Nurturing reliable, creative, nimble organizations
The dichotomy of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is still prevalent. In fact it is difficult to walk the hallways of any company and not hear the unspoken assumption of management vs. worker, even as the media increase the volume regarding greed, income inequality and capital vs. worker. But is that the dichotomy that defines a society? And if it is not, how do alternatives impact organizational structure? [...]
Markets work best when information is freely and universally available. Writing even more obscure laws only raises overhead costs and does little to prevent future shocks. Keep regulation simple and broad and ethical, with a great prejudice for preserving trader assets and minimizing harm inflicted by failure. [...]
Complicated rules make adding value more difficult, just as convoluted communication is confusing. Worse, they engender frustration and disengagement, and the effect is exponentially related to the size of the population. Last, complication raises the cost of living. [...]
The lessons of complexity are instructive when it comes to the challenges of education. Any system with single points of failure or success will adapt very slowly. When they are administered by bureaucracy, they will adapt and succeed and evolve even slower, to the point of stagnation. While industries decentralize and empower smaller groups to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, our governments are centralizing further. This method constrains innovation and ignores cost, regardless of the purity of our experts' hearts. We are doing a great deal of research, but little trial. The prejudice between thought and action should be reversed. [...]
Every man who acts beyond the line of private life, must expect to pass through two severe examinations. First, as to his motives; secondly, as to his conduct. [...]