Happy Boss(less) Day

Today is Bosses Day in the US, which in fact (to my surprise) is a national holiday. It has traditionally been a day for employees to thank their superior for being kind and fair throughout the year. Some would also say that it's a great way to score points with your boss. But isn't this expression of gratitude also solidifying the gap between the "workers" and the "superiors"?

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you could set our own hours, determine your own pay and even choose your own boss? Other than being self employed, this sounds far-fetched. Nonetheless, Richard Semler, director of Semco, has been running a successful 'boss-less' company for 25 years. He believes that if you want creative employees, then you should release your control and let them do what they want.

Ricardo Semler’s tips for democratic management:

• Do away with bureaucracy, which creates a sense of false security.
• Let employees determine everything themselves: their salaries, their working hours, their managers.
• Let go of control to stimulate creativity.
• Strip away special treatment for managers - no parking space or secretary, not even their own desk.
• Continually question whether what appears to be self-evident is actually good for the company.
• Regularly take a break from work when you are unreachable for a period of time.
• Read classic literature instead of management books.
• Remember that leadership has nothing to do with hierarchy, because everyone can develop leadership skills.

Read Ode's interview with Ricardo Semler here: www.odemagazine.com/doc/40/the_boss_who_breaks_all_the_rules