Replying to 15178
Tom Sullivan wrote:
"Benjamin has certainly struck a cord that is most critical--the notion
that responsibility and leadership actually occurs on every level in the
organization."
This is, I think, what Margaret Wheatley is referring to when she speaks
of the "best" organizations having a fractal quality. The values and
beliefs of the organization are reflected in the values, beliefs and
behaviors of all members of the organization from CEO to mail clerk.
There is a consistency of approach and sense of responsibility that can be
seen in the actions of division vice presidents and production floor
workers. The conversations that people have are about the same issues,
whether in an executive council meeting or a production team meeting.
I have experienced this in at least one company in my career. I have read
about and been told of it happening in other companies (HP perhaps is an
example). I am unsure to what degree it is possible (or even desirable)
in an "organization" like the U.S.A. If there is a shared value like
"every person is on her own", or "the only good Indian is a dead Indian",
then some real calamities will develop.
Regards to all.
Bruce K. Coe
bcoe@txfund.com
--"Bruce K. Coe"<BCoe@txfund.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>