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
It's not differences that divide us. It's our judgments about each other that do.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Judgments about others, rather than our differences, create division among us.
This quote emphasizes that it is not our inherent differences that separate us as individuals or communities, but rather our perceptions and judgments about those differences. When we judge others based on their unique traits, backgrounds, or beliefs, we foster division and conflict instead of understanding and unity. By recognizing that our judgments often stem from misunderstanding, we can begin to break down these barriers and promote greater acceptance and harmony.
Themes
JudgmentDivisionUnderstandingAcceptanceUnity
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community development, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of understanding and acceptance.
More from Margaret J. Wheatley
All quotes βIn 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.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
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
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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