It was a pleasure and a privilege to have known Ralph personally, as well as through the breadth and depth of his writing. He was always willing to take time out to share his thoughts, and generous and helpful in his comments. His determination and ability to challenge conventional wisdom has been an inspiration to those of us who shared his views on the inadequacy of current approaches to organization and management practice. For my part, I’m pleased that I had the chance to thank him for the significant influence that he has had on my thinking and practice for the past 30 years. That will not be diminished, despite the shock and sadness of his passing.