MAVERICK! The success story behind the world’s most unusual workplace…
Goral Shroff
Nishant Singla
Karan Keshav Sood
Deepikaa S S
Harsh Toshniwal
Vaibhav Wadhwa
(PGDM-A)
INTRODUCTION “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there…”
Ricardo Semler changed SEMCO : AUTOCRATIC structure DEMOCRATIC structure. “This is not a business book. It is a book about work, and how it can be changed for the better.” -Ricardo Semler
RICARDO SEMLER
Born 1959, Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Best known for his innovative management policies
Named Latin American businessman of the year in 1990 – Wall Street Journal.
Democracy
Employees get a direct vote
Subordinate vote on their bosses
Corruption
No tolerance to dishonesty
Trust employees. No frisking.
Bosses
Reduced corporate staff by 75
percent
Eliminated departments
Less supervision required.
Organization Charts Organizational Structure based on fluid concentric circles - > Three layers of mgmt ~ Counselors – CEO ,VPs ~ Partners - Business Heads ~ Coordinators -Functional heads ~ Associates - Everyone else Factory committees
Representatives elected
Negotiate with top mgmt.
Empowered to declare strikes.
Questions all aspects of mgmt.
Job rotation Min – 2 yrs & Max – 5 yrs in the same job Employee initiated offers considerable advantages ◦ Obliging people to learn new skills. ◦ Discouraging empire building. ◦ Broader view of the company. ◦ Preparing more than one person for a job. Job security No promise of job security no breakage of promise. Family silverware SEMCO employees meeting 70% of the requirements preferred over outsiders for a new position.
Lost in space
Entry level applicants Totally free.
Free to roam
First 12 months – 12 departments.
Mgmt by wandering around
People separated by plants – designed to allow people to mingle.
No walls between depts..
Profit sharing
Splitting of profit i.e. distribution decided by workers.
Reverse evaluation Hiring or promotion evaluation by subordinates. 6 month evaluations Rules As few as possible No dress codes, regulations on travel Trading written rules for “common sense” Salary Surveys Employees set their own salaries Interview counterparts in other companies.
Satellite Program Outsource to workers Assistance in entrepreneurial development No restrictions – allowed to sell to the competitors Size Lesser number = Better coordination Bigger business units split them Strikes Cannot be eliminated Avoid animosity Informal conversations Respect rights
Transparency All corp. information known to staff Teach workers to read financial statements Authority to employees to question managers
Surviving the worst…
1990 - Brazil's economy went into a severe downturn Hyperinflation Workers at SEMCO agreed to wage cuts Multiple roles Outsourcing Promoting entrepreneurial abilities of the workers
Conclusion • Breaks age old management myths • Pragmatic lessons for managers • Leadership skills
Ratings
Rating a book like this is difficult as it is very subjective… still…
THANK YOU!!!
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