Leadership Notes -- Thoughts on Leading People and Making a Difference in Organizations

Word count this issue: 210

Estimated reading time:  1:15 minutes

Good morning from a sunny Toronto where I am working with co-op and credit union leaders thinking about the future of the economy. I was reminded today of an interesting piece of etymology. The words ecology and economy are linked through the Greek. Both are rooted in the idea of household, the centre of Greek social structures. (Even their gods had a home on Mount Olympus). The word Oiko means household, and that is the root of “eco.” Nomia means management, and so the word economy is in this way about the management of the household. What is interesting is that the word Logos, means “thinking about” or l”earning about.” Ecology is then when we are thinking about or learning about the household.

I submit that as important as managing the household is, there is a vital earlier step and that is thinking about the household. Whatever your household, be that your department, your company, your social enterprise, your country, or the planet; it is vital that you think about it as a whole before you try to manage it.

I wonder what you think?