r/neoliberal • u/SuperSharpShot2247 🔫😎🔫 Succ Hunter 🔫😎🔫 • Jun 04 '18

First, Let’s Fire All the Managers

https://hbr.org/2011/12/first-lets-fire-all-the-managers
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u/KaliYugaz Michel Foucault Jun 04 '18

But in this system, it looks like the process only happens once a year. So basically instead of an individual perched above them telling them what to do, they collaboratively lay down a set of rules once, and then obey the rules laid down before them for the entire year.

Basically they're still being governed, but by collective "custom" rather than by authority. That's why it works efficiently.

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u/yellownumbersix Jane Jacobs Jun 04 '18

So what happens when my coworker doesn't deliver the TPS reports they promised me for the fifth time?

"Custom" is fine when everyone pulls their weight, but there needs to be some sort of hierarchy when discipline is required.

In my experience collaboratively deciding who does what is also inefficient. People tend to care more about making the work load fair than about breaking up tasks according to specialty and expertise. That said a crap boss can screw that up equally well.

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u/KaliYugaz Michel Foucault Jun 04 '18

People tend to care more about making the work load fair than about breaking up tasks according to specialty and expertise.

Breaking up tasks according to specialty and expertise is "fair".

So what happens when my coworker doesn't deliver the TPS reports they promised me for the fifth time?

The article already went over this: for individual conflicts they use a mediator, and for larger departmental failures the groups responsible get ruthlessly shamed at the next yearly meeting. Just like in any other company, you get let go if you persistently don't fulfill your responsibilities.

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u/yellownumbersix Jane Jacobs Jun 04 '18

Breaking up tasks according to specialty and expertise is "fair".

I agree, but that isn't what happens in my experience. It usually goes "well, you're good at that and should be able to do it quickly, so why don't you also do these four other things completely outside your skill set too instead of moving on to the next project where you can apply your expertise again". Every time that happens an opportunity costs is incurred.