Up the Organization: How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits (J-B Warren Bennis Series)

A viable theory is the Peter Principle: “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence (the cream rises until it sours).” Peter’s corollary: “In time every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties.” From The Peter Principle by Peter and Hull. New York: Morrow; 1969.

Compromise is usually bad. It should be a last resort. If two departments or divisions have a problem they can’t solve and it comes up to you, listen to both sides and then, unlike Solomon, pick one or the other. This places solid accountability on the winner to make it work.

This book does not come to grips with the problem of America’s 20 million poor: it deals with the 80 million psychiatric cases who do have jobs.

All decisions should be made as low as possible in the organization. The Charge of the Light Brigade was ordered by an officer who wasn’t there looking at the territory.

INCENTIVE COMPENSATION AND PROFIT SHARING

it.The controller’s job is to see that all future surprises are pleasant.

MOONLIGHTING

good leader is simplistic, not complex. He makes things seem simple. He’s persistent. If he can’t convince his people and he really thinks it ought to be done, he’ll find a different way to come at them until either they convince him, or he them. He’s fair and has a sense of humor, and he has humility. If you ever become chief executive, remember:Y

to us—which is our central problem.