I’ve been reading a great book by Margaret J Wheatley called, Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time.
I love learning as much as I can about leadership and healthy organizational development. The best way to describe this book is with the word “rich.” It’s really, really helpful and she’s putting words to some things I’ve been feeling for a long time. Here is one of my favorite quotes so far:
“We act as if humans are motivated by selfishness, greed, and fear. That we exist as individuals, free of the obligation of interdependence. That hierarchy and bureaucracy are the best forms of organizing. That efficiency is the premier measure of value. That people work best under controls and regulations. That diversity is a problem. That unrestrained growth is good. That a healthy economy leads naturally to a healthy society. That poor people have different motivations than other people. That only a few people are creative. That only a few people care about their freedom. These beliefs are false.“
I’ve been around enough organizations and I’ve been part of enough churches to see this belief played out. It usually doesn’t result in anything good. She writes immediately following this that these beliefs have “created intracable problems that we now encounter everywhere.” Her book is all about finding a better way forward. I think you’ll enjoy it if you are half the leadership nerd that I am.