Empowerment is the third link in Honda’s chain aligning the individual and the corporation. Values and trust (the first two links) establish the preconditions that encourage individuals to think, experiment and improve. It follows that learning organizations share, above all else, an abiding commitment to people and a faith in the human capacity to find a better way. Once employees know what an organization stands for, and believe that it is sufficiently trustworthy to warrant their commitment and effort, they begin to truly extend themselves. If management provides employees with the tools, understanding and latitude to make a difference, great things are possible. – Richard Pascale in Managing on the Edge