I'm sad to report that in the past few years, ever since uncertainty became our insistent 21st century companion, leadership has taken a great leap backwards to the familiar territory of command and control.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
In our daily life, we encounter people who are angry, deceitful, intent only on satisfying their own needs. There is so much anger, distrust, greed, and pettiness that we are losing our capacity to work well together.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the negativity in human behavior that hinders cooperation and trust.
Margaret J. Wheatley's quote reflects on the pervasive negativity observed in daily interactions, where emotions such as anger, deceit, and greed dominate. This toxic environment diminishes our ability to collaborate effectively and undermines the foundational trust necessary for healthy relationships and communities. Recognizing these traits in ourselves and others is essential in fostering a more cooperative and harmonious societal atmosphere.
Themes
AngerDeceitTrustCollaborationNegativity
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting about project delays, one might quote this to address the underlying issues of distrust among team members.
More from Margaret J. Wheatley
All quotes →Even though worker capacity and motivation are destroyed when leaders choose power over productivity, it appears that bosses would rather be in control than have the organization work well.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
Our willingness to acknowledge that we only see half the picture creates the conditions that make us more attractive to others. The more sincerely we acknowledge our need for their different insights and perspectives, the more they will be magnetized to join us.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
They have eliminated rigidity, both physical and psychological, in order to support more fluid processes whereby temporary teams are created to deal with specific and ever-changing needs. They have simplified roles into minimal categories; they have knocked down walls and created workplaces where people, ideas, and information circulate freely.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
It's not differences that divide us. It's our judgments about each other that do.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
Perseverance is a choice. It's not a simple, one-time choice, it's a daily one. There's never a final decision.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
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