Has anyone had experience with the "Web of Inclusion" organizational structure developed by Sally Helgensen?

Question

My boss is interested in pursuing this organziational model and I am having a hard time finding much information (there is a book that I am going to order from Amazon) about how it has been used and whether it's been successful or not.

Answer 1

The the "Web of Inclusion" organizational structure, developed by Sally Helgensen (AKA Sally Helgesen), and promoted in her 2007 book by the same title is the application of an analogy of a spider's web which embraces unlimited variances in organizational structures and capitalizes on the diversity of organizational members.  While this is a business organization or sociological model, it echoes of former phrases and principles from the disabilities (and special education) field (where this is posted to) and from the profession of nursing.  In the special education of students with disabilities there is a concept called "Circle of Friends."  It focuses on the unique strengths and needs of a given individual and them moves to establish four circles of support that interweave into all the needs of the targeted individual.  The earlier-yet model from the nursing profession is called a "Circle of Support."  It focuses on the health-related needs of patients and how to provide non-professional supporters in the regular activities of the targeted patient.  In contrast to these two older models in other fields, the Web of Inclusion model shifts focus to an entire organization rather than a single person.  As a special educator, I have considerable experience in implementing the Circle of Friends concept which can have dramatically beneficial outcomes to the quality of life and opportunities of individuals with disabilities.