an online book by David Gurteen
An enterprise is a community of human beings, not a collection of human resources.
We’re All Different ** Care ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Continue reading Introduction: Community ** Members of a community care about each other
Without care, society would be impossible. Caring is at the root of creating a better world. If we care, we take responsibility. Continue reading Care ** We naturally take responsibility for the people and the things that we care about
A community is more than just a group of people with shared interests. Many networks and organizations call themselves communities, but they often lack the deeper connections that make a real community. True communities grow over time through meaningful relationships, shared purpose, and mutual care—not through design or construction. Continue reading What Makes a Real Community? Members of a community care about each other
In an article in the Harvard Business Review, Rebuilding Companies as Communities, Henry Mintzberg talks about a concept called communityship. So what is communityship? Continue reading What Is Communityship? Where everyone in a community practices leadership
Many see politics in its Machiavellian, manipulative sense, backstabbing and spreading false rumors, but politics need not be dirty. It is through politics that we get things done. Politics is life. Continue reading Politics Is Life We can’t escape it
People often say, “I have no choice,” but that’s rarely true. Even in the most challenging situations, we can choose our attitude, response, and actions. These insights from Viktor Frankl, Stephen Covey, Peter Block, and Peter Koestenbaum remind us of the power and responsibility of choice. Continue reading We All Have the Freedom to Choose If We Choose To The last of human freedoms
Lashon Hara is a Jewish religious term for derogatory speech about a person. Fascinatingly, in the Jewish tradition, it is considered a grave sin to speak it even if true. Continue reading Lashon Hara Jewish religious term for derogatory speech
An interesting conundrum arises when considering the Jewish religious law forbidding Lashon Hara (speaking derogatorily about someone) and building social trust through gossip. Why would Jewish religious law consider gossip bad while anthropologists consider it good? Continue reading Gossip and Lashon Hara Conversation about other people
Effective leadership is vital for driving positive change in a complex world. However, many view leadership as a position of authority rather than a practice accessible to all. We can create a more engaged and sustainable society by recognizing that anyone can develop leadership skills and influence others. Continue reading Leadership Is a Practice Not a Position of Authority Anyone can practice leadership
One of the most significant mistakes we often commit when striving to initiate change is trying to enforce things upon others. Continue reading Ownership, Not Buy-in We need to move from buy-in to ownership
Ownership, Not Buy-in Culture Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close What is shared meaning? The phrase is bandied about a lot but little understood and rarely defined. Let’s take a look at it. What is meant by … Continue reading Shared Meaning To understand each other’s perspectives well enough to accept them
Shared Meaning Reframing Questions Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Culture plays an essential role in our societal and organizational lives. It shapes us in a variety of ways. Culture and Conversation We can view a society … Continue reading Culture Basic tacit assumptions about how the world works
Culture Exploring the Multifaceted Roles of Trust in Relationships and Society Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Simply reframing a question can shift perspectives and dramatically change the resulting conversation. I recently drew up a list of … Continue reading Reframing Questions Shifting perspective changes the conversation
Reframing Questions Raising the Ships on the Sea Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Trust is the force that holds our society together. It is the glue that connects us, builds communities, and is one of the … Continue reading Exploring the Multifaceted Roles of Trust in Relationships and Society Without trust our civilization would collapse
Exploring the Multifaceted Roles of Trust in Relationships and Society Invitation and Community ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close What is “the comedy or cornucopia of the commons”? How does it contrast with the “tragedy of … Continue reading Raising the Ships on the Sea The comedy or cornucopia of the commons
Raising the Ships on the Sea Everyone Believes They’re the Good Guy Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close Invitation is not only a step in bringing people together, it is also a fundamental way of being in … Continue reading Invitation and Community ** Invitation is a fundamental way of being in a community
People see themselves as the hero of their own story. This makes it easy to justify actions, even when they harm others. Understanding this can open the door to real conversations instead of endless conflict. Continue reading Everyone Believes They’re the Good Guy The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them
Everyone Believes They’re the Good Guy We’re All Different ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close We need to work together rather than trying to manipulate each other. Far too often in the workplace, at all levels, … Continue reading Working Together ** Working together rather than manipulating each other
Working Together ** Introduction: Community ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What’s the Vibe? Please be patient as this may take up to a minute to load… Close We are all human, but we are all different. But how different? And what is the implication of those differences? We are far more different … Continue reading We’re All Different ** We need to get to know each other better
