BBC Learnings · Section 7

No more bosses

After working together at BBC Learning English for many years, Georgina, you and I have a good working relationship, don't we?

Level: C1 · 113 sentences

Transcript

  1. After working together at BBC Learning English for many years,
  2. Georgina, you and I have a good working relationship, don't we?
  3. Sure. I think we make a great team.
  4. But have you ever had a boss
  5. who you just couldn't work with?
  6. Oh, you mean a bad boss – someone you just can't get
  7. on with no matter how hard you try.
  8. Yes, I've had one or two over the years.
  9. Not you, of course, Neil.
  10. Glad to hear it, Georgina.
  11. Often this happens because workers feel
  12. they aren't listened to by managers,
  13. or it might be because most companies are hierarchies –
  14. systems of organising people according to their level of importance.
  15. Managers on top, workers down below.
  16. But in this programme... We hear
  17. from companies who've got rid of managers
  18. and say it's helped them to do a better job,
  19. made them happier and saved money.
  20. We'll meet a self-managing company which isn't hierarchical and has no boss.
  21. And of course, we'll be learning
  22. some new vocabulary along the way.
  23. But first, today's quiz question.
  24. One of the biggest problems in hierarchies
  25. is the excess cost of management and bureaucracy.
  26. But how much is that estimated
  27. to cost the US economy every year?
  28. Is it...
  29. I'll say c $3 trillion.
  30. That's 1 followed by 12 zeros.
  31. A lot of money!
  32. OK, Georgina, we'll find out later if you're right.
  33. Now, one of the first companies to experiment successfully
  34. with self-management was Californian tomato grower Morningstar.
  35. Here's one of their employees, Doug Kirkpatrick,
  36. talking to Dena Newman
  37. for the BBC World Service programme, People Fixing the World.
  38. The first principle was that human beings should not use force
  39. or coercion against other human beings.
  40. And the second principle was that people should keep
  41. the commitments they make to each other.
  42. And so we adopted them as pretty
  43. much the entire governance of the enterprise.
  44. Because Morningstar has no bosses, decisions are made
  45. by all employees equally without coercion –
  46. the use of force to persuade someone
  47. to do something they do not want to do.
  48. As self-managers, employees can't tell other employees what to do.
  49. Everything is based on requesting someone to act and them responding.
  50. This motivates and empowers workers but also
  51. means they must keep their commitments,
  52. promises or firm decisions to do something when requested.
  53. This way of working is great for some.
  54. They feel listened to and have a voice
  55. in how the company is run.
  56. But Dina questions whether this is true for everybody working at Morningstar.
  57. Would it be true to say
  58. that a self-managed company like yours empowers people
  59. who are already very good and it leaves behind
  60. those who are not so good?
  61. Yeah, I'm not sure I accept the phrase left behind.
  62. There are some people who take full advantage of this environment.
  63. Others take less advantage,
  64. but they do benefit because their voice is respected.
  65. When they do propose something, it must be listened to.
  66. They are not subject to force and coercion.
  67. And if they don't act according to their commitments,
  68. they can be held accountable by anyone.
  69. Having no bosses sounds great, but the extra responsibility
  70. can create more work and stress.
  71. Different workers respond to this in different ways
  72. and some employees may be left behind,
  73. remain at a lower level than others
  74. because they're not as quick to develop.
  75. However, other workers enjoy managing themselves
  76. and take full advantage of the system,
  77. make good use of the opportunity
  78. to improve and achieve their goals.
  79. No matter whether employees are good self-managers or not,
  80. ultimately they are held accountable for their work performance.
  81. us to accept responsibility for the consequences of their actions.
  82. So, although having no boss sounds good,
  83. if things go wrong, there's no-one to blame but yourself.
  84. So, maybe we do need those managers after all,
  85. which reminds me of our quiz question.
  86. You asked me to estimate how much the US economy loses
  87. in excess bureaucracy and managerial costs every year.
  88. And you said... c $3 trillion.
  89. Which was absolutely right. Well done.
  90. And the cost keeps rising because, of course,
  91. the more managers there are, the more managers
  92. you need to manage the managers.
  93. Today we've been looking at the world
  94. of self-management – companies run without bosses,
  95. which, unlike most businesses, are not based on a hierarchy –
  96. system of organising people according to their level of importance.
  97. Instead, companies like San Francisco's Morning Star allow
  98. employees to make their own commitments,
  99. promises to act, rather than using coercion
  100. or forceful persuasion to get results.
  101. Many employees react positively to this working environment
  102. and take full advantage of it,
  103. make good use of the opportunity
  104. to progress or achieve their goals.
  105. However, there is a risk that others
  106. who are more comfortable being managed may get left behind,
  107. remain at a lower level than others
  108. because they are not as quick to improve and adapt.
  109. But whatever their job role or feelings
  110. about self-management, All workers are held accountable,
  111. asked to accept responsibility for their performance at work.
  112. Meaning they can take the credit for when things go well.
  113. But have nobody to hide behind when things go badly.