One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organizati…

Everyone, any time, could see the picture emerge and evolve. They could see how the whole depended on their work, and how their work was connected to every other part of the effort. [...] To be able to get one's own work done and help another became a sought-after privilege.

Many took the openness and liberty of Visa as applicable to them, but not in relation to those over whom they had authority.

Could such an organization be patterned on biological concepts and methods? [...] What if we quit arguing about the structure of a new institution and tried to think of it as having some sort of genetic code?

the essence of community, its very heart and soul, is the nonmonetary exchange of value [...] It arises from deep, intuitive, understanding that self-interest is inseparably connected with community interest

Educed behavior is the essence of leader/follower. Compelled behavior is the essence of all the others.

At such times, it is no failure to fall short of realizing all that we might dream: The failure is to fall short of dreaming all that we might realize. We must try!

Side by side with a compelling desire to excel in the world as he found it was equal desire to behave in accordance with the world as he wished it to be. Shoulder to shoulder with desire for power, fame, and fortune was longing for solitude and contemplation. Hand in hand with the urge to excitement and action was the call to contemplatio

Think of it as a reverse holding company. The regulations to which each party must submit are created by them. Any time a member does not like what has been created, they are free to walk away without obligation. It is an open, enabling, self-governing organization.

the need to rely entirely on the power of purpose, principles, and people was what brought Visa into being. It was no stroke of genius. It was plain old necessity.