new must-read book

Every now and then I find a book that immediately catapults itself into the "must read" category. As I mention elsewhere, "The Millennium Matrix" by Rex Miller is such a book, as is Ron Martoia's "Morph!". I found another one today.

"The Seven-Day Weekend" by Ricardo Semler is a fascinating read. Semler runs a Brazil-based company that seem to run successfully simply by breaking all the rules, in the spirit of other "out of the box" business reads such as "Now, Explore Your Strengths," "Leading Up," and anything by Eli Goldratt (for you cost-accounting gurus out there). The most basic philosophy at Semco is to simply to ask "why," and then to keep asking it until you have cut through all the "that's the way we've always done it" or "it really won't work any other way" responses. Semler's point throughout the book is that there really aren't many good reasons why companies do business the way they do it, but a multitude of reasons why they SHOULDN'T. Semler attacks such sacred cows as the M-F 5 day work week (which, he aptly points out, doesn't really exist anymore since we either take work home over the weekend, or run our weekends in the same obsessive, goal-oriented way in which we operate during the week!), the 9-5 work day, the "you must work here in the office" mentality, etc.

It is very apparent to me from my experience in both ministry and academia that "it's just the way things are done" is the rule of the day, but rarely does anyone ask why. Selmer points out amazing stories from his own company's management style. I think church leaders everywhere could really benefit from reading this terrific book.