One Red Question: Should you get an award for ignoring your boss?

By Trevor Stafford on February 10, 2008 - Comments (View)
Robert Sutton, author of "The No Asshole Rule" talks about a well-known company that offers a monthly award to employees who politely ignore their boss in order to get something done. Sounds fun, but is it a good idea? (PODCAST)

In a podcast for Stanford’s Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders series, author Robert Sutton mentions a very curious award handed out by Amazon every month to one of its employees.

When you look at the most creative companies, they tend to openly encourage ignoring and defying managers in a painless, civilized way.

Quite simply, the award goes to the employee who most successfully gets something done—without asking for their boss’ permission first.

Do you agree or disagree with this idea?

Is it more reasonable for a large company, where corporate rigidity needs to be overcome, and unreasonable for a small company, where resources are scarcer? Do small companies by their very nature give employees more autonomy?

Listen to the podcast with Robert Sutton, author of The No Asshole Rule.

Watch a short video clip where Robert talks about abuse in the workplace. (*Note, click the play button)