Here is how Dennis Bakke (CEO of AES at that time) summarizes the assumptions workers feel bosses have about them:

• Workers are lazy. If they are not watched, they will not work diligently.
• Workers work primarily for money. They will do what it takes to make as much money as possible.
• Workers put their own interest ahead of what is best for the organization. They are selfish.
• Workers perform best and are most effective if they have one simple repeatable task to accomplish.
• Workers are not capable of making good decisions about important matters that affect the economic performance of the company. Bosses are good at making decisions.
• Workers do not want to be responsible for their actions or for decisions that affect the performance of the organization.
• Workers need care and protection, just as children need the care of their parents.
• Workers should be compensated by the hour or by the number of "pieces" produced. Bosses should be paid a salary and possibly receive bonuses and stock.
• Workers are like interchangeable parts of machines. One "good" worker is pretty much the same as another "good" worker.
• Workers need to be told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Bosses need to hold them accountable.

And here are the new assumptions :

AES people :

• Are creative, thoughtful, trustworthy adults, capable of making important decisions;
• Are accountable and responsible for their decisions and actions;
• Are fallible. We make mistakes, sometimes on purpose;
• Are unique and
• Want to use their talents and skills to make a positive contribution to the organization and the world.

At FAVI in the 1980's, regarding the organizational practices, men and women were considered to be :

• Thieves, because everything was locked up in storage rooms.
• Lazy, as their working time was controlled and every late showing punished by somebody (who didn't care to inquire about the reasons for being late).
• Not dependable, because all their production was controlled by somebody else - who must not have been very dependable either because general control mechanisms had been put in place.
• Not intelligent, as a "manufacturing engineering" department did the thinking for them.

Here are the new assumptions :

• People are systematically considered to be good (reliable, self-motivated, trustworthy, intelligent).
• There is no performance without happiness. To be happy, we need to be responsible. To be responsible, we must understand why and for whom we work, and be free to decide how.
• Value is created on the shop floor. Shop floor operators craft the products, the CEO and staff at best serve to support them. At worst, they are costly distractions.

1. Individuals shall work with no use of force or coercion.
2. Individuals shall keep commitments.

1. All people are of equal human worth.
2. People are essentially good, unless proven otherwise.
3. There is no single way to manage corporate issues well.