Facebook-Style Management

Compared to other companies I've worked for in my career so far, Viget's management is committed to running a transparent company for its employees.  There's an open-door policy and regular staff meetings where we discuss everything from sales opportunities to the economic situation.

Transparency is one of those of the buzz words that always comes up -- whether in a Middle School Marketing chat about Google's efforts with interest-based advertising or in discussions about Obama's digital media strategy -- as being a core factor to establishing trust and credibility with audiences.

That's also the theme behind a WSJ Blog article, "The Facebook Generation vs. the Fortune 500," by Gary Hamel.  In it, he talks about the "buyer's market of talent right now," and particularly how management has to evolve to attract and retain that talent.  To accomplish that evolution, he encourages managers to incorporate 12 characteristics of life online into their management efforts.

Examples like, "All ideas compete on an equal footing," "Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it," and "Opinions compound and decisions are peer-reviewed," are practices we commit to each day internally and with our blogs, as well.   Of the few people I  know in my generation who don't have these freedoms or voices at work, all are uncomfortable and looking for something "less bureaucratic" and "more personally fulfilling."

Anyway, aside from "Hackers are heroes,"* I think all the points are timely and interesting -- check it out!

* PSYCHE! Of course hackers are heroes!