Autor: Yuval Noah Harari
Get book!Review: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens is less a history book and more a meditation on how humans became who we are. While it covers thousands of years — from hunter-gatherers to global capitalism — what struck me most was not the chronology but the argument that much of human progress has been built on shared stories. For me, reading Sapiens sharpened my understanding of how culture, belief systems, and collective imagination shape not just societies, but also organizations.
The Power of Shared Fictions
Harari highlights that humans cooperate at scale because of “shared fictions” — ideas like money, nations, or corporations. From an organizational psychology perspective, this is a profound insight. Workplaces, too, are bound together by narratives: mission statements, values, even leadership styles. These constructs may not be tangible, but they govern behavior as strongly as rules or incentives. Reflecting on this helped me see organizational culture not as accidental, but as a carefully sustained story.
From Survival to Systems
The book traces how agriculture, religion, science, and capitalism transformed societies. What resonates with my leadership studies is the recurring theme of systems shaping individuals. Just as early agricultural societies reorganized human priorities, modern organizations shape how people define success, belonging, and identity. Harari’s long historical arc mirrors the patterns I study in microcosm within teams: structure both empowers and constrains.
A Mirror for Leadership
For me, Sapiens is a reminder that leadership is about storytelling. Leaders don’t just manage tasks — they help sustain the shared fictions that hold groups together. Whether that’s a vision for innovation, a culture of psychological safety, or a commitment to equity, these narratives give people meaning. Harari shows us that humanity has always been led by stories, and organizations are no exception.
Why It Matters to My Work
In my academic journey, Sapiens connects macro history with micro organizational psychology. It reminds me that the same mechanisms that enabled civilizations to rise also operate in boardrooms and classrooms: belief, cooperation, and collective imagination. As I prepare to shape organizations in the future, I see Harari’s book not as distant history but as a call to be intentional about the stories we choose to tell and live by.