I believe in merit.

When John Byrne took over as editor in chief of
Fast Company in 2003, his letter from the editor
in the August issue sold me my subscription for years to come.

It was inspiring.

“We believe that there is no greater power in the
world than the force of a great idea. We believe that people are the lifeblood
of every organization. We believe that the best companies are true
meritocracies, where people rise and fall through their own contributions, not
through game playing or politics…

We know that competitive advantage goes to
fast-moving people and organizations that embrace change and welcome innovation
brought about by new advances in technology and globalization. And we believe
that there is a new and growing number of innovators, leaders, and change
agents who are reshaping the future of business — for good, for better, and
forever.”

Maybe it’s Pollyanna.

Perhaps it’s too simplistic.

But isn’t it a wonderful place to start?