Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended — Margaret Wheatley

"Here are a few principles Ive learned. Start something, and see who notices it. Its only after we initiate something in a system that we see the threads that connect. Usually, someone we dont even know suddenly appears, either outraged or helpful."

"The dense and tangled web of life-the interconnected nature of reality--now reveals itself on a daily basis. Since September 11th, think about how much youve learned about people, nations, and ways of life that previously youd known nothing about. Weve been learning how the lives of those far away affect our own. Were beginning to realize that in order to live peacefully together on this planet, we need to be in new relationships, especially with those far-distant from us."

"Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals that can go it alone."

"Scott London: How did you begin to explore the connection between management and science? Meg Wheatley: I didnt have an interest in the new science. I had a realization that in my profession — which was vaguely labeled "organizational change," "organizational development," or "management consulting" in general — none of us knew how organizations change. When I talked to other consultants, I noticed that if we had an organizational change effort that was successful, it felt like a miracle to us. I realized with a great start one day that we werent even geared up for success. It didnt matter that we didnt know how to change organizations. We were all professionals who didnt hope to achieve what we were selling or suggesting to clients. The field was really moribund. At the same time — and this is the serendipity of life — I had a friend and educator whom I had worked with for many years who said casually one day "Meg, if youre interested in systems thinking, you should be reading quantum physics." He didnt know where I was in my despair over my professional failings. But I said, "Okay, give me a book list." He gave me ten titles. I read eight of those and I was off. I always credit him with that casual, helpful comment that changed my life."

"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about."

"In our daily life, we encounter people who are angry, deceitful, intent only on satisfying their own needs. There is so much anger, distrust, greed, and pettiness that we are losing our capacity to work well together."