We tend to think of the mind of an organization residing in the CEO and the organization's top managers, perhaps with the help of outside consultants that they call in. But that is not really how an organization thinks.

Quote by Kevin Kelly

Topics: Kevin Kelly Quotes

Each system is trying to anticipate change in the environment.

Each system is trying to anticipate change in the environment.

We are infected by our own misunderstanding of how our own minds work.

We are infected by our own misunderstanding of how our own minds work.

This is actually a very important principle that science is learning about large systems like...

This is actually a very important principle that science is learning about large systems like...

The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a...

The system continually has to make this choice: it can either continue to exploit a...

The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very...

The way to build a complex system that works is to build it from very...

But in fact, when you try to model that on a computer you find that...

But in fact, when you try to model that on a computer you find that...

Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.

Changing things from the top down works when things are stable.

The nature of an innovation is that it will arise at a fringe where it...

The nature of an innovation is that it will arise at a fringe where it...

Technological advances could allow us to see more clearly into our own lives.

Technological advances could allow us to see more clearly into our own lives.

Each organism's environment, for the most part, consists of other organisms.

Each organism's environment, for the most part, consists of other organisms.

Species go extinct because there are historical contraints built into a given body or a...

Species go extinct because there are historical contraints built into a given body or a...

An organization is a set of relationships that are persistent over time.

An organization is a set of relationships that are persistent over time.

Managing bottom-up change is its own art.

Managing bottom-up change is its own art.

And they discovered something very interesting: when it comes to walking, most of the ant's...

And they discovered something very interesting: when it comes to walking, most of the ant's...

It's more along the lines of raising a child: we train the system to a...

It's more along the lines of raising a child: we train the system to a...

Organisms by their design are not made to adapt too far.

Organisms by their design are not made to adapt too far.

It has become evident that the primary lesson of the study of evolution is that...

It has become evident that the primary lesson of the study of evolution is that...

An organization's reason for being, like that of any organism, is to help the parts...

An organization's reason for being, like that of any organism, is to help the parts...

It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.

It's generally much easier to kill an organization than to change it substantially.

All imaginable futures are not equally possible.

All imaginable futures are not equally possible.