A practice note on sharing power, rethinking hierarchy, and making collaboration real.
Why this one made the shelf: Because not every organization that says it values collaboration is actually designed for it.
What it helps us notice: Slade offers a practical, grounded approach to horizontal organizing, emergent systems, and grassroots democracy. The book reminds us that hierarchy is not only found in org charts. It shows up in how we make decisions, who speaks first, who gets heard, and how power moves through a room.
The useful trouble it causes: Going Horizontal asks us to look at the small ways we may unintentionally reproduce the very systems we are trying to change.
What this has to do with the work: We are interested in how groups move from participation as a checkbox to participation as a real practice. Slade’s check-in questions, tools, and reflections offer simple ways to shift how people relate, decide, and share power, even when an organization is not ready to fully redesign itself.
Best for: Facilitators, organizers, teams, grassroots leaders, HR practitioners, and anyone trying to build more equitable and collaborative ways of working without waiting for permission.
