The Seven-Day Weekend - Changing the Way Work Works

Ricardo Semler

Portfolio

2004

256 páginas

8h 32m

ISBN-10: 1591840260

Email and paperwork have invaded homes. Most people know how to work on Sunday evening. But no one yet knows how to go to the cinema on Monday afternoon. A new way to work is needed. Since "Maverick!" was published, the growth and success of Semco have been explosive: it's now five times bigger than it was four years ago. It has embraced the internet world, expanded in services, and employs 2,300 people, compared to 350 when "Maverick!" was written. A new way of working has emerged at Semco of which the tell-tale signs are: hammocks where people rest during the day, Retire-a-Little Plans, the end of the head office, the abolition of control and boarding school mentality. The results: inordinate success for 20 years, practically non-existent staff turnover, and an organization that covers an enormous range of business activity, from machinery to environmental consulting, and from real estate advisory services to new business start-ups, smoothly and coherently. It's time for a new way to work to be created, and Semco is leading the way. "The Seven Day Weekend" tells the fascinating and unlikely story of how this can be achieved

Resenhas (1)

5 (Perfeito)

Ricardo Semler como sempre genial.

O livro fala sobre algumas noções, premissas que assumimos como verdadeiras, em especial sobre a forma de trabalhar, e mostra como é não apenas possível mudar de forma a obter um melhor equilíbrio entre vida pessoal e trabalho, como é mais lucrativo fazê-lo.

A famosa série de 3 porquês pra qualquer coisa é um grande estimulador de mudanças. O próprio Ricardo se vê como uma catalizador.

"Se insistir nas horas de trabalho padrão, eu posso estar sacrificando uma certa quantidade de potencial dos empregados todos os dias. Ao encorajar a uniformidade, eu perco produtividade."

Fala que o trabalho deve ser um ambiente que estimula o "reservatório de talento" de cada um.
"A melhor forma de garantir uma satisfação com o trabalho no longo prazo é exaurir o reservatório de talento ou respondendo a um chamado. Afinal, ninguém trabalha apenas pelo dinheiro. "

"O que librifica o processo para nós (SEMCO) é a fé - fé apoiada na experiência - que os empregados podem perseguir seus interesses próprios e comprir com a agenda da empresa ao mesmo tempo."

"Os níveis de stress são maiores quando o equilíbrio é menor"

"Os primeiros departamentos de Recursos Humanos datam da virada do século, e floresceram porque gerentes estavam desconfortáveis de lidar assuntos pessoais. Com o tempo, tornou-se aceitável que gerentes não podiam recrutar, trainar, divulgar, contratar headhunters, fazer planos de carreiras ou servir como um "terceiro" objetivo."

"Porque fazemos o que fazemos? A resposta é: Para fazer a viagem da vida valer a pena e nos sentirmos vivos e com propósito."

"Processo é fundamental ao conhecimento, e erros são poderosos catalizadores para o processo."

"A criança-problema de hoje pode ser a superstar de amanhã."

"Um claro sinal de um empresa problemática é uma na qual os empregados não se importam o suficiente para perguntar, e, se for esse o caso, eles nunca vão se importar o suficiente para usar completamente seus talentos. Assim como a curiosidade é um antídoto para o tédio e indiferença, os bem informados são mais propensos a se manterem interessados, engajados, e vivos com propósito."

"Mas exércitos não são criados para alimentar soldados, assim como empresas não geram renda apenas para que possam contratar mais funcionários."

"Se se perguntado porque a SEMCO existe, nós da empresa daríamos a mesma resposta que nos damos: Não sabemos ao certo, mas tem algo a ver com gratificação coletiva e a razão de viver e trabalhar."

"Conforme o controle diminui, criatividade e valores florescem."

"Divergência e democracia andam de mãos dadas."

If I insist on standard work hours, I may be sacrificing a certain amount of employee potential every day. By encouraging uniformity, I lose productivity.

For that to happen, we must tap into what I call the reservoir of talent in the pursuit of personal or company goals. Everyone has a wealth of instincts, interests, and skills that combine to form their talents.

The best way to ensure job satisfaction over the long run is to exhaust that reservoir or to answer the calling. After all, no one works for money alone.

What lubricates the process for us is faithfaith supported by experiencethat employees can pursue their self-interest and fulfill the companys agenda at the same time.

stress levels are highest where balance is lowest.

It often reflects the difference between expectation and reality.

Those people constitute the vast majority of workers in the world. That isnt to say that a factory worker, a bank clerk, or a shop assistant cannot be happy at work, but the chance is slim that they are exhausting their reservoir of talent. Its my theory that the slow and measured use of that reserve is what makes life worthwhile.

The first Human Resources departments date to the turn of the century and blossomed because managers were uncomfortable dealing with personnel issues. Over time, it became accepted that managers couldnt recruit, train, place ads, hire headhunters, do career plans or employee reviews, and serve as an objective third party.

why we do what we do. And ultimately, the answer is: to make the

why we do what we do. And ultimately, the answer is: to make the life trip worthwhile and to feel alive with purpose.

Process is paramount to knowledge, and mistakes are powerful catalysts for the process.

Todays problem child can be tomorrows superstar.

A sure sign of a troubled company is one where employees dont care enough to ask and, if thats the case, theyll never care enough to fully deploy their talent. Just as curiosity is an antidote to boredom and indifference, the informed are more likely to remain interested, engaged, and alive with purpose.

Organizations and people need other ways to measure how well theyre doing. It might create a sense of energizing relief for individuals, and push companies toward the realm where sustainability and personal gratification meet profitability. That

Organizations and people need other ways to measure how well theyre doing. It might create a sense of energizing relief for individuals, and push companies toward the realm where sustainability and personal gratification meet profitability. That would earn them a slot on the Fortunate 500.

But armies are not created to feed soldiers, just as companies dont generate income just so they can hire more employees.

If asked why Semco exists, those of us at the company will rely on the same answer wed give about ourselves: Were not entirely sure, but it has to do with collective gratification and a reason to live and work.

As control wanes, creativity and shared values bloom.

Dissent and democracy go hand in hand.

Its also good management technique. What traditional executives dont consider is that decisions arising from debate are implemented much more quickly because explanations, alternatives, objections, and uncertainties have already been aired. As a result of democracy, employees have had their say, and projects or ideas have been analyzed from every point of view.

STRANGE AND SEEMINGLY INCOMPATIBLE COMBINATIONS CAN YIELD POWERFUL RESULTS.

As tribes mix, a constantly evolving culture emerges. It becomes evident that profound respect for differences, idiosyncrasies, and democratic ideals produces a new kind of organization, where people know theres a place for self-management, self-propulsion, and self-discipline. All of Semcos business units consistently perform above published parameters of productivity per employee because efficiency is unleashed when workers can repeatedly dive into their reservoirs of talent.

I participate when I have something to add to the discussion, but most important, I try to remove obstacles and create new mechanisms that will reinforce the things that make Semco successful, namely worker freedom, democracy, and lack of control.

We dont advocate eliminating leadership, we just think that leaders should recognize their place and also their limitations.

As circumstances change, leadership must change.

Exchanging the old boss for a new boss is not situational leadership. True situational leadershipflexible, effective, evolutionarycan only arise from self-management.

And that means that situational leadership doesnt change fundamentally with circumstances. It is always about giving up control.

Were in favor of a hierarchy of self-interest and talent and opposed to the symbols of power and control that come with it.

I stay with what I know, I wont know what I dont know.

And intuition is the fuel of choice for rambling through the seven-day weekend.

The fact is that only the very arrogant and the very naïve imagine that decisions have to be made at the top, or close to Numero Uno. Power and position do not guarantee infallibility or even necessarily the best thinking.

Sometimes, to execute cutting-edge ideas, you must welcome unorthodox people and the workings of their eccentric minds.

business plans and budgets are nothing more than extrapolations of wishful thinking.

Information supports intuition, and thats why we make our facts and figures available to everyone,

Decisions are guided by reason and experience, with intuition serving as another form of knowledge that enlarges meaning. In other words, intuition hinges on reason and experience.

The first step toward creativity and confidence must include internal movement.

Semcos most precious asset is the wisdom of its workforce, and our success grows out of our employees success.

Global capitalism today fits Winston Churchills view on democracy: Its the worst system, except for all the others. But thats hardly reassuring.

Ideas underpinned by values are living things and forces to be reckoned with.