We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and the organization's top managers, perhaps with the help of outside consultants that they call in. But that is not really how an organization thinks.

Managers tend to treat organizations as if they are infinitely plastic. They hire and fire, merge, downsize, terminate programs, add capacities. But there are limits to the shifts that organizations can absorb.

The organization and the environment are in concert.

Willingness to learn is important, but willingness to act on what you learn is critical.

Nobody is as smart as everybody.

Your greatest job is shedding what you don't have to do.

I work in a "you scratch my back, and I'll stab yours" kind of a place.