What I’m trying to get at with this one is that sharing information, knowledge and skills disperses influence/power among more people, which strengthens and spreads organizational capacity.
Over-centralization generates hierarchical concentrations of influence/power that make an organization brittle, rigid, unadaptable, and vulnerable (too much strength concentrated at the top makes decapitation a simple way to break a structure). It also strangles the initiative and creativity of those involved, and restricts collective evolution.
This is not to pit the two energies against each other as “dispersal good; centralization bad” — without some centralization of political line, aka political unity, coordinated action can’t even happen. I see centralization/unity/coordination and decentralization/dispersal/democracy as two states of a dynamic wave — you can’t really separate them — each exists in relation to the other. What goes wrong is when the balance is off — then things get wobbly and off-kilter. Vigilance and care — by everyone!! — to constantly recalibrate is needed to stay in balance.
Take care and stay vigilant as you navigate the tricky waters, my friends 🌊