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October 30, 2005
The Elephant and the Flea by Charles Handy
This month I took time to read a gem of a book by Charles Handy. The title of the book was The Elephant and the Flea; the elephant was analogous to a large organization while the flea represented a free agent or independent worker. The book itself is broken up into three main parts. The first focus on life in the organization where the author describes is journey through Shell, Windsor Castle and many other organizations. The similarities between his experiences mirror my own and considering his path was 20 years ago, not much as changed. The middle section focused on the basic economics of a capital society. The most interesting part was when he compared four different countries attempt at capitalism and his analysis of why it works so well here in America. As a hint, he lays the historical foundation of our no excuses and self dependences. The final section describes his journey in the world of fleas. For anyone ever pondering the jump, Mr. Hardy gives you the Clint Eastwood version; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I especially enjoyed the analysis of the four different type of work: paid, gift, study, and home. My wife and I enjoyed discussing the different percentages we focus at our home. Without a doubt, one of the better books I have read this year.
Posted by Todd at October 30, 2005 6:39 PM