Teal & the Future of Work — A Practical FAQ

A teal organization is a self-managed company built around trust, purpose, and wholeness rather than hierarchy and control. It allows people to make decisions, organize work, and contribute based on their strengths instead of job titles.

Teal organizations use fluid, role-based structures instead of rigid hierarchies. Authority is distributed, and people organize around work rather than reporting lines.

Teal project management is driven by teams, not managers. Work is prioritized through shared purpose, transparent information, and continuous feedback instead of top-down planning.

Leadership in a teal organization is not a position but a function. People step into leadership following a coaching approach when their skills, insight, or energy are needed.

Teal companies hire based on values, self-motivation, and ability to collaborate rather than only technical skills or credentials. Teams discover interesting people and build long-term relationships rather than post a job ad and wait for applicants (pull vs push).

Onboarding in teal focuses on relationships, culture, and shared understanding, not just procedures and tools.

Teal organizations use flexible roles instead of fixed job titles, allowing people to evolve as their strengths and interests change.

Training in teal is continuous and peer-driven, with learning happening through real work, coaching, and reflection.

Teal works best for people who value autonomy, responsibility, learning, and meaningful contribution and impact.

Teal is a good fit for organizations that want adaptability, trust, and long-term resilience rather than strict control. If you're interested in B Corps, teal might be a good fit for you.

Decisions are made by the people closest to the work, using advice from others rather than seeking permission from managers.

Performance is managed through transparency, regular feedback, and shared accountability rather than rankings and annual reviews.

Teams coordinate through clear agreements, shared goals, defined decision making processes, and peer feedback instead of relying on command-and-control management.

Teal organizations use tools that support transparency, collaboration, and self-organization, without relying on technology. Sticky notes or Miro whiteboards for example are more agile and lean than a stack of high-tech solutions.

AI will automate repetitive tasks, augment human decision-making, and create new opportunities in tech, creative, and strategic roles. Adaptation through learning and upskilling will be critical.

Skills like critical thinking, emotional intelligence, digital literacy, creativity, adaptability, and discernment will be highly valued.

Conflict is handled through a defined conflict resolution process which includes direct, respectful dialogue (like non-violent communication) and facilitated reflection rather than escalation to authority.

Teal organizations scale by creating clear principles and strong culture rather than adding layers of management.

Self-management means people are trusted to organize their own work, make decisions, and take responsibility for outcomes.

Agile and Scrum focus on how work is done, mostly only at product delivery, while teal focuses on how people and power are organized across the entire organization.

Yes, teal works especially well in remote teams because it relies on trust, clarity, and self-organization rather than physical oversight.

A day in a teal organization is focused on purposeful work, open communication, shared problem-solving, and continuous learning. Clear goals, collaboration, and excellent communication form the foundation of a teal work-day.

Companies can prepare by starting to document their existing processes and discover or re-evaluate their purpose. They can also start to embrace more flexible and remote or hybrid work models, foster continuous learning, leverage AI responsibly, redesign roles around human strengths, and focus on employee well-being.