Teal organization is one that adheres to

workers' self-management Workers' self-management, also referred to as labor management and organizational self-management, is a form of organizational management based on self-directed work processes on the part of an organization's workforce. Self-managed economy, ...

. The

organizational theory Organizational theory refers to a series of interrelated concepts that involve the sociological study of the structures and operations of formal social organizations. Organizational theory also seeks to explain how interrelated units of organiza ...

term was coined in 2014 by Frederic Laloux in his book ''

Reinventing Organizations ''Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness'' is a book written by Frédéric Laloux and published in 2014. It lists the different paradigms of the human organizations through ...

''. Laloux uses a descriptive model in which he describes different types of organizations in terms of colour, and he cites studies by

evolutionary Evolution is the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, resulting in certa ...

and

social psychologists Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

including

Jean Gebser Jean Gebser (; August 20, 1905 as Hans Karl Hermann Rudolph Gebser – May 14, 1973) was a Swiss philosopher, linguist, and poet who described the structures of human consciousness. Biography Gebser was born Hans Karl Hermann Rudolph Gebser in ...

, Clare W. Graves,

Don Edward Beck Don Edward Beck (January 31, 1937 – May 24, 2022) was an American teacher, geopolitical advisor, and theorist who focused on applications of large scale psychology, including social psychology, evolutionary psychology, organizational psychology ...

, Chris Cowan and

Ken Wilber Kenneth Earl Wilber II (born January 31, 1949) is an American theorist and writer on transpersonal psychology and his own integral theory, a four-quadrant grid which purports to encompass all human knowledge and experience. Starting publishing ...

Model

Laloux defines a "

teal alt=American teal duck (male), Green-winged teal (male) Teal is a greenish-blue color. Its name comes from that of a bird—the Eurasian teal (''Anas crecca'')—which presents a similarly colored stripe on its head. The word is often used ...

" (a greenish-blue color) organisation as one where the management is based on worker autonomy and peer relationships. He contrasts this to: * Red Organizations: Characterized by authoritarian structures and control through fear. * Amber Organizations: Structured around rigid hierarchies and top-down command. * Orange Organizations: Operate on meritocratic principles, emphasizing competition and performance. * Green Organizations: Focus on consensus and stakeholder values, often emphasizing culture and empowerment. The theory of Teal organizations is built on three core concepts: self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary purpose. Self-management replaces traditional hierarchy with a system where employees manage themselves and collaborate on decisions, distributing authority more evenly. Wholeness encourages employees to integrate their personal and professional identities, fostering a work environment that prioritizes emotional well-being and authenticity. Evolutionary purpose sees Teal organizations as living entities that adapt and evolve naturally, guided by their own sense of direction rather than rigid strategic plans or profit motives.

Examples

A number of notable organisations around the world have adopted and operate with the Teal organisation model some of which are in the table below: :

Model

Examples

See also

References

Further reading