Zappos Evolving ??????

[frayne]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/210-zappos-employees-14-staff-155236260.html

I have to admit that I still like reading about the happenings in the business world. Seems like people in the comment section of the above article don't realize organizational structures have been evolving since Day 1. Not saying it is all good or all bad but it is change and change creates uncertainty which human beings for the most part do not like.

 

[SumDay]

I love Zappos and they love me.

 

[W2R]

I love Zappos and they love me.

+1

That said, a management free structure seems bizarre, to say the least. It is SO nice to be retired.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Management by book of the month club.

 

[brewer12345]

Management by book of the month club.

I did 3 years with a major management consulting firm. About every 6 months they did a reorg. Given the nature of the business, this was a matter of eating your own dog food. But an internet shoe retailer? Why can't they just run the damn business and not drive everyone crazy? I think I would have jumped on the severance just to escape the nonsense.

 

[Jack_Pine]

We actually don't do a book a month but it is a new book and new focus every management meeting which is once a year. Drives me crazy.

 

[MRG]

I know some folks rave about zappos. My experience has been awful. Sure they take their mislabeled crap back and are very nice about it. I've never kept one item.

 

[growing_older]

I've always understood Zappos to be proof positive that many people are wired differently. Some friends love their products and service, and while I am totally impressed by the sheer number of choices, they all seem so expensive I would never consider ever buying things there, much less shoes which are hard to fit properly in person, let alone online. Of course, they also do get a lot of press about their working style and how much employees enjoy their unconventional organization and offbeat work culture that embraces weirdness in an open "family" space. So many of the things I like least about corporate culture all in one package, and yet employees there are always quoted about how much they love the place. I assume that they are self selecting people who like this kind of stuff, but I can hardly image a worse place for me.

 

[Walt34]

It is SO nice to be retired.

Ahmen.

 

[martyp]

I think many many people (including me) have experienced times in their organization when everything just hummed effortlessly. Everyone knew what they were supposed to do and did it. Everyone like each other. There was little conflict.

Anyone who has been w*rking, say 20 yrs, though knows that this situation doesn't last. People come and go. People change with time. Whatever. If your time horizon is 2-3 years then an holacracy may work if it exists already. I don't think you can build it from scratch. They just happen and when it does it is just great.

 

[Jack_Pine]

I think many many people (including me) have experienced times in their organization when everything just hummed effortlessly. Everyone knew what they were supposed to do and did it. Everyone like each other. There was little conflict.

Anyone who has been w*rking, say 20 yrs, though knows that this situation doesn't last. People come and go. People change with time. Whatever. If your time horizon is 2-3 years then an holacracy may work if it exists already. I don't think you can build it from scratch. They just happen and when it does it is just great.

That's it. I could assemble an allstar team of associates I have had over the years who could perform unmanaged. I think it would be very rare to find a random team at any one time that the philosophy would work for. My current staff included.

 

[MRG]

I've been in those groups what a joy. At one time I was convinced it was our director as it ended as she moved on. We talked she thanked my for my compliment but she took no credit. It was just the right people at the right time.