an online book by David Gurteen
Freedom is the power to act, think, and speak without restraint, and the right to pursue one’s own desires and beliefs.
Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws".
In one definition, something is "free" if it can change and is not constrained in its present state. Physicists and chemists use the word in this sense. In its origin, the English word "freedom" relates etymologically to the word "friend". Philosophy and religion sometimes associate it with free will, as an alternative to determinism or predestination.
In modern liberty nations, freedom is considered a right, especially freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.
Credit: Wikipedia - freedomThe search for human freedom—freedom being the choice to be a creator of our own experience and accept the unbearable responsibility that goes with that. Out of this insight grows the idea that perhaps the real task of leadership is to confront people with their freedom. This may be the ultimate act of love that … Continue reading The Real Task of Leadership Is to Confront People with Their Freedom Peter Block
The last of human freedoms — the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances. Credit: Viktor Frankl Posts where this quotation is embedded Avoiding Modern-day Colonialism Colonialism: the dominance, control, and exploitation by one group over another British Gentlemen’s Clubs ** Of the 17th and 18th Centuries Building 20 at MIT Innovation Story: A … Continue reading The Last of Human Freedoms Viktor Frankl
Gurteen Knowledge Blog December 21, 2022, 16:58Over Christmas, I listened to and was intrigued by the annual Reith Lectures. The Reith Lectures were inaugurated in 1948 by the BBC to mark the contribution made to public service broadcasting by Lord Reith, the corporation’s first director-general. Four speakers featured in this year’s Reith Lectures: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, … Continue reading The 2022 Reith Lectures: the Four Freedoms BBC
In this book, Confronting Our Freedom, Peter Block and Peter Koestenbaum deliver an exciting and engaging new take on management and leadership. Drawing on recent events in the market and in the world, including the Great Resignation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and widespread digital transformation, the authors invite you to reimagine ideas of freedom and accountability … Continue reading Confronting Our Freedom: Leading a Culture of Chosen Accountability and Belonging by Peter Block, Peter Koestenbaum (2023)
We think that if we can control or predict how a conversation will go, it will improve its quality and get us what we want. The penchant for planning our encounters is a distrust of ourselves and each other as spontaneous beings. Credit: Peter Block Source: Confronting Our Freedom (page 78)Posts where this quotation is … Continue reading Predicting or Controlling a Conversation Peter Block
Man is condemned to be free. Condemned, because he did not create himself, in other respect is free; because, once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. The Existentialist does not believe in the power of passion. He will never agree that a sweeping passion is a ravaging torrent which fatally … Continue reading Man Is Condemned to Be Free Jean-Paul Sartre
Gurteen Knowledge Blog March 24, 2025, 12:01What if leadership isn’t about providing answers or control but confronting people with their freedom? In this post, in my blook, I reflect on Peter Block’s powerful view of leadership as an act of love—and its surprising connection to Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor. Both challenge us to consider whether we truly … Continue reading The Burden of Freedom What Peter Block and Dostoevsky reveal about true leadership
Managers Are Employees Too ** The Fable of the Bees Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Leadership is often seen as providing guidance and security. However, authentic leadership may lie in confronting people with their own freedom, even when they resist it. Understanding this tension can help us rethink power, responsibility, and the choices … Continue reading Peter Block, the Grand Inquisitor, and Leadership Leadership, freedom, and the burden of responsibility
Why Does Human Life Exist? ** What Is the Purpose of Humanity ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter What is the meaning of life from an individual perspective? In other words, what is my or your purpose for being here? There is no single definitive meaning of life that applies to everyone. We … Continue reading What Is the Purpose of Life? ** What is the meaning of an individual human life?
Politics Is Life Lashon Hara Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter 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 … Continue reading We All Have the Freedom to Choose If We Choose To The last of human freedoms
