One among many

I finished reading “One from Many: Visa and the Rise of Chaordic Organization excellent book written by Dee Hock, the man who was responsible for the birth of VISA (Visa International Service Association) and visa cards. I share with you some quotes…may be that you try to read it too.

“Why are institutions, everywhere, whether political, commercial, or social, increasingly unable to manage their affairs? Why are individuals, everywhere, increasingly in conflict with and alienated from the institutions of which they are part? Why are society and the biosphere increasingly in disarray?”

“Life is not about control. It’s not about getting. It’s not about having. It’s not about knowing. It’s not even about being. Life is eternal, perpetual becoming, or it´s nothing. Becoming is not a thing to be known, commanded, or controlled. It is a magnificent, mysterious odyssey to be experienced.
At bottom, desire to command and control is a deadly, destructive compulsion to rob self and others of the joys of living.”

“Life is a sacred contract between the dead, the living, and the unborn.”

“The truth is, that given the right circumstances, from no more than dreams, determination, and the liberty to try, quite ordinary people consistently do extraordinary things.”

“…people must come to things in their own time, in their own way, for their own reasons, or they never truly come at all”

“chaordickay’ord-ickadj. (en. and. cha’os and ord’er) 1. The behavior of any self-organizing and self-governing organism, organization, or system that harmoniously blends characteristics of chaos and order.
2. Characteristic of the fundamental, organizing principle of nature.”

“One either trusts or one does not. I prefer trust.”

“…possibility is not determined by opinion, only by attempt.”

“Failure is not to be feared. It is from failure that most growth comes, provided that one can recognize it, admit it, learn from it, rise above it, and try again.”

“If you have built castles in the air your work need not to be lost: that is where they should be. Now put the foundation under them.” (Henry David Thoreau)

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things” (Niccolo di Bernardo Machiavelli)

“the true strength of rulers and empires lies…in the belief of men that they are inflexibly open, truthful, and legal. As soon as government departs from that standard, it ceases to be anything more than the gang in possession and its days are numbered.” (H.G. Wells)

Autonomy

This is one word, or better, a concept with which I have crossed quite a few times in the last two weeks.

Autonomy at work
Concept about which I have investigated enough and that companies such as W. L. Gore, Semco, Best Buy, Google, Atlassian, Zappos, SEI Investments, Combs and Meddius, help to prove that when we choose extremely well people that we let, in our organization, and give autonomy to atingirem Lhesan results, doing what you know, can profit (tangible and intangible) very interesting.

Autonomy in learning
The World 2.0 requires a learning 2.0. Welcome to the concept of heutagogia (an “pedagogy” those who learned how to learn). In a world marked by constant change, uncertainty and ease of access to information, have to be increasingly responsible for our education.

Autonomy = motivation
According to Daniel Pink, In his book “Drive”, this is the primary motivator (beyond “mastery” and purpose) in the areas of creativity and innovation, as opposed to monetary awards against the achievement of results (when it comes to repetitive tasks assembly line style).

Autonomy to different
Seth Godin daily inspires me to look, think and act differently. In the state of Maryland approved a new legal status for companies”For-Benefit Corporation”. an Jacqueline Novogratz, demonstrates, daily, we can, and we, associate charity with management. In its Paper “Creativity Unlimited”, Micael Dahlén argues that the best way to innovate in business is thinking inside the box.

Autonomy to make a difference
Projects such as Acumen Fund or e Toms Shoes, show as being different, can make a difference in the lives of thousands!

And we?
We are prepared to exercise our autonomy?