Community organizing is all about building grassroots support. It's about identifying the people around you with whom you can create a common, passionate cause. And it's about ignoring the conventional wisdom of company politics and instead playing the game by very different rules.

Unless you walk out into the unknown, the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low.

Good managers have a bias for action.

Nothing good or great can be done in the absence of enthusiasm.

You can't think your way out of a box; you've got to act.

A while back, I came across a line attributed to IBM founder Thomas Watson. If you want to achieve excellence, he said, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.

Accept change as a friend. And don't take yourself too seriously.