Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) believed that without systems, organisations, and leadership, human beings cannot perform optimally. He argued that whenever systems break down, whether due to disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes, people behave in a destructive and unhealthy manner as they are naturally selfish, competitive and prone to violence and act only in their self-interest. Looting, raping, violence, and chaos emerge when there is no structure to maintain order. He states that a State of Nature is a State of War where life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short: Leviathan 1651” and without a Monarchy to enforce laws, there can be no industry, culture or civilisation.

This fundamental philosophy led to his advocacy for strict structures, governments, systems, rules and laws. According to Hobbes, only a centralised authority or Sovereign (absolute ruler) can help escape the chaos in which people give up their freedom, making top-down control essential in any society, including businesses. His philosophy mirrors traditional corporate hierarchies, where managers enforce discipline, set clear rules, and maintain control to keep the organisation running efficiently.

Then Jean Jacques Rousseau in 1755 came up with his philosophy and had an entirely different and optimistic perspective. He believed that if people were left to their own devices, they would naturally behave well and create a system that is nurturing and cooperative and humans in their natural state would be peaceful, free and lived harmoniously without much conflict. Rousseau envisioned Self-Managed Teams and an empowered workforce, where individuals do not need a manager or a strict leader but instead work together in harmony.

At the heart of this philosophical divide, Hobbes believed people must sacrifice personal freedom while Rousseau argued that true freedom comes from self-governance/self-rule. These opposing views shape how organisations structure leadership, decision-making and company culture.

Rousseau’s Approach to Real-life Case Study

Rousseau’s Political philosophy and business align with modern organisational models that prioritise decentralisation and collective decision-making. Businesses that adopt Rousseau’s principles create environments where employees take ownership of their work and grow without rigid authority figures.

Buurtzorg, a Dutch home care service provider, substantiates Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s ideas on society and autonomy. Rousseau argued that hierarchical societies and artificial competition distort human nature, leading to inefficiencies. Buurtzorg’s radical Self-Managed Team model, based on Freedom, Trust, and Autonomy mirrors Rousseau’s concept of the “General Will”.

Their model is built on the following core principles and practices:

• Self-Managing Teams: Buurtzorg consists of 850 self-managed teams, each responsible for a specific neighbourhood. Teams are limited to 12 nurses, and when they grow beyond this number, they split into two new teams. This ensures scalability without adding layers of bureaucracy.
• Autonomy in Decision-Making: Each team independently handles nursing, planning, recruitment, hiring, and firing, making them accountable for their operations.
• Minimal Centralized Management: Buurtzorg has no HR or marketing departments and no managers. The headquarters consists of only 50 support staff (0.4% of the workforce) and 15 coaches who assist teams with challenges they cannot resolve.
• Guiding Principles: Buurtzorg operates under three fundamental principles:
  1. Humanity above bureaucracy – Focus on meaningful human interactions rather than excessive regulations.
  2. Simplicity above complexity – Streamlined operations ensure efficiency.
  3. Practical above hypothetical – Decision-making is grounded in real-world effectiveness rather than abstract theories.
• BuurtzorgWeb: They have their Self-Developed IT System and this digital platform allows teams to share knowledge, compare performance, and create alignment. If a nurse encounters an unfamiliar situation, they can consult the network for advice from experienced colleagues.
• Transparent Leadership Communication: The founder regularly writes blog posts to communicate ideas and invite feedback from all employees, ensuring engagement and inclusion in decision-making.

Results

Eliminated bureaucratic inefficiencies Buurtzorg demonstrated that Humanity above Bureaucracy leads to better outcomes for both workers and patients.

• Lower Staff Absenteeism: They have an 8.7 staff rating which leads to 33% lower absenteeism than industry standards.
• Lower Overhead Costs: They have a back-office staff of 45 people which looks after payrolls and invoicing which leads them to have an overhead cost of 8% as compared to 25% in other peer companies.
• Reduced Staff Turnover: Employee retention is twice as high as its peers.
• Highest Client Satisfaction: Buurtzorg has the best-rated home nursing services in the Netherlands.
• Faster Patient Recovery: Patients recover more quickly than those treated by competitors.
• Autonomy Without Anarchy: While fully Self-Managed, teams remain interconnected through BuurtzorgWeb and coaching support, ensuring stability and efficiency.

What Can We Do to Make People Self-Managed?

Jos de Blok, the founder of Buurtzorg, explains that Self-Management requires a shift in Purpose, Strategy and Mindset. His Leadership philosophy is about distributing responsibility in a way that empowers people to take ownership of their work.

1. Define a Clear Purpose and Consistency: Self-management starts with clarity. People need to understand that it changes the way they create value. Organisations must communicate that self-management is about delivering better services and making work more meaningful.
2. Build the Right Strategy: To build a Self-Managed workforce Leaders need to create awareness throughout the organisation, find the right dialogue and build support step by step. Educating employees on what self-management means and why it benefits them.
3. Create Intrinsic Motivation and Flexible Mindset: People perform best when they feel responsible for their work. The organisation’s focus should be on encouraging employees to do what is right because they should believe in it and encouraging a flexible mindset means giving people the confidence to make decisions. When people take responsibility for their actions, they naturally become more resilient and solution-oriented.
4. Provide the Right Support Systems: Offer access to coaching, training, and IT systems to facilitate team collaboration and problem-solving.
5. Autonomous Teams: Delegate decision-making authority to small teams responsible for their operations and reduce managerial layers to promote direct communication.

Implementing these strategies will allow organisations to create a Self-Managing culture that aligns with both Rousseau’s ideals and Buurtzorg’s proven model where people will take full ownership of their work. When done right Self-Management leads to higher satisfaction and happiness. Understanding these two perspectives helps leaders strike a balance.

At Finesse, we specialise in corporate training that empowers organisations to become self-managed and build a culture where employees take ownership of their work. Teams with the right mindset and skills help businesses enhance collaboration, and drive sustainable success.