Hi Reader,

I’ve been reading Erich Fromm’s Escape from Freedom (published in 1941!), and it’s been lighting up my brain like fireworks. His ideas about freedom—how we respond to it, why it’s terrifying, and how we turn it into a force for growth—hit hard. Especially when you think about the challenges of running a self-managing organization.

Here’s the deal

Fromm says people respond to freedom in two ways. They either:

• Escape freedom—cling to structure, rules, and someone to tell them what to do.
• Embrace freedom—step up, take responsibility, and figure things out for themselves.

Sound familiar? If you’re transforming a traditional hierarchy into a self-managing organization, you’ve seen this play out.

At first, it’s messy. Fromm calls it negative freedom—you’ve ripped away the old structures and authority figures, leaving people unsure of what’s next. There’s no boss to hand you a to-do list, no comforting chain of command. For a lot of folks, this isn’t empowering—it’s terrifying.

That’s where the real work begins. To make self-management stick, you need people to turn that negative freedom into positive freedom—freedom to act, create, and take ownership.

But here’s the kicker: this doesn’t just happen. It takes two kinds of work:

1. Organizational Development​
   You can’t just say “we’re self-managing now” and hope for the best. You need systems, processes, and structures that support autonomy. For years, we’ve been helping companies make this leap with our Running and Scaling Self-Managing Organizations Masterclass (check it out here).
2. Personal Development​
   This is the part too many people skip. Self-management only works if individuals have the mindset, self-awareness, and skills to handle freedom. Without this, negative freedom lingers. That’s why, early this year, we developed the Self-Management Bootcamp (more info here)—to help people step into their potential and thrive in self-managing environments.

Why Both Matter

Here’s the truth: you can’t have self-managing organizations without self-managing people. It’s not enough to redesign the org chart. You’ve got to redesign the way people show up to work.

Fromm nailed it decades ago: freedom isn’t easy. It’s scary. It’s uncertain. But it’s also the only way to unlock real potential—both for individuals and organizations. If you’re serious about self-management, you’ve got to tackle both sides: build the systems, and build the people.

The result? A workplace where people don’t just survive—they own it. They contribute, grow, and thrive.

Ready to Get Started?

So, if you want to treat yourself (or your team) to some next-level development in the new year, check out our offerings. For systems and structure: start with our Masterclass. For personal growth: dive into our Bootcamp.

Freedom is messy—but it’s worth it. Let’s make work more fun.

Updates from Corporate Rebels HQ

Here's a quick overview of everything happening at Corporate Rebels:

• Self-Management Index: One of our big priorities for 2025 is launching the very first Self-Management Index. Are you part of a self-managing company and want to see your organization included? Reach out to emma@corporate-rebels.com with your company name, industry, size (number of employees), and website. Not sure if you qualify? We’re looking for organizations with no traditional hierarchy, no middle-management, and a minimum of 10 employees.
• Masterclass: Our next Running and Scaling Self-Managing Organizations Masterclass cohort kicks off in March/April 2025. With only 12 seats left, it’s time to act fast. Find all the details and claim your spot here.
• Holiday break: Over the holidays, we’ll be taking a short break from newsletter and blog post publishing. But don’t worry—we’ll be back in January with more inspiration and stories! If you’re looking for a dose of Corporate Rebels in the meantime, check out our posts on social media.

New article

A new article has been published on our blog earlier this week:

• What Happens When You A/B Test Hybrid Work? The Results Are Fascinating ​
  Hybrid work has been the buzzword of the past few years, but what happens when you put it to the test? This week, we dig into a fascinating experiment from Copenhagen’s renowned 4-day week company, IIH Nordic. They tested different hybrid work arrangements with their teams to uncover what truly works. Spoiler: it’s not one-size-fits-all. Check out the full blog post here.

What inspired us

Here's something noteworthy we discovered this past week that you’re going to love:

• Charles Handy, management thinker and author, 1923-2024
  ​This weekend, I was moved by Andrew Hill’s beautifully written tribute to Charles Handy. Handy’s recent passing is a profound loss, but his wisdom—centered on human flourishing and meaningful work—will continue to inspire us. I’m deeply grateful for his ideas and the privilege of hearing him speak at the Global Peter Drucker Forum in 2017. Read more here.

Your weekly challenge

At Corporate Rebels, we believe that small changes lead to big results. That's why we challenge you each week to make a small but significant change. This week....

Happy Holidays 🎄✨

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