"This book is a breakthrough. It's beautifully written, perfectly
timed and heralds a new way forward. I'm buying a dozen copies to share
with friends and colleagues."
-Seth Godin, Founder of altMBA and author of The Practice
If you let go of hierarchy, chaos will reign...or so many leaders
believe.
But when leaders find the courage to distribute rather than hoard
power, creativity multiplies, trust deepens, and inclusivity expands...
and a new kind of order emerges.
A few rare leaders have learned to embrace a new organizational shape
and mindset: Constellations. Organizations designed as constellations
are dynamic and flexible networks of distinct yet interwoven
individuals. Each member of the team feels like a singular star and is
also connected to others to form something greater. That is how Visa
reimagined how we pay for things, how Wikipedia beat the richest company
in the world and how Barack Obama and his grassroots team revolutionized
political campaigning. These leaders did what most leaders dread - they
gave away power.
Barzun brilliantly layers lessons across history and industries with his
own experiences as an internet entrepreneur, political organizer, and US
ambassador to the United Kingdom and Sweden. The Power of Giving Away
Power shows how the Constellation mindset shines in some of the most
impactful organizations and innovations the world has ever known. And it
encourages us all to recognize, as Barzun writes, "the power we can
create by seeing the power in others" -- and making the leap to lead.
Together.
