Money should never be separated from values. Detached from values it may indeed be the root of all evil. Linked effectively to social purpose it can be the root of opportunity. Rosabeth Moss Kanter More Quotes by Rosabeth Moss Kanter More Quotes From Rosabeth Moss Kanter Power stems from 'rainmaking,' as law firms put it: the ability to bring resources into the company. Rosabeth Moss Kanter resources power law Creativity does not derive from order but from the attempt to impose order where it does not exist, to make new connections. Rosabeth Moss Kanter connections creativity order Sometimes you lose - perhaps because you play against the very best, or because surprises happen - but if there is organizational confidence, you bounce back from losses and convert them to successes. Rosabeth Moss Kanter surprise loss sometimes Perpetuating success or sliding into decline is the result of many intersecting forces that reinforce one another directly and indirectly. They are both cause and effect of winning or losing. Winning generates positive forces, losing generates negative forces. Rosabeth Moss Kanter causes winning negative Pessimists see problems as stemming from stable and universal causes, thus making them less susceptible to corrective action. Optimists, in contrast, view problems as temporary and resulting from specific factors that will either change or be changed. Rosabeth Moss Kanter optimism causes views Peter Drucker being one of the most important influences because he has helped to think differently about organizational leadership and management. Frankly, I learn something of value from everyone I meet. My Harvard colleagues. My students. The executives I work with. For an eager student, which is what I am, there is so much to be learned from everyday experiences. I'm a sponge. Always will be. Rosabeth Moss Kanter everyday important thinking Confidence is not just in people's heads; it comes from the culture of the organization. It's easier to expect success when working in an organization that has a culture of accountability, collaboration, and initiative. Without this, it's easier - and more self-protective - to assume failure so the person is not disappointed and instead pleasantly surprised. Rosabeth Moss Kanter accountability collaboration culture Sports is a perfect activity in which to see streaks and cycles, organizational and otherwise, in action - and to watch confidence build or erode. There are repeated episodes of performance with similar rules and clear winners or losers. I added team sports to my studies of business because there are excellent parallels to work groups in the performance of sports teams and also excellent parallels to larger, more complex businesses or organizations in the strategy, structure, and culture surrounding any particular team. Rosabeth Moss Kanter team perfect sports The positive outlook that optimists project does not come from ignoring or denying problems. Optimists simply assume that problems are temporary and can be solved, so optimists naturally want more information about problems because then they can get to work and do something. Pessimists are more likely to believe that there is nothing they can do anyway, so what's the point of even thinking about it? Rosabeth Moss Kanter optimism believe thinking It is crucial to recognize, reward, and celebrate accomplishments. Rosabeth Moss Kanter celebrate rewards accomplishment A basic truth of management - if not of life - is that nearly everything looks like a failure in the middle. Rosabeth Moss Kanter management life-is looks Winning becomes easier over time as the cornerstones of confidence become habits. Rosabeth Moss Kanter confidence habit winning Friendly people are caring people, eager to provide encouragement and support when needed most. Rosabeth Moss Kanter encouragement caring people What being among the 'right people' entails is the possession of human capital, rather than organizational capital: an individual reputation, portable skills, and network connections. Career responsibility is squarely in the hands of individuals, a function of their knowledge and networks. Transferable knowledge is more important to a career than firm-specific knowledge. Rosabeth Moss Kanter responsibility work hands Powerlessness corrupts: absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely. Rosabeth Moss Kanter absolute-power powerlessness absolutes Our future will be shaped by the assumptions we make about who we are and what we can be. Rosabeth Moss Kanter who-we-are future assumption I've been looking at companies that are on a positive path vs. a negative path and I've come to use the language of sports, winning streaks and losing streaks. Rosabeth Moss Kanter winning positive sports The importance of discretion increases with closeness to the top of a hierarchical organization. Rosabeth Moss Kanter increase organization business Confidence isn't optimism or pessimism, and it's not a character attribute. It's the expectation of a positive outcome. Rosabeth Moss Kanter optimism expectations character I wonder whether there has been too much emphasis on teaching women to conform, to fit into the system. Certainly that suits conservative organizations in conservative times. But now ... innovation and creativity are necessary. Rosabeth Moss Kanter creativity organization teaching
