A person’s political leanings are known by the company he keeps or the actions he does. What does one term a son of an entrepreneur who enters his growing family business and transforms it into a multi billion dollar business empire by pursuing pro active labour policies, transfering majority of the powers of management to them and in the end retires from all executive positions at a very young age. A socialist or capitalist or as Ricardo Semler, Chairman of SEMCO one of Brasil’s largest Conglomerates would put... it A Socialist Capitalist.
I think the jury is out on this one, but it is very clear that this Austrian Emigre to Brasil is one of the world’s foremost young management gurus. The difference is that he has actually practised what he preaches that is the art of putting people’s life in their own hands.
How many organisations allow their workers to fix their own salary or rate their bosses instead of the other way around or even as trivial as asking suggestions of employees for redesigning the workplace.
Semler has effectively done that and more, the brilliant company manual which is set out as an Annexure to the book is not surprisingly done up like a comic book , contains such and many other reality shattering truths.
This autobiographical account of people centric management practises is a must read for all management students, executives and especially bosses.