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Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time
For years, Margaret Wheatley has written eloquently about humanizing our organizations and helping people to work together more effectively and compassionately. She has shown how breakthroughs in chaos theory and quantum physics can enable organizations to function more like responsive, self-organizing living systems, rather than cold mechanisms of control. And she has gradually expanded these ideas into the wider arena of human society.
In short, Margaret Wheatley is one of the most innovative and influential organizational thinkers of our time, and Finding Our Way brings together her shorter writings for the first time, touching on all the topics she has addressed throughout her career, showing how she has applied the ideas in her books s in many different situations. “The pieces presented here”, she writes, “represent ten years of work, of how I took the ideas in my books and applied them in practice in many different situations. However, this is not a collection of articles. I updated, revised, or substantially added to the original content of each one. In this way, everything written here represents my current views on the subjects I write about.”
Provocative, challenging, at times poetic, and often deeply moving, Finding Our Way sums up Wheatley's thinking on a diverse scope of topics from leadership and management to education and raising children in turbulent times; from societal commentary to specific organizational techniques and more.
In short, Margaret Wheatley is one of the most innovative and influential organizational thinkers of our time, and Finding Our Way brings together her shorter writings for the first time, touching on all the topics she has addressed throughout her career, showing how she has applied the ideas in her books s in many different situations. “The pieces presented here”, she writes, “represent ten years of work, of how I took the ideas in my books and applied them in practice in many different situations. However, this is not a collection of articles. I updated, revised, or substantially added to the original content of each one. In this way, everything written here represents my current views on the subjects I write about.”
Provocative, challenging, at times poetic, and often deeply moving, Finding Our Way sums up Wheatley's thinking on a diverse scope of topics from leadership and management to education and raising children in turbulent times; from societal commentary to specific organizational techniques and more.
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
31 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Margaret J. Wheatley
35 books175 followersMargaret Wheatley, Ed.D. began caring about the world’s peoples in 1966 as a Peace Corps volunteer in post-war Korea. As a consultant, senior-level advisor, teacher, speaker, and formal leader, she has worked on all continents (except Antarctica) with all levels, ages, and types of organizations, leaders, and activists. Her work now focuses on developing and supporting leaders globally as Warriors for the Human Spirit. These leaders put service over self, stand steadfast through crises and failures, and make a difference for the people and causes they care about. With compassion and insight, they know how to invoke people’s inherent generosity, creativity, kindness, and community–no matter what’s happening around them.
Margaret has written ten books, including the classic Leadership and the New Science, and been honored for her pathfinding work by many professional associations, universities, and organizations. She received her Doctorate from Harvard University in 1979, an M.A. in Media Ecology from NYU in 1974, and a B.A. from University of Rochester in 1966. She spent a year at University College London 1964-65.
Margaret has written ten books, including the classic Leadership and the New Science, and been honored for her pathfinding work by many professional associations, universities, and organizations. She received her Doctorate from Harvard University in 1979, an M.A. in Media Ecology from NYU in 1974, and a B.A. from University of Rochester in 1966. She spent a year at University College London 1964-65.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 10, 2009
It you were to take an interpretive dance class, a women's retreat, a DVD of "The Secret," and a business school text book, throw them into a blender, drink the resulting sludge, then vomit it up 30 minutes later, you would have Margaret J. Wheatley's joke of a book, Finding Our Way. It is rare that I have hated a tome as much as I loathe this collection of "essays" about business in the modern world.
Wheatley, who, from the bio on the back cover, has a fairly impressive background teaching at some of the best business schools in the United States, has cobbled together a group of essays she has written over the years about the state of modern business and how this method of business is not sustainable in the future. She discusses organic organization of companies, methods of complex problem solving, the myth of business as a "machine," and the inability of businesses to continue on their current trajectory.
However, the greatest problem with this abortive claptrap is that Wheatley states her opinions as though they were fact and actively assumes that anyone that disagrees with her methodology is stuck on a broken paradigm. There is no scientific reference, no anecdotal evidence, not even particularly good arguments for her assertions, just long-winded, self-congratulatory reasoning of only the most specious sort.
One of the most hilarious segments of the book is Wheatley's essay on solving complex problems in which she actually suggests that arranging chairs in different geometric shapes will help to set the mood for the meeting: in a circle for a loving, open discussion, an open semi-circle for brainstorming, a square for "enriching through fruitful opposition, a triangle for "precise destroying," etc.
Wheatley's tone is saccharine, and she writes in a voice that is better suited to a self-help hypnosis tape. And to top it all off, it has some of the worst typesetting I've ever had the misfortune of trying to read in my life.
A ludicrous message, no research, ridiculous suggestions, clueless voice, laughable new-age tone, ugly font, uglier cover...this book managed to be one of the most unenjoyable I have ever been forced to swallow. You're honestly better off reading "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" or "Chicken Soup for the Businessman's Soul." (And that's not a recommendation).
Wheatley, who, from the bio on the back cover, has a fairly impressive background teaching at some of the best business schools in the United States, has cobbled together a group of essays she has written over the years about the state of modern business and how this method of business is not sustainable in the future. She discusses organic organization of companies, methods of complex problem solving, the myth of business as a "machine," and the inability of businesses to continue on their current trajectory.
However, the greatest problem with this abortive claptrap is that Wheatley states her opinions as though they were fact and actively assumes that anyone that disagrees with her methodology is stuck on a broken paradigm. There is no scientific reference, no anecdotal evidence, not even particularly good arguments for her assertions, just long-winded, self-congratulatory reasoning of only the most specious sort.
One of the most hilarious segments of the book is Wheatley's essay on solving complex problems in which she actually suggests that arranging chairs in different geometric shapes will help to set the mood for the meeting: in a circle for a loving, open discussion, an open semi-circle for brainstorming, a square for "enriching through fruitful opposition, a triangle for "precise destroying," etc.
Wheatley's tone is saccharine, and she writes in a voice that is better suited to a self-help hypnosis tape. And to top it all off, it has some of the worst typesetting I've ever had the misfortune of trying to read in my life.
A ludicrous message, no research, ridiculous suggestions, clueless voice, laughable new-age tone, ugly font, uglier cover...this book managed to be one of the most unenjoyable I have ever been forced to swallow. You're honestly better off reading "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" or "Chicken Soup for the Businessman's Soul." (And that's not a recommendation).
December 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this collection of essays as part of our work book group. There is a lot to reflect on and ponder. I didn't agree with all of the presumptions or conclusions, but a hopeful outlook on what humanity might be capable of is a good thing. I would highly recommend it.
February 10, 2017
Excelent book
Margareth has a beautiful vision about the human race, she tought me in this book that we must work together in order to survive as a group!
Margareth has a beautiful vision about the human race, she tought me in this book that we must work together in order to survive as a group!
November 7, 2022
70% of this book was good and insightful; 30% of this book was the best thing I’ve read this year and told me what to do next.
July 23, 2015
Meg Wheatley is one of the most creative and innovative thinkers on leadership and organizational life today. People either seen to "get" her and resonate with her insights or dismiss her as meaningless fluff. I am in the former group which is why I found this book articulating and affirming ideas I have had about leadership for years, but could not articulate so simply and clearly.
This book is a collection of essay originally published elsewhere. The first three sections deal with issues of leadership and organizational life centering around balancing the two human needs for autonomy to create and the need for relationships and community building. The fourth section deals with how to manage one's individual life in the midst of destructive and dysfunctional organizational and societal trends. However, the fifth section is a series of deeply personal reflections which provide balance to what can seem like an overly optimistic view of human nature, the evolutionary processes of organizations and the state of society. Her essay "Beyond Hope and Fear" reveals her own uncertainty about her work and the future of the world. Yet she chooses to live in uncertainty - a theme she encourages her readers to embrace running thru the book. So while one might want to dismiss the book as pollyanna and fluff, Wheatley has been working with organizations for decades and has a realistic view of things as they are, and thing as they need to be.
For anyone seeking to work for the betterment of the human and global society, this is an important book. For those who feel the ways of capitalism, globalism, consumerism, materialism and militarism is heading us down a doomed path, this book points to a different way, to follow Gandhi and "be the change we want to be in the world."
This book is a collection of essay originally published elsewhere. The first three sections deal with issues of leadership and organizational life centering around balancing the two human needs for autonomy to create and the need for relationships and community building. The fourth section deals with how to manage one's individual life in the midst of destructive and dysfunctional organizational and societal trends. However, the fifth section is a series of deeply personal reflections which provide balance to what can seem like an overly optimistic view of human nature, the evolutionary processes of organizations and the state of society. Her essay "Beyond Hope and Fear" reveals her own uncertainty about her work and the future of the world. Yet she chooses to live in uncertainty - a theme she encourages her readers to embrace running thru the book. So while one might want to dismiss the book as pollyanna and fluff, Wheatley has been working with organizations for decades and has a realistic view of things as they are, and thing as they need to be.
For anyone seeking to work for the betterment of the human and global society, this is an important book. For those who feel the ways of capitalism, globalism, consumerism, materialism and militarism is heading us down a doomed path, this book points to a different way, to follow Gandhi and "be the change we want to be in the world."
June 28, 2013
I thought the first two sections of this book were great, I struggled with the third. In general though, I really felt that the author touches on some subjects that are critical in our society today and offers ideas that, while not revolutionary, really are ones we should be considering and discussing on a regular basis.
May 20, 2008
This book really spoke to me. It made me examine my thinking regarding how people become their best, most productive selves at work. I could relate to many of the chapters. I plan to continue to come back to this book often to keep me refreshed and continually questioning why we do what we do.
March 16, 2010
I'm rereading articles in this book - she is an excellent teacher and mentor.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews