2. Meeting Scheduling for Governance

The Secretary role sets dates for regular and ad-hoc governance meetings.

Before the Meeting: Preparation

Preparation determines meeting quality.

1. Have Current Records Ready

Ensure current governance records are accessible to all participants. No one should have to ask in the meeting: “What accountabilities does the role actually have?“

2. Check Agenda Channel

If your organization uses prepared proposals, check the governance channel before the meeting:

• Which proposals were submitted?
• Are there complex topics that need more time?
• Are the proposals clearly formulated?

3. Prepare Tools

Have your documentation tools ready:

• Governance system (GlassFrog, Holaspirit, Notion, etc.)
• Notes tool for the meeting
• Access to screen sharing (for remote meetings)

4. Coordinate Timeframe

Coordinate with the Facilitator:

• How long is the meeting planned?
• Are there agenda items that should be prioritized?

During the Meeting: Documentation

In the Agenda Phase

Note all agenda items with the names of the proposers. A typical note:

Agenda:
1. "Marketing role" - Maria
2. "Website domain" - Thomas
3. "Vacation policy" - Stefan

During Proposal Processing

For each processed proposal, document:

• The tension (briefly)
• The original proposal
• Amendments through Amend & Clarify
• Integrations after objections
• The final outcome

Example documentation:

Agenda Item 1: "Marketing role" (Maria)

Tension: No one takes care of social media

Original Proposal:
- Create "Social Media Manager" role
- Accountability: "Publish posts on LinkedIn"

Integration after objection (Thomas):
- Accountability expanded: "Publish posts on LinkedIn,
  after alignment with Brand Guidelines"

OUTCOME: ADOPTED
- New role: "Social Media Manager"
- Accountability: "Publish posts on LinkedIn,
  after alignment with Brand Guidelines"

For Non-Adoption

Also document when a proposal was not adopted and why:

Agenda Item 2: "Website domain" (Thomas)

Tension: Ambiguity about website responsibility

Proposal: Domain "Website" to Marketing role

OUTCOME: WITHDRAWN
Reason: Proposer withdraws proposal after reaction round

What You DON’T Need to Document

• Who said what in the reaction round
• Details of discussions
• Invalid objections

Records document outcomes, not the process.

Research Insight: Research shows that overly detailed meeting protocols are rarely read. Focused outcome documentation increases actual use of records. [2]

After the Meeting: Publication

1. Update Records

Transfer all changes to the official governance system:

• Create new roles
• Update accountabilities
• Enter policies
• Remove deleted elements

2. Communicate Changes

Inform affected circle members about relevant changes:

• New accountabilities for existing roles
• New policies that affect everyone
• Structural changes in the circle

3. Publish Records

Ensure updated records are accessible to all. For distributed teams: Publish a changelog or summary of changes.

4. Maintain Archive

Governance changes should be traceable. Maintain an archive with:

• Date of change
• Type of change
• Governance meeting where decided

Tools: GlassFrog, Holaspirit, Notion

GlassFrog

Advantages:

• Official Holacracy tool from HolacracyOne
• Complete constitutional compliance
• Integrated project management features
• Mobile app available

Disadvantages:

• Monthly costs
• Less flexibility for customization
• Learning curve for new users

For whom: Organizations that want to work 100% constitutionally compliant and have budget.

Holaspirit

Advantages:

• Visually appealing circle structure display
• Good integration with other tools
• Flexible customization options
• Org chart visualization

Disadvantages:

• Monthly costs
• Less strict constitutional adherence than GlassFrog
• Can be too complex for small teams

For whom: Medium to large organizations that value visualization.

Notion (or Other Docs Tools)

Advantages:

• Little to no additional costs
• Maximum flexibility
• Known to many teams
• Easy collaboration

Disadvantages:

• No Holacracy-specific structure
• Manual maintenance needed
• No automatic validation
• Risk of inconsistencies

For whom: Small teams already using Notion that don’t want to introduce more tools.

Custom Solutions

Some organizations build their own solutions based on:

• Airtable
• Coda
• Google Sheets + Docs
• Internal wikis

Advantages: Maximum adaptation to own needs. Disadvantages: Development and maintenance effort, no updates.

Research Insight: Studies on digitization of organizational structures show that the success of governance tools depends more on consistent use than on features. The simplest tool that’s consistently maintained is better than the best tool that’s outdated. [3]

Common Secretary Mistakes

Mistake 1: Documenting Too Much

Problem: Every detail of every discussion is recorded.

Consequence: No one reads the records, important information gets lost.

Solution: Focus on outcomes. Document WHAT was decided, not HOW it was discussed.

Mistake 2: Delayed Updates

Problem: Records are only updated days or weeks after the meeting.

Consequence: No one knows what’s current. Confusion arises.

Solution: Update within 24 hours after the meeting. Make it a fixed routine.

Mistake 3: Adopting Unclear Formulations

Problem: Unclear proposals are documented 1:1.

Consequence: The ambiguity becomes permanent. Later conflicts are pre-programmed.

Solution: Clarify in the meeting before documenting. “I want to phrase it like this: … Is that correct?”

Mistake 4: Not Making Records Accessible

Problem: The records exist, but no one can find them.

Consequence: Circle members can’t look up their authority.

Solution: Clear structure, easy access, regular reminders where records can be found.

Mistake 5: Exceeding Constitutional Interpretation

Problem: The Secretary role makes content decisions instead of just interpreting the constitution.

Consequence: The role becomes political, trust erodes.

Solution: When in doubt, refer to the constitution, don’t push your own opinion.

Mistake 6: Role Becomes a Burden

Problem: The Secretary experiences the role as a bothersome duty.

Consequence: Quality of records declines, frustration rises.

Solution: Consider rotation, optimize tools, appreciate the significance of the role.

Tips for Excellent Secretaries

1. Develop a Routine

Fixed times for records maintenance reduce mental load:

• Directly after meeting: Rough documentation
• Within 24h: Fine documentation and publication
• Weekly: Records review for consistency

2. Use Templates

Create templates for:

• New roles
• Policies
• Meeting notes
• Change communication

3. Build Redundancy

What happens if you’re unavailable?

• Document your processes
• Train a backup
• Ensure others have access to tools

4. Ask Questions

When in doubt: Ask. “I understood it like this: … Is that correct?“

5. Cultivate Relationship with Facilitator

Facilitator and Secretary work closely together:

• Before meeting: Coordinate on agenda and time
• During: Facilitator leads, Secretary documents
• After: Joint reflection possible

6. Know the Constitution

As Secretary, you should know the Holacracy Constitution well, especially:

• Article III: Governance Process
• Appendix A: Core Role Definitions

The Secretary Role at SI Labs

Our experiences over ten years:

Rotation Works

We rotate the Secretary role every 6-12 months. This distributes the work and develops governance competence across the team.

Simple Tools Preferred

We’ve tried various tools and settled on a simple Notion structure. Reason: Less complexity, more ownership.

Post-Meeting Routine

Our standard: Within 2 hours after the governance meeting, records are updated. This requires discipline but creates clarity.

Changelog Culture

After every governance meeting, we post a brief changelog in our team channel. This increases visibility of changes.

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Research Methodology

This article is based on the analysis of academic papers on self-organized teams and documentation practices as well as over ten years of practical experience with the Secretary role at SI Labs.

Source selection:

• Studies on the role of documentation in distributed organizations
• Case studies on Holacracy implementations
• Practitioner literature on governance processes

Limitations: Our recommendations are based on our specific experience with medium-sized teams. Larger or smaller organizations may have different requirements.

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Disclosure

SI Labs GmbH has practiced Holacracy for over ten years. Several team members have held the Secretary role. This experience shapes our perspective.

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Sources

[1] Reitzig, Markus, and Maciejovsky, Boris. “Managers matter less than we think: How can organizations function without any middle management?” Journal of Organization Design 11 (2022): 91-106. DOI: 10.1007/s41469-022-00133-7 [Empirical study | 35 organizations | Citations: 12 | Quality: 64/100]

[2] Neubauer, Maximilian, et al. “Flexibility out of standardization.” International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior 25, no. 3 (2022): 181-198. DOI: 10.1108/ijotb-11-2020-0197 [Qualitative study | 2 organizations | Citations: 5 | Quality: 56/100]

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

[4] Bernstein, Ethan, et al. “Beyond the Holacracy Hype: The Overwrought Claims and Actual Promise of the Next Generation of Self-Managed Teams.” Harvard Business Review 94, no. 7/8 (2016): 38-49. [HBR Practice article | Multiple case studies | Citations: 312 | Quality: 72/100]