By his own account, he succeeded at one level but failed at another: employees became champions of “Joy at Work,” as Bakke called AES’s management practices. But at the board level, Bakke was less successful: I had several clues that my campaign to win over my board colleagues had been ineffective. … Even while some board members were telling shareholders that they loved “giving up power,” I could see that they found it difficult to give advice rather than make decisions. In addition, board members often suggested I tone down the “rhetoric” concerning our shared values and purpose, especially
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