Maverick

is an excellent book by Ricardo Semlar (isbn 0-7126-7886-7). As usual I'm going to quote from a few pages:

Our board meetings have two open seats for the first employees that sign up, and two more for any person in a leadership capacity that cares to show up.

My role is that of a catalyst. I try to create an environment in which others make decisions.

During this time I often thought of a business parable I had heard. Three stone cutters were asked about their jobs. The first said he was paid to cut stones. The second replied that he used special techniques to shape stones in an exceptional way, and proceeded to demonstrate his skills. The third stone cutter just smiled and said: 'I build cathedrals.'

…I'll recommend that you take two aspirins, eight times a day. These sixteen pills won't do very much, except remind you regularly that you have a huge problem to solve.

In business, effort is too often confused with result.

Imagine! Workers wanted to be searched to prove their innocence.

Dress codes are all about conformity.

A conservative bunch, they adhered to a rigid hierarchy, even when complaining.

Almost all businessmen think their employees are involved in the firm and are its greatest asset. Almost all employees think they are given too little attention and respect, and cannot say what they really think.

I have come to believe that economy of scale is one of the most overrated concepts in business. It exists of course, but it is overtaken by the diseconomies of scale much sooner than most people realise.

I believe Taylor's precise job descriptions limit workers' potential and constrain the possibility of job enrichment, which dampens their motivation.

We quickly learned he was the kind of person who would count to ten when he got angry - and explode at two.

Any alley cat can stay lean when food is scarce; the trick is to stay lean during the good times.