When we go into Santa’s sack today, I have managed to pull out an old favourite of mine – The Seven-Day Weekend by Ricardo Semler.
He’s the CEO of the Sao Paulo, Brazil-based company Semco, and his vision of leadership has been the driving force behind an organisation so different, so innovative and so successful that the business world has been forced to sit up and pay attention.
He is to be admired because Ricardo Semler has chosen happiness as his driving force in business.
He enjoys life and he wants Semco’s employees, customers, suppliers and community to be happy as well. That is the real motivation behind Semco. Not growth. Not profits. Not power. Not status. But happiness.
This is why Semco has chosen to do things… somewhat differently. At Semco:
- Employees set their own working hours
- Employees choose their own salaries
- All meetings are voluntary and open to everyone
- Employees hire their own bosses
- HR has been almost abolished, because leaders need to be able to treat their employees right themselves
- All employees rate their bosses twice a year and all ratings are published
- Employees choose which leader they want to work under
- Employees choose which Semco office they want to work out off
- Employees can take early retirement, meaning they get one day a week off in return for working one day a week after they retire.
How awesome would it be to work for this business?
It’s hard to find a single aspect of traditional organisation and management that Semco hasn’t either blown up, reinvented, abolished or turned upside down. I like it!
He first described his vision in the aptly titled book Maverick (also an excellent read). The Seven-Day Weekend was written about ten years later and goes even further.
You can collect your Christmas present here: http://bit.ly/2hGRd7g
As a small business owner you have the power and ability to create the type of business that people will be falling over each other to join.
Imagine a collective group in pursuit of happiness, a movement that can change the world!
Let me know if you enjoy reading this one too.
Have a great day!
