This morning I read a piece in Harvard Business Review ā the apex of thoughtful, measured, data-rich corporate discourse ā titled āWhatās the Future of Middle Management?ā Spoiler: It's not extinction. The authors make a reasonable case: middle managers are still vital because of their unique position in the organizational food chain. But ā and it's a big but ā to stay relevant, they need to shrink in numbers and evolve in function. Less compliance cop, more talent developer. Less...
10 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
It was hot, loud, and late in SĆ£o Paulo. We had just arrived, jet-lagged and buzzing with questions, about to meet one of the most iconic figures in the world of radical work design. The restaurant was sharpāwhite tablecloths, waiters with straight backs, and Ricardo Semler at the center of it all. He spoke with fire. Ideas about trust, freedom, decentralization, democracy at work. His vision was bold, clean, and intoxicating. But it wasnāt until laterāhours later, in a quiet living room...
10 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read
Hi Reader, One of my highlights every year? The 6-week masterclasses we run a few times annually. In each masterclass, we guide a cohort of about 30 practitioners through how to move their organizations beyond hierarchy. Itās a deep dive into progressive organizational designātopped off with hands-on work transforming their own organizations. No more layers of bureaucracy, no more sluggish decision-making, no more command-and-control nonsense. Just real tools for building better ways of...
11 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Ever since we ditched our corporate jobs and kicked off Corporate Rebels, weāve been on a mission: end the frustration and inefficiencies of traditional management. We knew (or letās be honest, hoped) to turn Corporate Rebels into a global movement. And āmovementā is the word we used from day one. But truth is, we werenāt a movement. Not yet. We were a team of workplace geeks with a big audience. Powerful? Sure. But not nearly as powerful as a true movement can be. So, 14 months ago, with...
11 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Hi Reader, One of the most common questions I hear in self-managing organizations is: "How do you grow your career when thereās no hierarchy?" For many, career progression means climbing the corporate ladderāgetting a promotion, earning a new title, managing a bigger team. But what happens when thereās no boss to promote you? This month in our Corporate Rebels Community, weāre exploring career growth in self-managing organizations. Itās a hot topic in our Masterclass on Running and Scaling...
12 months agoĀ ā¢Ā 5 min read
Hi Reader, I've seen it happen countless times. A growing organization reaches about 50 people and suddenly things start to fall apart. Communication breaks down. Decision-making slows to a crawl. Politics emerge. And the entrepreneurial spirit that fueled early growth? Gone. Most leaders respond by adding more control. More managers. More coordination meetings. More reporting. They do exactly what they shouldn't. Last month, I talked to a 120-person manufacturing company in Germany that was...
about 1 year agoĀ ā¢Ā 4 min read
Hi Reader, In Pimās latest newsletter, he shared how we bought and transformed Indaero into a self-managing company. But what if youāre not the owner? What if youāre the transformation agent or consultant leading the charge? How do you make it work when you donāt have the power to make unilateral decisions? For the past month, Iāve been deep in the mechanics of self-management transformations, analyzing Q&A sessions from our Masterclass cohorts with Jabi Salcedo from the consulting team K2K....
about 1 year agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Hi Reader, It was one of those simmering hot days in July 2023 in Seville, Spain. But the sweat pouring out of our pores wasnāt only due to the oven-like temperatures. It was a big day for us. We were about to sign the contract to acquire our first company, Indaero, an aerospace manufacturing and engineering companyāthrough our impact fund, Krisos. And this wasnāt just any acquisition. We were about to completely transform the way this company operated. Dunia, our transformation lead, put it...
about 1 year agoĀ ā¢Ā 6 min read
Hi Reader, IIāve just returned from a weekend at the Kelso Workshop at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. This annual symposium brings together researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts to dive deep into various forms of employee ownership, including workersā cooperatives and profit-sharing plans. The event was thought-provoking, leaving me with plenty to reflect onāand Iād love to share some of it with you. Employee Ownership: A Key to Engagement? At the event, employee ownership and...
about 1 year agoĀ ā¢Ā 3 min read