A leader is one who... Has more faith in people than they do, and . . . who holds opportunities open long enough for their competence to re-emerge.

I believe that our very survival depends upon us becoming better systems thinkers.

For me, this is a familiar image - people in the organization ready and willing to do good work, wanting to contribute their ideas, ready to take responsibility, and leaders holding them back, insisting that they wait for decisions or instructions

One of the easiest human acts is also the most healing. Listening to someone. Simply listening. Not advising or coaching, but silently and fully listening.

I think a major act of leadership right now, call it a radical act, is to create the places and processes so people can actually learn together, using our experiences

Determination, energy, and courage appear spontaneously when we care deeply about something. We take risks that are unimaginable in any other context.

Probably the most visible example of unintended consequences, is what happens every time humans try to change the natural ecology of a place.