Life-in-Progress

Below are a list of books — not as much comprehensive as representative — that, when taken in conjunction with each other, present a synthesized view of new technology-enabled organizational design models. Whether you call this Enterprise 2.0 or Organizational Democracy (or some combination therein), the ideas captured in these books are actually complimentary to the greater idea, even when they do not appear that way on the surface.

	Good to Great by Jim Collins The foundational premise of my essential business philosophy is encapsulated in this book: the difference between a good company and a great company is found in one thing: the people. Great companies, in Collins research, understand how to maximize their most valuable asset in order to create world class organizations.
	Maverick by Ricardo Semler Ricardo Semler’s family business is not only one of the earliest and best examples of organizational democracy, but it’s also the proof that — for those with a true vision — it was possible long before the era of Enterprise 2.0. He opens the book with: “[A] new way of running an organization. It is not socialist, as some of our critics contend. It isn’t purely capitalist, either. It is a new way. A third way. A more humane, trusting, productive, exhilarating, and, in every sense, rewarding way.”
	Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky In one of the cornerstones of modern non-fiction, Clay discusses the socio-political paradigm shifts that are a result of Information Age technology changes. While many of Clay’s business observations are at a macro-level, they also apply to the internal dynamics within an organization, including its design.
	What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith While Marshall’s great guide is designed to help managers take their careers to the next level, the must-break habits he identifies are almost all habits born out of a command-and-control management approach. For anyone looking to implement a more democratic organizational design, Marshall Goldsmith’s insights into the managers’ personal styles are all highly applicable.
	Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner The book that reminds us that human beings are incentive-driven creatures, and that the best way to get the best results out of anyone is to align their best interests with your goal. Whether this applies to something as explicit as a compensation package/model or as implicit as an organization’s culture, the impact that proper incentives have on an individual’s creativity, productivity and staying-power are profound.
	The End of Management by Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith Cloke and Goldsmith challenge leaders to transform their organizations into something most of them have never previously considered. Written in 2002, just like Maverick, the ideas of organizational democracy pre-date the technology revolution in which we currently live. Cloke and Goldsmith’s observations and insights demonstrate an opportunity for organizing in new ways only further enhanced by modern tools.
	A Force for Change by John P. Kotter As the standard bearer for modern change management practices, in this book Kotter examines the difference between “management” and true “leadership.” This distinction is critical for any organization even considering democratic organization principles; and it’s a great insight into why some people can inspire loyalty, while others only ever inspire resentment.
	The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Malcolm Gladwell’s groundbreaking work examines the point at which an idea (or product) goes from flying under the radar to ‘taking over the world.’ Technology adoption is a prime example of this phenomenon, and the social impacts (as discussed by Shirky) that this has led to will continue to drive organizational change, despite enterprise resistance.