The seven day weekend changing the way work works

THE SEVEN-DAY WEEKEND CHANGING THE WAY WORK WORKS RICARDO SEMLER "[Ricardo Semler] is still the leading iconoclast of real-world business practices, still asking questions so basic that they're as difficult and relevant today as when he started posing them more than 20 years ago." —FORTUNE R icardo Semler's favorite question Why people routinely bring work ends but never go to the "Why?" is home on the week- movies on a Monday Why we need to sit at the same desk every day? Why we have to fill out time sheets or need an HR department to file them? Why are we afternoon? interviewed by our bosses but never get to interview someone who wants be our boss? to For the last twenty years Semler has been doing a more than asking questions lot — he's actually running a company by breaking every tenet traditional rule book Semler encourages ees to play hooky He tells them not his been the in employ- to bother with growth plans Employees choose their own salaries, set their own hours, and have no job Ridiculous? Inefficient? A titles recipe for chaos? Per- haps But Semler's ideas work They work so well, fact, that his company, Semco, has grown from $35 million in revenue to $212 million in the last six years, and even with more than 3,000 employees, tually no turnover People to study Semler's radical If you feel like petitive, we come from around management it is for you It's has vir- the world practices work has taken over your Seven-Day Weekend proves in life, The a manifesto that don't have to be slaves to the hypercom- bottom-line-obsessed American worp -^hic that has spawned the seven-day work\ fconf/nu*d on b >'s suc- THE SEVEN-DAY WEEKEND THE SEVEN-DAY WEEKEND Changing the Way Work Works Ricardo Semler PORTFOLIO For Rogerio Ottolia, who but will stay in left much too early Semco's heart forever PORTFOLIO Published by the Penguin Group Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, U.S.A Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England Penguin Books Australia Ltd, 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia Penguin Books Canada Ltd, 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Penguin Books India (P) Ltd, 1 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi - 10 017, India M4V 3B2 Penguin Books (N.Z.) Ltd, Cnr Rosedale and Airborne Roads, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England American edition First Published in 2004 by Portfolio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) 10 Inc 987654321 Copyright © Ricardo Semler, 2003, 2004 All rights reserved CIP data ISBN available 1-59184-026-0 This book is printed on acid-free paper @> Printed in the United States of America Dante Designed by Richard Oriolo Set in Without limiting the tion my be ted, in rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publica- reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmit- any form or by any means (electroninc, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright The owner and the above publisher of this book book any and punishable by law Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials Your support of the authors scanning, uploading, and distribution of this other means without the permission of the publisher rights is appreciated is via the Internet or via illegal ACKNOWLEDGMENTS to those feisty pros without whom this book would never have seen the light of day: foremost Roger Gittines, with his my dry humor, his laser sharp eye, and his cryptic comments; editors Adrian fights lastly were good but never a friend for all —where Zackheim and Stephanie Land fights leastly, all and enthusiasm never slackened; and Heather Schroder, my agent at ICM and seasons of publishing At home, Fernanda, with the warmest factory-built heart I've seen, who cheerled when the team was losing and who is in — the process of redesigning that my own heart She's the only e-mail comes with Un-attachments picks To my up his toy four-year-old Felipe, an angel of inspiration, computer and thought of him makes To says he has to work now The me break into a wide smile every time Curt, a firm handshake (and a peck on the cheek) across space and time for the fifty-year anniversary of shaped (so To H far) half who and half by two Semlers my kin at Semco, THE SEVEN-DAY WEEKEND a big Brazilian abrago Semco field expedition, this major deal-maker time I was the very model of in hot pursuit of modern a an acquisition, the divine predatory right of those who the top of the food chain My minnow du jour was the Reliance swimming near find themselves Corporation, a division of Exxon was well prepared, well I fi- nanced, and well dressed I arrived precisely at five in the afternoon pants of that silvery, fifty-nine ized they were free to go spend what was thing else with as a left story skyscraper home, or to someone At else all first, I the occu- suddenly real- out of there and at least get of their day someplace when else, doing some- would have described it stampede, but there was nothing irrational, blind, or panicky Quite the contrary, thousands of people were on the about it move, fast, Wave and in the after dals, wing-tips, same —straight out the door direction wave of Nike, Adidas, and and boat shoes Flats, heels, New Balance San- and clogs All pro- ducing an ominous, low rumble of sound that stopped me in my tracks There was no way that I I was going to fight my way though stepped back a safe distance and watched the revolving doors whipping around wildly, like the blades of a threshing ma- chine furiously chewing at a mountain of wheat that threatened to burst the guts of the building's massive atrium lobby, spewing out the grain and chaff onto ington Avenue if I and Lex- remember thinking about what would happen one unlucky person tripped or miscalculated sualty would be duly scraped into a recycling bin 236 Fifty-third Street and by off the revolving a security THE SEVEN-DAY WEEKEND —surely the ca- door and thrown guard to keep the flow going But the doors kept spinning without a mishap, and then was over Just fifteen The interlude minutes was was long enough about the wisdom of flextime, day weekend to dump It all it took to empty the place to give me a chance to think to say, was when I decided out on the Reliance deal would make a better story, realize I now, had been the enzyme that precipitated the Semco board was I and the seven- satellite offices, And that, I would love it the exodus if catalysis, but the the catalyst was merely the messenger on my way into the Citicorp Center that day to inform the Reliance lawyers that the deal was off, scuttled by Clovis Bojikian's question when with this acquisition, he paused and asked: Several hours later, decided that will but just indulge "Why know we Ve grow by three times is it me me, with one response," really that we are doing this?" most of them spent in heated discussion, we Semco had been about for the sake of growth to and that we at all the angles, met I for a final discussion of the takeover "Excuse looked the board Not a to acquire Reliance merely good enough reason I would go New York to deliver the news personally And that was that When informed the Reliance team that we were pulling I out, they politely suggested that trist the to its board An Semco should add a psychia- unusually temperate response considering months of negotiations that had gone down the drain I'm think we'd be certified as soundly, sus- biased, of course, but I tainably out of control — in both practice and theory EVERY DAY 237 INDEX Biorhythms and napping, 59 Accounting information budgets, 166-67, 175 sharing with employees, 130, 133-36 simplification of, 133-34 Adaptation See Change and workweek flexibility, 34 Board of directors CEO relationship with, meeting, example Agater, Rubin, 221 members, mix AIG, 35 traditional, 194-95 of, 192-94 87-89, 195-97 of, 72, 195, 196 Alignani, Jose, 127, 129, 201 Board of trustees composition of, 71 meetings of, 71-72 Alves, Auro, 45-46 Boeing, 167, 226 Alves Pereira, Francisco, 33-34, 181 Bojikian, Clovis, 11, 58-61, 131, 147, 167, Airline procedures, 228-29 Alcohol abuse, 186-87 Anglo American Mines, 128-29 176, 237 Antunes, Celina, 190-91 Bolero, 143 Apple Computer, 98 Bologna University, 92 Arthur Andersen, Bonuses, as benefit option, 178 92, 98 Boredom Audits negative effects of, 118, 120 versus peer control, 118-19 Semcolackof, 118-23 Automobile industry, 226-27 versus passion for work, 39-42 and unfulfilling work, 45, 57, 63-64 and uninformed employees, 85 Brazil Balby, Cecilia, 176-77 economic economic Baltimore Air Coil, 14 military dictatorship, 163 132 crisis (1990s), 168-70 and World Cup, 160-62 BankBoston, 16 Barelli, crisis (1980s), Brent Crude Oil, 211 Walter, 134 Barometer, 99-103 Bribery, 94-95, 122-23 Batoni, Marcio, 26, 97-98, 101, 160, Budget process, 166-67, 175 budget time frame, 166, 175 175 Bell-curve grading, 70 Benefits, flexible See Compensation employee participation meetings, 166-67, 175 in, 166-67, 175 Customer Burnout See Stress Business cards, 201-2 relations information sharing, 128-30 problem correction, Semco example, 124-25 Calling See Reservoir of talent Customer Carbocloro, 124-25 Carey, Peter, Catalyst, person in role of, 1-2 Da Divina Proportione (Paccioli), Da Vinci, Leonardo, 105 Da Vinci Constraint, 105-7 Caterpillar, 70 Decision Change, 224-32 fear of, 224-25 Deep Blue, 207-8 Democracy Carrefour, 160, 162 Carroll, Lewis, 204, 223 meaning of, 225 resistance, examples of, 225-30 of, 230-32 Semco concept Charismatic leader, 164-65, 188, 191-92 Chase Manhattan Bank, 103 Chess, computer simulation, 207-8 Churchill, Winston, 234 Citicorp, 235-37 command and and dissent, 136-40 and workplace, lead, 159, 164-65 Discovery versus linear path, 204-6 and mistakes, 222-23 positive aspects of, 64 Dissent and democracy, 136-40 Semco example, 137^0 Clerkin, Fran, 153 Columbus, Christopher, 222 Commissions, as benefit option, 178 Compensation, 178-81 178-79 flexible benefits, 56, flexible salary, 51-52, Diversity age and independent contractors, 176-77 Competitive advantage, -growth connec- diversity, 145, 158-59 Semco examples, 144-47 Dot-com failure, rationale for, 157-58, 219-20 179-81 profit-sharing plans, 13, 181 tion, 105 218 trees, versus necessity of, 144, 158 Dress codes, 141-42, 170-71 Drug use, on job, 186-87 Due diligence, 95-96 91-92 Computers, versus human mind, 206-8 Conformity andMBAs, illusions related to, 64 and learning, 82-83 Control, relinquishing of, 5-6, 11,31, 114, 171 and information-sharing, 125 Costa, Valdomiro, 124 Couto, Roberval, 68-69 Lost in Space program, 78-80 ing), (Institute for 208-14 intuition, kooks, 214-17 & Advanced Learn- 80-81 Rush Hour MBA, 81-82 as self-directed process, Semco 55-56 philosophy, 55, 84 E-mail, and information sharing, 127-28 Emotional intelligence, Employees company Creativity Cushman Education /training, 79-85 Lumiar Control impact Edison, Thomas, 214 accounting information, 134 144 resistance to change, 225-30 intuition, representation for, 208-14 71-72 evaluation of company, 101-2 as family myth, 50, 63 "formal" employees issue, 175-78 Wakefield Semco, 190, 201 beginning of, 3-5 hiring, 83-84, function information sharing with, 85, 125-28 of, 14 growth of, Customer acquisition, 66-67 240 survey, 101 36 4, NDEX 147-54 job rotation, 43-46 Little Guys Meeting, 131-32 peer control, 117-20 personal illicit 201 Freitas, Ubirajar, Friends of the King meetings, 131 185-87 habits, as responsible persons, 28-29, 32, 44, Friends of the Prince meetings, 131 187 and self-interest, shared culture Garden 41-42, 136 of, 120-23 meetings talents /passion, use of, 39-43, underperformance, handling for, 78-80 63-64 of, 71-72 young, program Enron, 6, 98, in, 196 workers' garden, 59-60 General Electric (GE), GE General Motors (GM), 109 Environment, company accountability, 103-4 Gerstner, Lou, 191 ERM Global Crossing, 92 (Environmental Resources Manage- ment), 209-10, 216-17 function of, 82, Gillette, 16, 167, 227 229-30 Globalization and decline of unions, 71 Exhilaration, importance of, 35-37 global companies, 232-33 Expense accounts, 118 Gomes, Vicente, 124 Family Silverware program, 83-84 Graicar, Jonathan, 144-45 Family time, amount Growth of business, 88-98 Go /No Go 23 of, Semco meeting, 212-14 -competitive advantage connection, Federal Express, 99 Federation, 164-65 Capital, 152 14-16 as, Firing 91-92 decision making about, 135-36 bottom 10 method, 70, 74-75, 164 and employee illicit behavior, 185-87 downside of, 91-93 impact on employees, improving versus limiting, positive aspects, 89-93, 95, 97, process over Semco Semco firing, firing, 70-75 137-39 135 layoff decision, 169-70 mergers and acquisitions, 95-96 turnover, 78 numerical projections, limitations of, 217-24 Five Flies Restaurant, 90 Fleming, Alexander, 222 -profit Flextime, 25-37 Semco, and biorhythms, 34 employee construction of, 28-29 necessity of, 24-26 Semco examples of, 32-36 Semco 93, 97 connection, 91-92, 108-9 8, 12, 88-89, 97-98 -success connection, 89-90 versus values, Semco example, 93-96 yo-yo type, 97 GTE, 99 innovation, 19-20, 60 telecommuting, 29-3 Hierarchy of needs, 108 Ford, Henry, 31,69, 225 Ford Motor Company, Hiring, 147-54 70, 98, 225, 226, 227 collective interview, 148-50 Family Silverware program, 83-84 Forecasts See Intuition; Prediction; Projections Free time independent contractors, 62, 176-78, 231-32 internal hiring, 83-84 diminished and work, 22-25 preemployment tests, 149 and resumes, 147 versus household work, 23 scoring system, 149-52 meaning of, 22 and rejuvenation, 22-23 Semco example, 147-54 Semco priorities, 61-62, 177-78 versus action orientation, 22 technology as barrier vacation and stress, to, 50 23-25 Home family time, 23 INDEX 241 Home (cont.) and free time, 23 as workplace See work seepage Telecommuting into, 23-24 and exhilaration, 35-37 and job rotation, 43^46 and reservoir of talent, 39-42, 65-69 and stress level, 46-5 Johnson Controls, 14 Iaccoca, Lee, 191 IBM, 98, 224 Kasparov, Gary, 208 Kickbacks, 94-95, 122-23 Idea generation asking "Why" strategy, Go/No Go meetings, 7-20 Kmart, 92 212-14 Knudsen, notetaking method, 18 Felipe, 145-46 Kobayashi, Lucia, 72-73, 78 Independent contractors and benefits, 176-77 Kooks, 214-17 Kuerten, Gustavo, 33 versus "formal" employees, 176-78 231-32 hiring, positive aspects, 62, Kuhlmann, Peter, 215 Kursk, 72 Information sharing, 125-36 accounting information, with customers, 128-30 e-mail, 127-28 133-36 130, decline of, 71 Semco comanagement with, 169 Land Rover, 92 Lateness, and stress, 47-49 with employees, 85, 125-28 and meetings, 131-32 Semco Initial business news Labor unions digest, 220 public offering (IPO), as benefit option, 178-79 Leadership, 182-202 CEO and board of directors, 192-94 charismatic, 164-65, 188, 191-92 company Integration program, 154-59 age -based integration, 158-59 Semco example, 155-56 versus leader emphasis, 188-89 employee evaluation of, 84-85 International Harvester, 70, 158 essence Inter-Union Department for the Study of and self-management, 162-71, 182-85 Economics and Statistics, 134 Interviews, hiring process, 148-50 Intuition, 208-14 development elements of, of, 198-200 35, 66-67 Abraham, 223 Linear path, versus discovery, 204-6 209 208, 219 Little 212-14, 216 information as support of, 218-21 and mistakes, 221-22 Semco situational, Lima, Jorge, Lincoln, Go/No Go meeting, 184 of, Guys Meeting, 131-32 Lost in Space program, 78-80 Luck, basis Lumiar versus traditional business, of, 222 (Institute for Advanced Learning), 80-81 209-14,216-17 JC Penney, 97 Macedo,Jose, 6-7 Magalhaes, Rolney, 124 Maluf, Ivan, 152-53 Job descriptions, versus job rotation, 43-46 Managers on board of Iotti, Antonio Carlos, 155-56 and personal growth, 45-46, of, 45-46 Semco example Job satisfaction and discovery, 64 and employee passion, 40-43 242 INDEX directors, 195 management meetings, Job rotation, 43-46 and part-time options, 51-52 131 Seen from Below evaluation, 184-85 74, 143 Mao Tse-tung, 74 Market niche, and Semco philosophy, Maslow, Abraham, 108 Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and conformity, 44 dismissal of underperformers, 70, 75-76 Orientation of employees, Lost in Space program, 78-80 Maverick (Semler), 18-19 Mead, Margaret, 165 Ottolia, Rogerio, 77 Meetings, 173-77 Outsourcing See Independent contractors Oxford University, 91 board of directors, 87-89, 195-97 board of trustees, 71-72 budget meetings, 166-67, 175-76 Go /No Go meetings, 212-14 Parallel parking, 227-28 work Part-time and information sharing, 131-32 versus "formal" employees, management meetings, options 131 and participation patterns, 173-74 at, versus auditing, 118-19 Mergers and acquisitions, 95-96 Military context business gurus, 115-16 159, 163-65 mission and credo, 112-13 Mirante, Arthur 3-4 II, military context, 112-13 of, 112-15 orchestra analogy, 116-17 versus Semco methods, 117 Semco orientation toward, 28-29, 32, Performance evaluations of managers, 184-85 of Semco, 99-103 Peugeot, 227 Mistakes acknowledgment of, 128-29 learning from, 221-22 Monitored and employee illicit behavior, 186 and salary requests, 181 Performance improving versus firing, 70-75 44,56 underperformers, Semco example, 72-73 Mission and credo, 112-17 negative aspects traditional jobs, 45, 57, 63-64 Peer control, 117-20 17-18 command and lead organizations, 76-78 reservoir of talent, use of, 39-42 outsiders' reaction to, 174 "Why" 51-52 Passion of employees monthly, with employees, 77 questioning for, Philips, 99, 152 Planning Self-Set Salary Process, 180-81 Motivation, hierarchy of needs, 108 Motivational training, 41-42 numerical projections, limitations of, 217-24 short versus long-term, 126 computer simulations, 206-8 MP3, 228 Prediction, Music industry, 228 Musketeers meetings, 131 Privacy, 167-68 Productivity, basis of, 160 Profits Napping, 59-60 information sharing about, 130 -success connection, 91-92, 108-9 Napster, 228 Nasser, Jacques, 70 Profit-sharing plan, 13 Semco example, Netscape, 98 New York Philharmonic, 181 Projections, numerical, limitations of, 217-24 Nokia, 99 Nondisclosure agreements, 126 Public accountability, of business, 102-3 Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) public accountability, 102 worker representation by, 71 Questions asking "Why," importance of, 17-20, 84-85 Office politics, 119 incorrect, 100 Oliveira, Henrique, 84 Orchestra, 116-17 compared to organization, Radio City Music Hall, RCA, 158 INDEX 243 Recruitment, 61-62 Semco and leadership, 162-71, 182-85 and personal growth, 74 and personal responsibility, 28-29, ads, 62, 147 See also Hiring Reis de Magalhaes, Jose Carlos (Zeca), and 32-33, 35, 216 safety in workplace, 186-87 Rejuvenation, and free time, 22-23 Semco examples, Reliance Corporation, 236-37 worker basic philosophy of, 9, 232 discovery process, 64 business units Family Silverware program, 83-84 compared with 14-16 of, traditional companies, 8-9 rotation, 46 satisfaction, 39-42, 65-69 Lost in Space program, 78-80 customer acquisition, 66-67 as democracy, 9, 136-40 meaning of, 39, 61, 67, 77 and pace of individual, 57-58 and passion of employee, 39-42 and economic Semco examples, employee integration program, wealth versus Resumes, and 45-46, 58-61, 66-69 calling, 104-6 hiring, 147 Retirement, Retire-a-Little program, 52-54 diversity at, 144-47 crises, 132, 154-59 ethical business practices, 93-96, 122-23 flexible benefits, 56 flexible salary, 51-52, 74 179-80 worktime, 25-37 Risk, and change, 224-32 Rockefeller Group, flexible Roy, Arundhati, 36 growth Royalties, as benefit option, 178 in high-end market, 15 Rush Hour MBA, 81-82 human founding of, Work 'n' Stop program, 54-55 resources department, 58-60 Salary 7, 13 make-over, 11-12 job rotation, 43-46 leadership, 182-202 186-87 Saicali, 88-89, 97-98, 234 information sharing, 125-36 initial Safety in workplace, and self-management, 10 of, 8, 12, identity of, Sabbaticals, Danilo, 94-95, 189 flexibility, Monitored 51-52, 179-81 Self-Set Salary Process, 180-81 meetings, 77, 131-32, 173-77 new business venture, criteria for, 15-16 outside interest in operation, 18, public discussion of, 127-28 60-61 rationale for, 179-81 part-time options, 51-52 Up 'n' Down Pay program, 51-52 Work 'n' Stop program, 54-55 peer control, 1 7-20 performance evaluation, 99-103 performance orientation Santos, Antonio, 60 Sebald, W.G., 36 44, 56, of, company, 12-13 as privately held Self-actualization, 108 profit-sharing plan, 13, 181 Self-interest, and employees, 41-42, 136 Self-management, 160-71 versus command and flexible INDEX lead, 159, 163-65 163-64 compensation, 178-81 28-29, 32, 72-73 Seen from Below, 184-85 critics of, 168-70 education /training, 55-56, 79-85 as federation, 14-15 Reverse evaluation, and personal growth, 244 160-62, 167-71 decisions, types of, 162 Semco Renault, 227 Reservoir of talent and job and job 32, 44, 187 and questioning "Why," 17-20, 84-85 recruitment and hiring, 61-62, 83-84, 147-54 retirement program, 52-54 sabbaticals, 54-55 self-management, 160-71 Sustainable organization, 164-65 trust as value, 117-23 Symbiosis, truthfulness as value, 136-40 Synergy, 16 modern need for, 26 turnover, 78 Talents of individuals See Reservoir of worker representation groups, 71-72 talent Teams, workers' garden, 59-60 SemcoBAC, 14 Semco Econsult, 216-17 Semco Foundation function Lumiar ing), of, 23-25 false Advanced Learn- 80-81 Tests, Controls, 14-15 function growth Theft, Semco response to, 167-68 Tinoco, Rafael, 79-80 of, 15 97-98 Traditional companies, Semco Ventures function 30 Three Tenors, 117 26 of, of, preemployment, 149 Thatcher, Margaret, 164 SemcoRGIS, 160-62 flexibility, assumptions about, 29-30 future view, 30, prevalence SemcoHR, 15 Semco Johnson 165-66 Telecommuting 137 (Institute for size of, Technology, as barrier to free time, compared with Semco, 8-9 Training See Education /training of, 15 and high-tech bust, 196-97 Semler, Antonio Curt, 10, 182 Semler, Ricardo, takes over Semco, Semler & Company, 10 Tribalism function Seven-day weekend of, and hiring 141-42 practices, 153 negative aspects, 156-57 Trust, 117-23 meaning of, xii-xiii and Semco, xii-xiii Trustees See Board of trustees Truthfulness Sexual harassment, 130 Shop workers, garden 136-40 dissent, 59-60 Singer, Eugenio, 216 and ethics, 122-23 and information sharing, 125-36 Singer Sewing Machines, 144, 158 lack of, Situational leadership, 198-200 mistakes, for, acknowledgment of, 128-29 Social balance sheets, 102 Stock/ stock options, as benefit option, Semco example, 19-20 and peer control, 118-19 Turnover, Semco, 78 178 Strand bookstore, Stress, 46-51 United Parcel Service (UPS), 99 basic cause, 46, 49 everyday sources and lateness, Unilever, 16 of, 49-51 47-49 negative effects of, 'n' Down Pay program, 51-52 US Postal Service, 99, 167 Up 47 and organizational expectations, 46-47 Values, versus profits, Strikes, 70 Varig, Success Vendramim, Joao, Barometer, 99-103 in business context, 145, 201 Verizon, 226 90 Vienna Philharmonic, 92 and growth of business, 89-98 Violi, Jose, wealth versus Violin, Celso, 175 Success fee, 62 Semco example, 93-96 calling, 104-6 83-84, 88, 94-95, 196 Volvo, 92 INDEX 245 Wall Street opinion, 91, 165 Wal-Mart, 16, 97 71-72 Wealth, 103-9 Da Vinci Constraint, 105-7 as personal goal, 103-4 Welch, Jack, 74-75, 164-65, 191 Westinghouse, 158 "Why," importance of 84-85 246 NDEX Woolworth & Co., 158 Worker representation, Semco method, at Semco, 17-20, Work/life balance, meaning of, 13 Work 'n' Stop program, 54-55 Workweek flexibility See Flextime WorldCom, 6, 96, 98 World Cup, impact on businesses, 160-62 (continued tn npany which puts employee cess shoi dom and achieve head | can still and growth that far of corporate goals inability, \ free- exceed the competition's Reflecting Ricardo Semler's passion, wry sense of humor, and hardheaded business acumen, The Seven- Day Weekend challenges how a all of our assumptions about successful business should be run RICARDO SEMLER has been CEO of Brazil-based Semco is for the last two decades He known around the globe for championing his employee-friendly management style His first book, Maverick, was an international bestseller He makes his Brazil but currently lives with his family home in in Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, as a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University Jacket design by Amy King C Jacket photograph by Getty Images A member of 375 Hudson PORTFOLIO I Penguin Group (USA) Street, New York, N.Y Inc 10014 — ADVANCE PRAISE FOR the SEVEN-DAY WEEKEND and important book, richly endowed with Semler's wisdom and expeRead at rience, will cause you to freshly imagine what life and work are all about USC, Professor, University BENNIS, —WARREN your own risk." and author of On Becoming a Leader and "This powerful coauthor of Geeks and Geezers "Provocative, insightful, and inspiring [Semler] describes other business leader the value of employee employee, customer, and shareholder and models better than any engagement in producing exceptional value." —MICHAEL Pitney J CRITELLI, Chairman and CEO, Bowes Inc anyone who runs a company Our current solution to all problems working harder— is not a viable long-run solution Working smarter has to be the —LESTER THUROW, Professor of Economics answer." "A great read for and Management, MIT, and author of Fortune Favors the Bold and The Zero Sum Society one of the world's most improbable (but real) will make you think, laugh, question, nod in Semler business successes Ricardo to overthrow outmoded work practices." revolution start a to agreement, and vow ROSABETH MOSS KANTER, Harvard Business School, and bestselling author of Evolve! "A charming and inspiring tour of — the face of every organizational principle you know— and you comshould be grateful Semler proves that when it comes to running a successful pany, the individual is indeed king." —NICHOLAS NEGROPONTE, author of Being Digital "This book flies in making work life work! In this entertaining and provocato book, Ricardo Semler points the way to a saner and more productive way community." business— a triple win for the employee, the employer and the —WILLIAM URY, coauthor of Getting to Yes and Getting Past No "A revolutionary recipe for tive ... bottom-line-obsessed American worp -^hic that has spawned the seven- day work fconf/nu*d on b >'s suc- THE SEVEN- DAY WEEKEND THE SEVEN- DAY WEEKEND Changing the Way Work Works Ricardo Semler PORTFOLIO For Rogerio... with a laptop and having fed the ducks at a nearby pond) On a Monday in May THE SEVEN- DAY WEEKEND my little boy, ONE ANY DAY Ask why? Give up control Change the way work works i»m a catalyst, flight... better idea, though, one that I've been many years: the seven- day weekend going to slop over into the weekend If the — and there's —why can't the week- no hope of stopping that from happening end,