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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Recognizing our own limitations makes us more appealing and fosters deeper connections with others.
This quote emphasizes the importance of humility and openness in relationships. By admitting that our understanding is incomplete and valuing the diverse insights of others, we create a welcoming environment that attracts collaboration and deeper connections. The act of acknowledging our need for different perspectives not only enriches our interactions but also encourages others to engage with us more fully.
Themes
InsightPerspectiveAcknowledgmentRelationshipsHumility
In practice
Example use cases
In a team meeting, you might say this quote to emphasize the importance of diverse viewpoints.
More from Margaret J. Wheatley
All quotes →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.
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
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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