Hi Tom, thanks for your story on how Semler's ideas and peter's principle have combined in your organisation. I have no real stories to share - just some questions and thoughts. From one hand semler invites to organise companies on a more open way, trusting people and their self responsibility. And to be honest I don't think the issue is democracy - but more personal responsibility, flexibility or in other words a liquid organisation. >From the other Peter's stresses that incompetence is the rule in organisations. If you combine the two it seems that we must give power to incompetent - o trust them - which sounds a little bit strange.
Surely a non hierarchical approach to organisation of work - that is Semler's and OS approach - can help to reduce the problems connected with Peter's Principle by decreasing the leader's level of incompetence in an organisation. This for a couple of different reasons: 1) because it creates new forms of distributed leadership (incompetence); 2) cause helps through dialogue to reduce the incompetence of leaders. But than the question remains: should we trust and give power to the incompetent? More thoughts when I finish the books Ciao ge Gerardo de Luzenberger Tel: +39 02 45409189 - Mob: +39 3293281343 Skype: gerardodeluz [email protected] PREMIO IMPRESA INNOVATIVA E CREATIVA DELLA PROVINCIA DI MILANO www.loci.it [email protected] www.scuoladifacilitazione.it http://www.flickr.com/photos/geniusloci/ tel: +39 02 45409189 - fax: +39 02 36591744 Via A. Volta 12 20121 Milano Italy AVVISO DI RISERVATEZZA Il contenuto e gli allegati di questo messaggio sono strettamente confidenziali. Ne è vietata la diffusione e l'uso non autorizzato. Qualora il presente messaggio le fosse pervenuto per errore, le saremmo grati se lo distruggesse e, via e-mail, ce ne comunicasse l'errata ricezione all'indirizzo [email protected] This e-mail (and any attachment(s)) is strictly confidential and for use only by intended recipient(s). If you are not an intended recipient(s), please notify it via e-mail at [email protected] promptly and destroy this message. -----Messaggio originale----- Da: Tom Tuddenham [mailto:[email protected]] Inviato: lunedì 21 luglio 2008 12.10 A: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Oggetto: Re: ricardo semler and peter'e principle Hi Ge Serendipity is a wonderful thing. I can tell you about a very recent experience of my own: at work I've just stepped down from leading a team of software developers, to focus on what I enjoy doing.. actual coding. The details aren't all that important, as the same change could happen anywhere. The Peter Principle came in there. I really felt like I was at the edge of my competency and in real danger of being promoted to a point beyond where I could be useful and sane at the same time. Interestingly enough my line manager and I had been talking about Semler's ideas in the weeks up to the change and decided that rather than put someone new in my place that we'd try some sort of democratic model to run the team under. Unfortunately what happened is a bit of power vacuum got created, another member of the team anointed himself team-lead and instead of dealing with it the team talked in puzzled voices about what it all meant before burying their noses in their work. I'm probably being unfair but in any case a degree of bad blood got generated very quickly which we're only just getting over. How did things get so weird so quick? I think that in some ways we needed to have a very clear cut definition of "democracy", instead of just letting it happen organically. But I also think there are pressures in the company pushing the team - or any team - to behave in certain ways. Again I'm being a bit unfair as we have a fair degree of latitude in the company - but it was interesting to watch things happening seemingly at odds with the general consensus. The real serendipitous moment only came to me a minute ago, as I was complaining about it all to my poor wife before realising (or being told.. the lines blur) that I just don't need to worry about it any more. Maybe this little ship will right itself, maybe it will sink. But even if it does at least we'll have learned some lessons about boat building. Good luck with whatever you are up to. I'd be very interested in hearing where the Peter Principle and Semler's ideas coincide for you. Cheers Tom On Fri, Jul 18, 2008 at 6:42 PM, gerardo de luzenberger <[email protected]> wrote: > Yesterday I bought to books. One is about Peter's Principle, the other is by > Ricardo semler about what he did in his company semco. > > While going back home I was wondering about the serendipity of buying these > two books, and how the things they say mix together? > > Any idea about that? > > Have a wonderful OSonOS > > I would have really liked to join you > > ge > > > > > > Gerardo de Luzenberger > > SSF - Scuola Superiore di Facilitazione > > Via Alessandro Volta 12 > > 20121 Milano > > tel: +39 02 45409189 > > [email protected] > > www.scuoladifacilitazione.it > > www.loci.it > > > > > > > > * * ========================================================== > [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, > unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > [email protected]: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
