What do you think?
Rate this book
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention
Shortlisted for the 2020 Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year
Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings reveals for the first time the unorthodox culture behind one of the world's most innovative, imaginative, and successful companies
There has never before been a company like Netflix. It has led nothing short of a revolution in the entertainment industries, generating billions of dollars in annual revenue while capturing the imaginations of hundreds of millions of people in over 190 countries. But to reach these great heights, Netflix, which launched in 1998 as an online DVD rental service, has had to reinvent itself over and over again. This type of unprecedented flexibility would have been impossible without the counterintuitive and radical management principles that cofounder Reed Hastings established from the very beginning. Hastings rejected the conventional wisdom under which other companies operate and defied tradition to instead build a culture focused on freedom and responsibility, one that has allowed Netflix to adapt and innovate as the needs of its members and the world have simultaneously transformed.
Hastings set new standards, valuing people over process, emphasizing innovation over efficiency, and giving employees context, not controls. At Netflix, there are no vacation or expense policies. At Netflix, adequate performance gets a generous severance, and hard work is irrel-evant. At Netflix, you don't try to please your boss, you give candid feedback instead. At Netflix, employees don't need approval, and the company pays top of market. When Hastings and his team first devised these unorthodox principles, the implications were unknown and untested. But in just a short period, their methods led to unparalleled speed and boldness, as Netflix quickly became one of the most loved brands in the world.
Here for the first time, Hastings and Erin Meyer, bestselling author of The Culture Map and one of the world's most influential business thinkers, dive deep into the controversial ideologies at the heart of the Netflix psyche, which have generated results that are the envy of the business world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with current and past Netflix employees from around the globe and never-before-told stories of trial and error from Hastings's own career, No Rules Rules is the fascinating and untold account of the philosophy behind one of the world's most innovative, imaginative, and successful companies.
Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings reveals for the first time the unorthodox culture behind one of the world's most innovative, imaginative, and successful companies
There has never before been a company like Netflix. It has led nothing short of a revolution in the entertainment industries, generating billions of dollars in annual revenue while capturing the imaginations of hundreds of millions of people in over 190 countries. But to reach these great heights, Netflix, which launched in 1998 as an online DVD rental service, has had to reinvent itself over and over again. This type of unprecedented flexibility would have been impossible without the counterintuitive and radical management principles that cofounder Reed Hastings established from the very beginning. Hastings rejected the conventional wisdom under which other companies operate and defied tradition to instead build a culture focused on freedom and responsibility, one that has allowed Netflix to adapt and innovate as the needs of its members and the world have simultaneously transformed.
Hastings set new standards, valuing people over process, emphasizing innovation over efficiency, and giving employees context, not controls. At Netflix, there are no vacation or expense policies. At Netflix, adequate performance gets a generous severance, and hard work is irrel-evant. At Netflix, you don't try to please your boss, you give candid feedback instead. At Netflix, employees don't need approval, and the company pays top of market. When Hastings and his team first devised these unorthodox principles, the implications were unknown and untested. But in just a short period, their methods led to unparalleled speed and boldness, as Netflix quickly became one of the most loved brands in the world.
Here for the first time, Hastings and Erin Meyer, bestselling author of The Culture Map and one of the world's most influential business thinkers, dive deep into the controversial ideologies at the heart of the Netflix psyche, which have generated results that are the envy of the business world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with current and past Netflix employees from around the globe and never-before-told stories of trial and error from Hastings's own career, No Rules Rules is the fascinating and untold account of the philosophy behind one of the world's most innovative, imaginative, and successful companies.
464 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,435 reviews
January 6, 2021
When I have mixed feelings about a book, I give it 3 stars.
This was an extremely interesting one, couldn’t stop listening. It was very insightful to understand how companies like Netflix think about their culture.
Still, I find the culture described in the book toxic and dangerous because:
- it praises giving feedback in public. In 9 lies about work authors say that people don’t like feedback, they like attention, and I couldn’t agree more. Imagine how unnatural and pointless giving feedback in public is. The ego gets hurt and that’s as much as we can remember, and there’s nothing wrong with that - self defense mechanism of our consciousness was built for centuries, and no hippies with “cool new culture” can rebuild it overnight.
- at the same time, they speak only about negative direct feedback, no attention to human need of praise is given.
- costs don’t need approval, at the same time employees feel like being tested (rightfully so) or abuse the system completely (rightfully so). They speak about a case when an employee was using company’s money for personal travel across the globe, eating out with the whole family and living in 5 star hotels for over 3 years. I refuse to believe this was cheaper than hiring a team who approves the payments.
- unlimited vacation policy. There’s a story of a developer who says she’s happy she’s working 80 h weeks because she can take 2 months off per year. Well after a few 80 h weeks you don’t really wanna live anymore, left alone any sort of travel.
- they fire people who work well and don’t exceed expectations. No comments here.
The culture of Netflix struck me as arrogant and highly insensitive. It’s curious how organizations want to squeeze human juice and package it nicely, denying human nature.
It also goes against my personal bibles of organizational culture, such as It doesn’t have to be crazy at work, Radical candor and above mentioned 9 lies about work.
On a positive note, again - the book is written very well, and I totally admire how strongly people preach and practice what they do about their culture, even if it’s a totally wrong culture by my subjective standards.
This was an extremely interesting one, couldn’t stop listening. It was very insightful to understand how companies like Netflix think about their culture.
Still, I find the culture described in the book toxic and dangerous because:
- it praises giving feedback in public. In 9 lies about work authors say that people don’t like feedback, they like attention, and I couldn’t agree more. Imagine how unnatural and pointless giving feedback in public is. The ego gets hurt and that’s as much as we can remember, and there’s nothing wrong with that - self defense mechanism of our consciousness was built for centuries, and no hippies with “cool new culture” can rebuild it overnight.
- at the same time, they speak only about negative direct feedback, no attention to human need of praise is given.
- costs don’t need approval, at the same time employees feel like being tested (rightfully so) or abuse the system completely (rightfully so). They speak about a case when an employee was using company’s money for personal travel across the globe, eating out with the whole family and living in 5 star hotels for over 3 years. I refuse to believe this was cheaper than hiring a team who approves the payments.
- unlimited vacation policy. There’s a story of a developer who says she’s happy she’s working 80 h weeks because she can take 2 months off per year. Well after a few 80 h weeks you don’t really wanna live anymore, left alone any sort of travel.
- they fire people who work well and don’t exceed expectations. No comments here.
The culture of Netflix struck me as arrogant and highly insensitive. It’s curious how organizations want to squeeze human juice and package it nicely, denying human nature.
It also goes against my personal bibles of organizational culture, such as It doesn’t have to be crazy at work, Radical candor and above mentioned 9 lies about work.
On a positive note, again - the book is written very well, and I totally admire how strongly people preach and practice what they do about their culture, even if it’s a totally wrong culture by my subjective standards.
September 27, 2020
As a piece of corporate propaganda the book succeeds in being one that aspiring and corporate managers will love to recommend to one another satisfied that they are lapping up the latest in employee empowerment and HR best practices. Anyone else not at that level realizes this for what it is: C-level pabulum with examples such as the rule that “employees here have unlimited vacation”, when the reality for the worker bees is that if you’re gone more than 2 weeks a year you’re viewed as a slacker not pulling their weight which will be noted in the yearly rank & yank. There are so many other examples as well. What’s never mentioned in all the self congratulatory speak within the book is the acknowledgement of any luck involved in not being just the next Blockbuster (who were unable to transition to a web based model), and developing an early moat with an above average delivery system (mail and then digital).
September 17, 2020
Unsurprisingly, it was worth waiting for.
First hand message, culture focused, very straightforward - even for values/principles that are controversial and unobvious.
To be honest: this is NOT a hand-book. Many of concepts here did apply in Netflix, but for serveral reasons won't apply in other companies. So the main advantage of reading this book is to learn how Netflix (& its values) have evolved - how executives have learned, how they came up to particular conclusions. Why they've picked this path over another. Don't copy their outcomes, copy their high awareness and how they've paid attention to the meaning of org culture.
What didn't I like? Well, I know it's impossible to cover everything within one book, but it's very clear that NRR is all about 3 things: increasing talent density, candor (& feedback), controls (& autonomy). For a reason - these are probably the 3 focal topics of Netflix'es culture. But still, I find several particular organizational areas that are typically challenging for the high-performing-wannabe organizations: I'm interested in how did Netflix approach them, but there's no info on them in the book. Of course I can't try to guess (knowing the highest level pricipia), but it's just a guess.
To sum it up - it's definitely worth reading. As an inspiration and a proof that it makes sense to be open-minded and carve your own, unique path.
First hand message, culture focused, very straightforward - even for values/principles that are controversial and unobvious.
To be honest: this is NOT a hand-book. Many of concepts here did apply in Netflix, but for serveral reasons won't apply in other companies. So the main advantage of reading this book is to learn how Netflix (& its values) have evolved - how executives have learned, how they came up to particular conclusions. Why they've picked this path over another. Don't copy their outcomes, copy their high awareness and how they've paid attention to the meaning of org culture.
What didn't I like? Well, I know it's impossible to cover everything within one book, but it's very clear that NRR is all about 3 things: increasing talent density, candor (& feedback), controls (& autonomy). For a reason - these are probably the 3 focal topics of Netflix'es culture. But still, I find several particular organizational areas that are typically challenging for the high-performing-wannabe organizations: I'm interested in how did Netflix approach them, but there's no info on them in the book. Of course I can't try to guess (knowing the highest level pricipia), but it's just a guess.
To sum it up - it's definitely worth reading. As an inspiration and a proof that it makes sense to be open-minded and carve your own, unique path.
December 31, 2020
I've experienced bits and bits of Netflix culture, having been one of their first interns before they had an internship program -- Netflix doesn't want people who need handholding. But it wasn't until this book that I got the whole picture (or context as Netflix calls it) as well as the trial-and-error processes that went into creating their unique culture. The concrete examples are also extremely helpful.
September 30, 2020
I was sold on the concept of this book, where a hard-hitting biz author/professor tells the gory behind-the-scenes reality that conflicts with the rosy hindsight bias of the founder/CEO... but sadly no gloves came off whatsoever. And to think I was excited to learn about the inner workings of the streaming darling, only instead to be inundated with a non-buffering stream of vanilla HR policies.
I'm probably jaded, having worked in tech for 15 years... but unlimited vacation, freedom & responsibility, and doing what's best for the company are all pretty basic concepts. To put out a book about this now seems like a quaint yet irrelevant history lesson that magnanimously takes credit for aggressively bare-bones silicon valley perks. Throw in a candy wall and show me to the nap pods.
I'm probably jaded, having worked in tech for 15 years... but unlimited vacation, freedom & responsibility, and doing what's best for the company are all pretty basic concepts. To put out a book about this now seems like a quaint yet irrelevant history lesson that magnanimously takes credit for aggressively bare-bones silicon valley perks. Throw in a candy wall and show me to the nap pods.
November 30, 2020
I was hoping "No Rules Rules" would provide more unique insights into how Netflix scaled to become the global leader in streaming. This book is more focused on the managerial techniques that Hastings and his team applied through Netflix's history. While interesting at times, many of these ideas were not unique to Netflix, although little credit is given to other innovative companies that originated these approaches. At times, I wanted to just hit the "escape button" with this book for various reasons. In some cases, I found it that it comes across as boastful writing that focuses on team performance above everything else. At other times, I found it a little depressing. There is really no mention of how Netflix has helped shape the world to make it a better place nor does that seem to be on its radar. Instead, it suggests a rather cold approach where individuals are supported until they slip in performance and then encouraged to leave the company so others can take over. That's not to say that I did not find some of the lessons in the book useful. However, these points could be encapsulated in a single chapter. All and all, I expected more and found the book fell far short of my expectations.
December 15, 2020
YMMV.
If you have previously read (as I have) both Radical Candor and The Culture Map (both of which are excellent books which I would highly recommend) as well as Powerful (which I would not recommend) then you will find very few new insights in this book. If you have not, I would recommend that you read those first two books instead of this one.
I found the two-author approach, providing an "outsider perspective" to counter Reed's views, novel and appealing, but I feel Erin could have been much more radically candid. It seemed to me that this book ironically does not practice what it preaches in that regard (but then again, I am Dutch, so I would perhaps be more comfortable with explicit negative feedback than most other readers ...).
If you have previously read (as I have) both Radical Candor and The Culture Map (both of which are excellent books which I would highly recommend) as well as Powerful (which I would not recommend) then you will find very few new insights in this book. If you have not, I would recommend that you read those first two books instead of this one.
I found the two-author approach, providing an "outsider perspective" to counter Reed's views, novel and appealing, but I feel Erin could have been much more radically candid. It seemed to me that this book ironically does not practice what it preaches in that regard (but then again, I am Dutch, so I would perhaps be more comfortable with explicit negative feedback than most other readers ...).
October 26, 2023
Audio.
Kitaip...
Ar įmanoma "kitaip"paversti standartu? Ar įmanoma pritaikyti tai mūsų, mano darbovietėje? Bet ar to reikia? Kaip mes, kaip darbuotojai, turėtumėm pasikeisti? Ar realu tokiu kampu pasukti įmonės valdymą? Kaip aš jausčiausi dirbdama tokioje įmonėje?
Mintys kaip širšės dūzgė nepaliaujamai galvoje lipdydamos vis naujas projekcijas.
Plojau dėl tam tikrų nestandartinių sprendimų, tuo pačiu šiurpau dėl kitų nestandartinių sprendimų.
Faktas- įsidėjau šūsnį minčių ir idėjų į kišenę, tiek sau, tiek dalinimuisi su kolegomis.
*************************************************
Differently...
Is it possible to make "differently" as a standard? Is it possible to apply this in our workplace? Question is it needed? How do we, as employees, should change? Is it realistic to turn the company's management at such an angle? How would I feel while working for such a company?
Thoughts like the bridesmaids were buzzing with new projections in my head.
I applauded for certain non-standard solutions, while I was horrified for certain other solutions.
Fact- I put a bunch of thoughts and ideas in my pocket, both for myself and sharing with colleagues!
Kitaip...
Ar įmanoma "kitaip"paversti standartu? Ar įmanoma pritaikyti tai mūsų, mano darbovietėje? Bet ar to reikia? Kaip mes, kaip darbuotojai, turėtumėm pasikeisti? Ar realu tokiu kampu pasukti įmonės valdymą? Kaip aš jausčiausi dirbdama tokioje įmonėje?
Mintys kaip širšės dūzgė nepaliaujamai galvoje lipdydamos vis naujas projekcijas.
Plojau dėl tam tikrų nestandartinių sprendimų, tuo pačiu šiurpau dėl kitų nestandartinių sprendimų.
Faktas- įsidėjau šūsnį minčių ir idėjų į kišenę, tiek sau, tiek dalinimuisi su kolegomis.
*************************************************
Differently...
Is it possible to make "differently" as a standard? Is it possible to apply this in our workplace? Question is it needed? How do we, as employees, should change? Is it realistic to turn the company's management at such an angle? How would I feel while working for such a company?
Thoughts like the bridesmaids were buzzing with new projections in my head.
I applauded for certain non-standard solutions, while I was horrified for certain other solutions.
Fact- I put a bunch of thoughts and ideas in my pocket, both for myself and sharing with colleagues!
October 17, 2020
Why do great colleagues leave?
That’s a question that has been on my mind for quite a while. Every case is different, but if you zoom out a bit it often boils down to one or more of the following:
- lacking creative freedom and / or autonomy to do the job in the desired way
- inability to improve the direct work environment
- lack of improvement of the company as a whole
- feeling gagged or stifled by processes or hierarchy
- decisions that make no sense on operational level
- being tired of company politics and intransparency
- inability to get a raise due to performance management and budget constraints
The list could probably be even longer. From what I’ve seen in my now 15 years in the industry, that’s pretty much the norm, not the exception in typical companies.
And now comes Netflix.
This book gives a holistic view on the company culture and hr strategy of Netflix. If outlines on which principles and ideas they grew the company to their now around 7000 multi-national employees, without sacrificing their baseline culture.
It’s written in an unconventional style. The book switches back and forth between two narrators: Reed, the CEO of Netflix, who provides the general ideas and Erin Mayer, an external author, who sort-of fact-checks the arguments and principles by interviewing countless Netflix employees. Both parts together manage to paint a picture of the company that feels authentic, because it also features stories and interviews of people who didn’t fit into the Netflix culture.
What I find remarkable judging by comparison with all the companies I’ve worked for is how different the Netflix approach is from typical standards
- Hire only top people and pay them above market standard (instead of the typical manager worker separation)
- Adjust their salary based on the market demand (instead of individual performance and job changes because of missing salary increases)
- Feedback culture on all levels encouraged and expected (compared to the typical no-go or career end when challenging someone up the hierarchy)
- High transparency in terms of business numbers (over just the management having access or shielding employees from business aspects in order not to distract them)
- Very little processes, high autonomy and freedom of decisions on operational level (instead of governance processes and company standards everywhere)
- Acting in the best interest of the company (instead of pleasing your boss or vanity KPIs)
- The overall idea of treating employees as responsible and accountable adults (over workforce that needs to be managed)
- Managing by context (instead of more detailed guidelines)
Especially the keeper test and the idea of quickly separating from people that don’t manage to live up to Netflix expectations is controversial. I’m not even sure it would be feasible in Germany where I live (given the fairly strict laws we got). But I can definitely see that a high talent depth is the foundation on which everything else stands.
Netflix somehow managed to create a creative persons dream environment. High salary, high stakes, high accountability and lots of creative freedom. Looking at the points at the start of this review, I can definitely imagine that with this strategy a company is able to retain much more of its top performers over the course of several years, compared to their competitors.
And also that this system is ridiculously hard to copy for existing companies with employees who don’t thrive but crumble when the training wheels come of.
I always wanted to work with and learn from the best. I love to have creative freedom in my work and have no trouble with being accountable for my results. As such Netflix sounds like a dream. To be honest though, I’m not sure I’d be good enough for Netflix. The question is a bit hypothetical since I’ve got a family with kids and don’t intend to set a foot into the states in the foreseeable future. But if there was a company like this around in Germany, I know that I would want to get in and work there.
We talk so much about New Work in the recent years, but surprisingly a big American company embodies the values that I associate with New Work the most. Much more than any other company that I know of that flies under the New Work banner.
Highly recommended read!
That’s a question that has been on my mind for quite a while. Every case is different, but if you zoom out a bit it often boils down to one or more of the following:
- lacking creative freedom and / or autonomy to do the job in the desired way
- inability to improve the direct work environment
- lack of improvement of the company as a whole
- feeling gagged or stifled by processes or hierarchy
- decisions that make no sense on operational level
- being tired of company politics and intransparency
- inability to get a raise due to performance management and budget constraints
The list could probably be even longer. From what I’ve seen in my now 15 years in the industry, that’s pretty much the norm, not the exception in typical companies.
And now comes Netflix.
This book gives a holistic view on the company culture and hr strategy of Netflix. If outlines on which principles and ideas they grew the company to their now around 7000 multi-national employees, without sacrificing their baseline culture.
It’s written in an unconventional style. The book switches back and forth between two narrators: Reed, the CEO of Netflix, who provides the general ideas and Erin Mayer, an external author, who sort-of fact-checks the arguments and principles by interviewing countless Netflix employees. Both parts together manage to paint a picture of the company that feels authentic, because it also features stories and interviews of people who didn’t fit into the Netflix culture.
What I find remarkable judging by comparison with all the companies I’ve worked for is how different the Netflix approach is from typical standards
- Hire only top people and pay them above market standard (instead of the typical manager worker separation)
- Adjust their salary based on the market demand (instead of individual performance and job changes because of missing salary increases)
- Feedback culture on all levels encouraged and expected (compared to the typical no-go or career end when challenging someone up the hierarchy)
- High transparency in terms of business numbers (over just the management having access or shielding employees from business aspects in order not to distract them)
- Very little processes, high autonomy and freedom of decisions on operational level (instead of governance processes and company standards everywhere)
- Acting in the best interest of the company (instead of pleasing your boss or vanity KPIs)
- The overall idea of treating employees as responsible and accountable adults (over workforce that needs to be managed)
- Managing by context (instead of more detailed guidelines)
Especially the keeper test and the idea of quickly separating from people that don’t manage to live up to Netflix expectations is controversial. I’m not even sure it would be feasible in Germany where I live (given the fairly strict laws we got). But I can definitely see that a high talent depth is the foundation on which everything else stands.
Netflix somehow managed to create a creative persons dream environment. High salary, high stakes, high accountability and lots of creative freedom. Looking at the points at the start of this review, I can definitely imagine that with this strategy a company is able to retain much more of its top performers over the course of several years, compared to their competitors.
And also that this system is ridiculously hard to copy for existing companies with employees who don’t thrive but crumble when the training wheels come of.
I always wanted to work with and learn from the best. I love to have creative freedom in my work and have no trouble with being accountable for my results. As such Netflix sounds like a dream. To be honest though, I’m not sure I’d be good enough for Netflix. The question is a bit hypothetical since I’ve got a family with kids and don’t intend to set a foot into the states in the foreseeable future. But if there was a company like this around in Germany, I know that I would want to get in and work there.
We talk so much about New Work in the recent years, but surprisingly a big American company embodies the values that I associate with New Work the most. Much more than any other company that I know of that flies under the New Work banner.
Highly recommended read!
October 13, 2020
This is a great read for managers and leaders of contemporary midsize to large companies in creative industries. Reed Hastings is the cofounder, CEO and chairman of Netflix. No rules: Netflix and the culture of reinvention introduces the Netflix management system; throughout it is juxtaposed to the classic leadership by control in traditional businesses.
It’s helpful to think of the leadership and management system as the operating system and software for the company. Back in the early days of computers there were IBM PCs, Macs, and a few others. IBM PCs on the one hand ran on DOS/Windows and used software that ran on DOS/Windows operating systems. Macs on the other hand ran on the Mac OS and only allowed software that ran on the Mac OS. At the time there were no crossovers: if you owned a PC you used PC software; if you owned a Mac, you used Mac software. Something similar can be said of companies. As presented by Hastings and Erin Meyer, there are at least two operating systems in today's midsize to large companies: leadership by control and the Netflix leadership with context. Leadership by control has been the primary operating system for businesses since modern corporations grew out of their colonial and pre-industrial predecessors. It remains the primary operating system. Furthermore, in industries where minimization of errors remains paramount the classic leadership with control operating system remains the best fit. The purpose of this book though is to introduce the Netflix system and to introduce readers to leadership with context.
Like a MacBook running MacOS, there must be enough power to run the advanced operating system. Netflix calls this building up talent density. This is their way of saying they recruit the best and brightest. Netflix pays top of market to get the best talent. In many ways, it is just as cut throat as the classic control systems; the emphases are just different. In the Netflix system, the corollary to recruiting top talent is to separate with talent as soon as they stop being useful to the company. The second corollary is that the talented cadre are charged with fulfilling their responsibility to the company. The leaders are to set the context for their cadre from the interview on. The policies and procedures may not be written in manuals and binders, but the rules of the game are to be understood. There is responsibility and freedom to deliver value to the company. After the leaders establish the context, the pressure to conform and deliver comes from horizontal competition and challenges from below. This is 360 evaluations maxed up with radical candor.
With said, the Netflix system does not work for everyone and it does not work in all places. In industries where oversight and error reduction processes remain paramount, the classic leadership with control systems remain indicated. The Netflix system is designed for modern companies prioritizing flexibility and adaptability. The Netflix culture is for smart, talented go-getters with thick skin: adequate performance will be shown the door; once in the door, to fit in and succeed the person who makes it has to be able to give and receive.
Taking bets and chances are encouraged. The outcome of the talented and empowered cadre, that is led more than managed, in a cut throat environment, is a company that is looking to reinvent the market and to deliver a stream of products that win the market. Losses must be followed by eventual wins. Losses are expected, but people who do not learn from their previous losses will be shown the door. These are the 1990s and 2000s Yankees, Patriots, and Lakers. Rebuilds are short. This is Steinbrenner and Jerry and Jeanie Buss. Wins are expected sooner or later.
In all, 4 stars. It's hard to get 5 stars in the management and leadership literature. Like a lot of the management and leadership literature, the concepts are not particularly rigorous. For instance, it's not clear that there are only two leadership and management operating systems. In fact, there may be more of a continuum with the Netflix leadership towards the center left and the more conventional management towards the center right; towards the far left there are probably more democratic operations styles and towards the far right there are definitely more rigid systems based on command and control, caste, and class. With that said, the book provides a useful system to consider and will prove informative for managers and leaders in midsize to large companies.
It’s helpful to think of the leadership and management system as the operating system and software for the company. Back in the early days of computers there were IBM PCs, Macs, and a few others. IBM PCs on the one hand ran on DOS/Windows and used software that ran on DOS/Windows operating systems. Macs on the other hand ran on the Mac OS and only allowed software that ran on the Mac OS. At the time there were no crossovers: if you owned a PC you used PC software; if you owned a Mac, you used Mac software. Something similar can be said of companies. As presented by Hastings and Erin Meyer, there are at least two operating systems in today's midsize to large companies: leadership by control and the Netflix leadership with context. Leadership by control has been the primary operating system for businesses since modern corporations grew out of their colonial and pre-industrial predecessors. It remains the primary operating system. Furthermore, in industries where minimization of errors remains paramount the classic leadership with control operating system remains the best fit. The purpose of this book though is to introduce the Netflix system and to introduce readers to leadership with context.
Like a MacBook running MacOS, there must be enough power to run the advanced operating system. Netflix calls this building up talent density. This is their way of saying they recruit the best and brightest. Netflix pays top of market to get the best talent. In many ways, it is just as cut throat as the classic control systems; the emphases are just different. In the Netflix system, the corollary to recruiting top talent is to separate with talent as soon as they stop being useful to the company. The second corollary is that the talented cadre are charged with fulfilling their responsibility to the company. The leaders are to set the context for their cadre from the interview on. The policies and procedures may not be written in manuals and binders, but the rules of the game are to be understood. There is responsibility and freedom to deliver value to the company. After the leaders establish the context, the pressure to conform and deliver comes from horizontal competition and challenges from below. This is 360 evaluations maxed up with radical candor.
With said, the Netflix system does not work for everyone and it does not work in all places. In industries where oversight and error reduction processes remain paramount, the classic leadership with control systems remain indicated. The Netflix system is designed for modern companies prioritizing flexibility and adaptability. The Netflix culture is for smart, talented go-getters with thick skin: adequate performance will be shown the door; once in the door, to fit in and succeed the person who makes it has to be able to give and receive.
Taking bets and chances are encouraged. The outcome of the talented and empowered cadre, that is led more than managed, in a cut throat environment, is a company that is looking to reinvent the market and to deliver a stream of products that win the market. Losses must be followed by eventual wins. Losses are expected, but people who do not learn from their previous losses will be shown the door. These are the 1990s and 2000s Yankees, Patriots, and Lakers. Rebuilds are short. This is Steinbrenner and Jerry and Jeanie Buss. Wins are expected sooner or later.
In all, 4 stars. It's hard to get 5 stars in the management and leadership literature. Like a lot of the management and leadership literature, the concepts are not particularly rigorous. For instance, it's not clear that there are only two leadership and management operating systems. In fact, there may be more of a continuum with the Netflix leadership towards the center left and the more conventional management towards the center right; towards the far left there are probably more democratic operations styles and towards the far right there are definitely more rigid systems based on command and control, caste, and class. With that said, the book provides a useful system to consider and will prove informative for managers and leaders in midsize to large companies.
January 4, 2021
Struggled to read this and wanted to put it down constantly. A self-congratulatory primer on the 'unique' tenets of Netflix culture of 'Freedom & Responsibility' which include:
- anyone who isn't an amazing performer will just be fired to preserve 'talent density'
- no expense/travel policy, KPIs, bonuses
- you have to participate in live feedback about yourself with 10-12 people over dinner.. no thanks.
There are some ok insights about candor and feedback in there but it'll be largely repetitive if you work in tech already.
- anyone who isn't an amazing performer will just be fired to preserve 'talent density'
- no expense/travel policy, KPIs, bonuses
- you have to participate in live feedback about yourself with 10-12 people over dinner.. no thanks.
There are some ok insights about candor and feedback in there but it'll be largely repetitive if you work in tech already.
December 27, 2020
A masterpiece & MUST read.
Netflix is a UNIQUE company with a unique business model & philosophy. It's obvious that its overpowering leader Reed Hastings runs & scales his business HIS way. Read this book to learn:
- How a business book should be written :) The co-author Erin Meyer adds so much value to the entire narrative.
- Insights on how 'no rules policies' (take vacations, spend company money etc) though so hard to swallow seems to work so well for Netflix. (I say ‘seems’ coz I still can't digest it).
- The real-life examples of staffing & empowering super-sized leaders is amazing. If entrepreneurs can set aside their egos & get 100's of 'better themselves', they will have a Netflix.
- The salary benchmarking & course correction insights are powerful & relevant.
- Lessons in transparency: "In 800 BC, Greek merchants whose businesses had failed were forced to sit in the marketplace with a basket over their heads."
- AMAZING lessons in Global business management challenges - dealing with the mannerisms & behaviour of countries.
- The "Keeper Test"! Simple yet profound!
- The AMAZING lesson that the self-regulating traffic around L’Etoile off the Arc de Triomphe teaches us!
Netflix is a UNIQUE company with a unique business model & philosophy. It's obvious that its overpowering leader Reed Hastings runs & scales his business HIS way. Read this book to learn:
- How a business book should be written :) The co-author Erin Meyer adds so much value to the entire narrative.
- Insights on how 'no rules policies' (take vacations, spend company money etc) though so hard to swallow seems to work so well for Netflix. (I say ‘seems’ coz I still can't digest it).
- The real-life examples of staffing & empowering super-sized leaders is amazing. If entrepreneurs can set aside their egos & get 100's of 'better themselves', they will have a Netflix.
- The salary benchmarking & course correction insights are powerful & relevant.
- Lessons in transparency: "In 800 BC, Greek merchants whose businesses had failed were forced to sit in the marketplace with a basket over their heads."
- AMAZING lessons in Global business management challenges - dealing with the mannerisms & behaviour of countries.
- The "Keeper Test"! Simple yet profound!
- The AMAZING lesson that the self-regulating traffic around L’Etoile off the Arc de Triomphe teaches us!
December 19, 2021
This book has convinced me never to even dream about working at Netflix.
The work culture seems extremely toxic. Some of their mantras, like “Adequate performance gets a generous severance package” is borderline sickening, for two reasons:
1. It stokes fear, if not terror in their employees that if they are not “rock-stars” then they will lose their jobs.
2. Netflix does it primarily not to get sued. In fact, departing employees only get the severance package if they agree not to sue.
They have these other mantras, such as “The Keeper Test” which says that: “If a person on your team were to quit tomorrow, would you try to change their mind? Or would you accept their resignation, perhaps with a little relief? If the latter, you should give them a severance package now and look for a star, someone you would fight to keep.”
This is a tad ridiculous - first and foremost because my opinion about someone on a team could differ from another person’s opinion. Who is making the final call? Also, there could be a star performer who is atrocious to work with, or an adequate performer who is delightful to work with. The Netflix culture would likely encourage employees to keep the rock-star performer who is a nightmare to get along with. In that case, would I accept that decision with relief of anguish?
One could quip, "but Netflix has other mantras in place to get rid of brilliant jerks," to which I'd say, who is making the final call on who is a jerk? What if they are jerks to others but not to the boss, or vice-versa?
I’ve also worked with colleagues who did not perform amazingly the first year or so, but then truly grew into their roles, took charge and contributed significantly to the team. I suspect Netflix would let a lot of those people go too, which is a shame.
Other policies such as releasing control to employees but then exploding if they use a company card to buy food and drinks with colleagues baffles me. How can anyone feel safe in an environment like that?
Netflix also has a policy of giving each other immediate actionable feedback, whether good or bad, that is aimed to assist personal development. While the intentions here are ostensibly good, it's easy to see why people might take offense, or might use this policy too loosely criticizing and judging everything people do. Think what you may, but I am with the 18th-century French philosopher, Voltaire, on this one, when he said: "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."
As someone who has lived in 3 continents, their graphs on culture maps and what works well in one culture and not another strikes me as extraordinarily pathetic and simplistic. It sums up entire cultures in groups such as "confrontational" or "confrontation-avoidant", but this is akin to saying all Japanese eat sushi and all Italians eat pizza. It's a funny conversation to be had at the pub, but reality is more nuanced than that.
Netflix is also known for its mantra, "we're a team, not a family." I understand why they do this: you cannot fire and heartlessly get rid of family members if they don't perform. That said, I'd pick the company that treats me as family, and ironically I have a sense that if a company treats its employees like family, they will perform at a higher level.
The book is well-written, and I agree with some of the goals they strive for, such as creating a team with a high talent density, but the overarching depicted work culture seems exceedingly toxic and at times myopic. I think no amount of money would convince me that this is a healthy, positive place to work. If I ran a business, I would not implement Netflix’s “no rules rules.”
The work culture seems extremely toxic. Some of their mantras, like “Adequate performance gets a generous severance package” is borderline sickening, for two reasons:
1. It stokes fear, if not terror in their employees that if they are not “rock-stars” then they will lose their jobs.
2. Netflix does it primarily not to get sued. In fact, departing employees only get the severance package if they agree not to sue.
They have these other mantras, such as “The Keeper Test” which says that: “If a person on your team were to quit tomorrow, would you try to change their mind? Or would you accept their resignation, perhaps with a little relief? If the latter, you should give them a severance package now and look for a star, someone you would fight to keep.”
This is a tad ridiculous - first and foremost because my opinion about someone on a team could differ from another person’s opinion. Who is making the final call? Also, there could be a star performer who is atrocious to work with, or an adequate performer who is delightful to work with. The Netflix culture would likely encourage employees to keep the rock-star performer who is a nightmare to get along with. In that case, would I accept that decision with relief of anguish?
One could quip, "but Netflix has other mantras in place to get rid of brilliant jerks," to which I'd say, who is making the final call on who is a jerk? What if they are jerks to others but not to the boss, or vice-versa?
I’ve also worked with colleagues who did not perform amazingly the first year or so, but then truly grew into their roles, took charge and contributed significantly to the team. I suspect Netflix would let a lot of those people go too, which is a shame.
Other policies such as releasing control to employees but then exploding if they use a company card to buy food and drinks with colleagues baffles me. How can anyone feel safe in an environment like that?
Netflix also has a policy of giving each other immediate actionable feedback, whether good or bad, that is aimed to assist personal development. While the intentions here are ostensibly good, it's easy to see why people might take offense, or might use this policy too loosely criticizing and judging everything people do. Think what you may, but I am with the 18th-century French philosopher, Voltaire, on this one, when he said: "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."
As someone who has lived in 3 continents, their graphs on culture maps and what works well in one culture and not another strikes me as extraordinarily pathetic and simplistic. It sums up entire cultures in groups such as "confrontational" or "confrontation-avoidant", but this is akin to saying all Japanese eat sushi and all Italians eat pizza. It's a funny conversation to be had at the pub, but reality is more nuanced than that.
Netflix is also known for its mantra, "we're a team, not a family." I understand why they do this: you cannot fire and heartlessly get rid of family members if they don't perform. That said, I'd pick the company that treats me as family, and ironically I have a sense that if a company treats its employees like family, they will perform at a higher level.
The book is well-written, and I agree with some of the goals they strive for, such as creating a team with a high talent density, but the overarching depicted work culture seems exceedingly toxic and at times myopic. I think no amount of money would convince me that this is a healthy, positive place to work. If I ran a business, I would not implement Netflix’s “no rules rules.”
July 4, 2021
Very inspirational but also highly contextual.
December 21, 2020
One of the best books I've read this year. I love the concept of this book about how to make Netflix succeed, which includes increasing talents density, building up candor, and removing control. This concept can be applied into any organization if you consider it carefully.
February 21, 2023
You probably have heard about Netflix, right? I am still salty about them canceling 1899, but as I remember somebody from Youtube said when everyone was really angry about some changes - "They will get used to it".
After reading Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon and this, I think I am done with nonfiction/business. Just all this CEO and/or somebody else vibe is not my glass of something. I just don't get anything new or truly insightful. Sometimes it feels like they write more words just to fill more pages. Yuck.
Going back to the book, if you read the summaries conveniently placed at the end of each chapter you should probably be fine. The whole book reeks of self-actualization and self-righteousness. Yes, I am all in into owning your success, but this was too rubby-rubby into the face. I know, they might want to sound friendly, but I think they fail - we have no rules, but look a rule! And another one! Have some more rules! I could think of a ton of ways the methods applied could have backfired, but with a bit of old good luck, it worked for Netflix. I am not sure if you tried this today, you would not necessarily succeed as a company.
After reading Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon and this, I think I am done with nonfiction/business. Just all this CEO and/or somebody else vibe is not my glass of something. I just don't get anything new or truly insightful. Sometimes it feels like they write more words just to fill more pages. Yuck.
Going back to the book, if you read the summaries conveniently placed at the end of each chapter you should probably be fine. The whole book reeks of self-actualization and self-righteousness. Yes, I am all in into owning your success, but this was too rubby-rubby into the face. I know, they might want to sound friendly, but I think they fail - we have no rules, but look a rule! And another one! Have some more rules! I could think of a ton of ways the methods applied could have backfired, but with a bit of old good luck, it worked for Netflix. I am not sure if you tried this today, you would not necessarily succeed as a company.
December 16, 2021
“No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention” by Reed Hastings gives readers a unique and amazing look into the world of how Netflix became a juggernaut. In this book I was asked to read for my job, the one theme I took away from this was the power of candor.
Being honest with your co-workers, bosses, managers, etc. regardless of their title and power, is basically one of the main reasons why Netflix is as big and as successful as it is. Having the ability to be candid in interactions with everyone in your company that stresses giving honest feedback as to what will make that person, their processes, and the company successful was very interesting to read.
If anything, I know this ethos won’t work for every single company out there but I do believe every company should embrace being candid in meetings, presentations, and future projects while giving employees that power to always give honest feedback. Of course, it’s easier said than done as I can’t stress enough that before you do any of that, make sure you read this entirely, understand the “Five A’s” thoroughly, and if everyone is on the same page, it could work wonders for your company.
I give “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention” by Reed Hastings a 5/5 as I loved reading about this famous Netflix culture and all the stories throughout giving real examples of how powerful and inspiring candor can be. This is a great book for managers to read because it goes to show that being honest through feedback with employees and letting them do the same for you goes a very long way towards having a successful company that is all about transparency day in, day out.
Being honest with your co-workers, bosses, managers, etc. regardless of their title and power, is basically one of the main reasons why Netflix is as big and as successful as it is. Having the ability to be candid in interactions with everyone in your company that stresses giving honest feedback as to what will make that person, their processes, and the company successful was very interesting to read.
If anything, I know this ethos won’t work for every single company out there but I do believe every company should embrace being candid in meetings, presentations, and future projects while giving employees that power to always give honest feedback. Of course, it’s easier said than done as I can’t stress enough that before you do any of that, make sure you read this entirely, understand the “Five A’s” thoroughly, and if everyone is on the same page, it could work wonders for your company.
I give “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention” by Reed Hastings a 5/5 as I loved reading about this famous Netflix culture and all the stories throughout giving real examples of how powerful and inspiring candor can be. This is a great book for managers to read because it goes to show that being honest through feedback with employees and letting them do the same for you goes a very long way towards having a successful company that is all about transparency day in, day out.
July 15, 2021
Self congratulatory propaganda.
The CEO believes in hiring the best people (and firing anyone who is not the best anymore).
If you care only about the bestest of the best and high talent density, won't it mean that the strategy works only for like 2 companies? I guess everyone else is just gonna have faith in the fact that anyone can improve with the right attitude, guidance and environment.
Which they won't get in Netflix probably, because the CEO doesn't believe in fostering a psychologically safe environment.
The CEO never acknowledges the fact that the main reason they are a success and this book has been published is because the risks were taken in a market ripe for it and they paid off.
I might have given this book more stars if they had shared some of the interesting bets, and why they worked/failed. Mentioning that Chota Bheem became popular outside India and that people didn't like a creepy Black Mirror promotion activity doesn't cover it!
At least the CEO acknowledges that some of his management ideas are only possible because Netflix is in the entertainment sector.
The CEO believes in hiring the best people (and firing anyone who is not the best anymore).
If you care only about the bestest of the best and high talent density, won't it mean that the strategy works only for like 2 companies? I guess everyone else is just gonna have faith in the fact that anyone can improve with the right attitude, guidance and environment.
Which they won't get in Netflix probably, because the CEO doesn't believe in fostering a psychologically safe environment.
The CEO never acknowledges the fact that the main reason they are a success and this book has been published is because the risks were taken in a market ripe for it and they paid off.
I might have given this book more stars if they had shared some of the interesting bets, and why they worked/failed. Mentioning that Chota Bheem became popular outside India and that people didn't like a creepy Black Mirror promotion activity doesn't cover it!
At least the CEO acknowledges that some of his management ideas are only possible because Netflix is in the entertainment sector.
February 26, 2021
Os princípios por trás da cultura de Liberdade e Responsabilidade do Netflix são fantásticos, mas eu diria que são transponíveis para pouquíssimas empresas. No entanto, quando as condições de contorno são atingidas - um ambiente em que criatividade/inovação são mais importantes do que prevenção de erros, com alta densidade de talento e com um design organizacional "loosely coupled" - alta autonomia, transparência e quase nenhum controle parecem ser, sim, a melhor alternativa.
Pessoalmente, a leitura me marcou muito, principalmente por trazer clareza sobre o tipo de trabalho que me faz feliz.
Pessoalmente, a leitura me marcou muito, principalmente por trazer clareza sobre o tipo de trabalho que me faz feliz.
January 10, 2021
Published in 2020 and written by Hastings (cofounder and co-CEO of Netflix) and Meyer (professor at INSEAD and Netflix consultant).
This is therefore obviously from the title and presentation/author a book about Netflix and its company culture and their declared dedication to innovation, generally recommended to Silicon Valley fanboys and start-ups with big dreams. I also personally recommend it for folks who love reading and want to just know more about Netflix as a company.
I felt it was a book mostly about bragging and self-marketing than anything else, for someone who just wants to know more and enjoy what they are being told. However, I was one of those curious people that knew little about Netflix and wanted to know more. The story doesn't exactly disappoint, but you cannot deny that it was deliberately designed to also sound good and contribute to their image.
However way you put it, it's always a good thing to hear when a company that values talent, their employees, who cultivate freedom and prioritize innovation toots and inspires others to do the same. These are objectively good things to be prioritizing in any modern corporation. They also advocate for paying competent people their fair share instead of trying to minimize their salaries as an ideal strategy for talent retention. Netflix went through its own struggles which they don't hide, during which they had to do layoffs back in the dotcom bubble burst.
It wasn't a bad read, but it didn't really wow me in any way. You can learn more about Netflix through interviews and other talks. This book is only one way to do it and it will definitely not give you the whole story, but just the story that is most ideal to tell to the public.
This is therefore obviously from the title and presentation/author a book about Netflix and its company culture and their declared dedication to innovation, generally recommended to Silicon Valley fanboys and start-ups with big dreams. I also personally recommend it for folks who love reading and want to just know more about Netflix as a company.
I felt it was a book mostly about bragging and self-marketing than anything else, for someone who just wants to know more and enjoy what they are being told. However, I was one of those curious people that knew little about Netflix and wanted to know more. The story doesn't exactly disappoint, but you cannot deny that it was deliberately designed to also sound good and contribute to their image.
However way you put it, it's always a good thing to hear when a company that values talent, their employees, who cultivate freedom and prioritize innovation toots and inspires others to do the same. These are objectively good things to be prioritizing in any modern corporation. They also advocate for paying competent people their fair share instead of trying to minimize their salaries as an ideal strategy for talent retention. Netflix went through its own struggles which they don't hide, during which they had to do layoffs back in the dotcom bubble burst.
It wasn't a bad read, but it didn't really wow me in any way. You can learn more about Netflix through interviews and other talks. This book is only one way to do it and it will definitely not give you the whole story, but just the story that is most ideal to tell to the public.
November 1, 2021
Ko bi rekao da će me ovo izvući iz slump-a, ali tu smo gde smo.
Ovo je više knjiga o Netfliksovoj filozofiji poslovanja nego što je o kreiranju kompanije i njenom istorijatu (i to je, naravno, ono što bih više volela da sam pročitala), ali veoma je pitko napisano, tako da se veoma brzo čita.
E, sad, to što je radna atmosfera tamo ✨slightly toxic✨ i što ne bih nikad želela da radim u sličnoj kompaniji, to kvari utisak i još jednom sam oduševljena koliko Amerikanci ne kapiraju druge kulture (poslednje poglavlje me je mnogo iznerviralo - to što ste vi nevaspitana stoka pa ne razumete da svojim nastupom vređate kolege u Japanu i Singapuru...). Takođe, na par mesta mi se činilo da je ovaj Netfliks baja baš teški robot koji ne vrca od emocionalne inteligencije i onoga što su krstili danas soft skills - "stavite emodžije u poruke da delujete kao normalna osoba", ako ovo daješ kao savet ljudima... Ok...
Sve u svemu, nije mi žao što sam pročitala, daje uvid u neku totalno vanzemaljsku strukturu rada i bivstvovanja, pa ko voli, nek' izvoli.
Ovo je više knjiga o Netfliksovoj filozofiji poslovanja nego što je o kreiranju kompanije i njenom istorijatu (i to je, naravno, ono što bih više volela da sam pročitala), ali veoma je pitko napisano, tako da se veoma brzo čita.
E, sad, to što je radna atmosfera tamo ✨slightly toxic✨ i što ne bih nikad želela da radim u sličnoj kompaniji, to kvari utisak i još jednom sam oduševljena koliko Amerikanci ne kapiraju druge kulture (poslednje poglavlje me je mnogo iznerviralo - to što ste vi nevaspitana stoka pa ne razumete da svojim nastupom vređate kolege u Japanu i Singapuru...). Takođe, na par mesta mi se činilo da je ovaj Netfliks baja baš teški robot koji ne vrca od emocionalne inteligencije i onoga što su krstili danas soft skills - "stavite emodžije u poruke da delujete kao normalna osoba", ako ovo daješ kao savet ljudima... Ok...
Sve u svemu, nije mi žao što sam pročitala, daje uvid u neku totalno vanzemaljsku strukturu rada i bivstvovanja, pa ko voli, nek' izvoli.
November 3, 2022
Might be the first non-fiction that I actually enjoyed and was interested in from beginning to end.
June 13, 2021
คุณเคยดู NETFLIX มั้ย?
ถ้าเคย หนังสือเล่มนี้ก็ทำงานกับคุณเหมือนกับหนังของ NETFLIX นั่นแหละ นั่นคือ ติดหนึบ วางไม่ลง
หนังสือสไตล์ How-to ผสมผสานกับประสบการณ์การสร้างองค์กรระดับโลกเล่มนี้ ตรึงเอาไว้ด้วยความระทึกและสงสัยใคร่รู้ล้วนๆ ว่า “กฎที่ไม่มีกฎ” เป็นยังไง
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีการจำกัดวันลาพัก
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่ต้องขออนุมัติการตัดสินใจ
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีการกำหนดงบค่าเดินทาง
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีการจ่ายโบนัส
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่ต้องรอให้ผู้บริหารเป็นคนเซ็นสัญญา
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีเพดานเงินเดือน

บอกเลยว่าอ่านจบ เข้าใจได้ชัดเจนว่าที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีกฎที่เป็นลายลักษณ์อักษร แต่มีกฎที่เป็นจารีตประเพณีเหมือนกับ common law ทางกฎหมายให้เหล่าพนักงานสุดเทพยึดถือ
มันเจ๋งตรงที่ NETFLIX สามารถฝัง “วัฒนธรรมแห่งอิสระและความรับผิดชอบ” เข้าไปในองค์กรระดับบิ๊กเบิ้ม แถมเอาไปใช้ได้แบบ effective สุดๆ นี่เหละ
องค์ประกอบที่เป็นรากฐานเลยคือ “NETFLIX จ้างคนที่เก่งที่สุด ด้วยค่าจ้างที่สูงที่สุด” + “การ feedback ตรงไปตรงมา”
ความแรงของการจ้างคนที่เก่งที่สุดด้วยค่าจ้างที่สูงที่สุดนี่โหดมาก
NETFLIX จะบอกให้พนักงานหมั่นไปสัมภาษณ์งานที่บริษัทอื่น หรือหา agency เอาก็ได้ แล้วถ้ามีพนักงานคนไหนสามารถหามาได้ว่า ค่าจ้างในตลาดแรงงานในตำแหน่งของตัวเองสูงกว่าที่ได้อยู่ที่ NETFLIX คุณได้ขึ้นเงินเดือนตามนั้นเลย
ทีนี้พอมีคนที่เก่ง แถมยังสามารถ feedback กันได้ตรงๆ คุณ CEO แกก็ปล่อยอิสระเลยครับ ใครจะทำอะไรก็เชิญตัดสินใจได้เลย ไม่ต้องมารออนุมัติเป็นลำดับขั้น
เพียงแค่ยึดหลัก “ทำเพื่อประโยชน์สูงสุดของ NETFLIX”
ถ้าหากคุณอธิบายได้สบายว่าทำไมคิดว่าการจ่ายเงินนั้นเป็นประโยชน์สูงสุดกับบริษัทก็ไม่ต้องถามต่อไป เชิญจ่ายเงินไปได้เลย
ส่วนระดับผู้บริหาร ก็เน้าความโปร่งใส ความเท่าเทียมในการเข้าถึงข้อมูลเชิงลึกของบริษัท ทำให้เหล่าลูกน้องรู้สึกถึงความ “เป็นเจ้าของบริษัท” กับแบบโจ่งแจ้งสุดๆ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นสถานการณ์การเงิน ไปจนถึงแผนกลยุทธ์ เพราะผู้บริหารมี mindset ที่น่าสนใจมากว่า NETFLIX มีหน้าที่ปฏิบัติต่อคุณให้สมกับเป็นผู้ใหญ่โดยบอกข้อมูลทั้งหมดที่เรามีให้คุณรู้เพื่อตัดสินใจได้อย่างมีข้อมูลพร้อม
ทั้งหมดทั้งปวง NETFLIX มองว่าเรื่องหยุมหยิมหรือปัญหาทางเทคนิคในการบริหารจัดการ ไม่ใช่ threats หลักของเค้า แต่เค้ามองว่า “ความเสี่ยงสำหรับเราคือไม่อาจหาไอเดียสร้างสรรค์มามอบความบันเทิงให้ลูกค้าได้ จนมันไม่ผูกพันกับชีวิตพวกเขาอีกแล้ว”
อ่านจบแล้วมันว้าว
นับถือหัวจิตหัวใจของผู้บริหารผู้วางรากฐานของ NETFLIX เลย
แน่นอนว่าหลายๆ อย่าง ไม่สามารถเอาไปใช้ได้กับทุกองค์กร แต่มุมมองเรื่องการบริหารคนและการไว้วางใจคนหลายๆ เรื่อง ก็เอาไปใช้ได้เลยทันทีเช่นกัน
มันน่าสนใจมากที่บริษัทที่บุคลิกอย่างนี้ สามารถบุกโลก ขยายสำนักงานไปต่างที่ต่างวัฒนธรรมได้ เอาวัฒนธรรม “ไม่มีกฎ” ไปปรับใช้ได้ทุกที่ เรียกว่ามีความยืดหยุ่น และฝ่าย HR ก็เก่งสุดๆ จริงๆ
ขอปิดท้ายด้วยหลักการ Feedback “4A +1” ที่ชอบจังเลย
Aim to assist - มุ่งช่วยเหลือ
Actionable - ปฏิบัติได้
Appreciate - ขอบคุณ
Accept or decline - ยอมรับหรือปฏิเสธ
และ
Adapt - ดัดแปลงให้สอดคล้องกับวัฒนธรรม
PS
รอเล่มแปลไทยมานาน ในที่สุดก็ได้อ่านสมใจ 😊
ถ้าเคย หนังสือเล่มนี้ก็ทำงานกับคุณเหมือนกับหนังของ NETFLIX นั่นแหละ นั่นคือ ติดหนึบ วางไม่ลง
หนังสือสไตล์ How-to ผสมผสานกับประสบการณ์การสร้างองค์กรระดับโลกเล่มนี้ ตรึงเอาไว้ด้วยความระทึกและสงสัยใคร่รู้ล้วนๆ ว่า “กฎที่ไม่มีกฎ” เป็นยังไง
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีการจำกัดวันลาพัก
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่ต้องขออนุมัติการตัดสินใจ
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีการกำหนดงบค่าเดินทาง
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีการจ่ายโบนัส
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่ต้องรอให้ผู้บริหารเป็นคนเซ็นสัญญา
ที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีเพดานเงินเดือน

บอกเลยว่าอ่านจบ เข้าใจได้ชัดเจนว่าที่ NETFLIX ไม่มีกฎที่เป็นลายลักษณ์อักษร แต่มีกฎที่เป็นจารีตประเพณีเหมือนกับ common law ทางกฎหมายให้เหล่าพนักงานสุดเทพยึดถือ
มันเจ๋งตรงที่ NETFLIX สามารถฝัง “วัฒนธรรมแห่งอิสระและความรับผิดชอบ” เข้าไปในองค์กรระดับบิ๊กเบิ้ม แถมเอาไปใช้ได้แบบ effective สุดๆ นี่เหละ
องค์ประกอบที่เป็นรากฐานเลยคือ “NETFLIX จ้างคนที่เก่งที่สุด ด้วยค่าจ้างที่สูงที่สุด” + “การ feedback ตรงไปตรงมา”
ความแรงของการจ้างคนที่เก่งที่สุดด้วยค่าจ้างที่สูงที่สุดนี่โหดมาก
NETFLIX จะบอกให้พนักงานหมั่นไปสัมภาษณ์งานที่บริษัทอื่น หรือหา agency เอาก็ได้ แล้วถ้ามีพนักงานคนไหนสามารถหามาได้ว่า ค่าจ้างในตลาดแรงงานในตำแหน่งของตัวเองสูงกว่าที่ได้อยู่ที่ NETFLIX คุณได้ขึ้นเงินเดือนตามนั้นเลย
ทีนี้พอมีคนที่เก่ง แถมยังสามารถ feedback กันได้ตรงๆ คุณ CEO แกก็ปล่อยอิสระเลยครับ ใครจะทำอะไรก็เชิญตัดสินใจได้เลย ไม่ต้องมารออนุมัติเป็นลำดับขั้น
เพียงแค่ยึดหลัก “ทำเพื่อประโยชน์สูงสุดของ NETFLIX”
ถ้าหากคุณอธิบายได้สบายว่าทำไมคิดว่าการจ่ายเงินนั้นเป็นประโยชน์สูงสุดกับบริษัทก็ไม่ต้องถามต่อไป เชิญจ่ายเงินไปได้เลย
ส่วนระดับผู้บริหาร ก็เน้าความโปร่งใส ความเท่าเทียมในการเข้าถึงข้อมูลเชิงลึกของบริษัท ทำให้เหล่าลูกน้องรู้สึกถึงความ “เป็นเจ้าของบริษัท” กับแบบโจ่งแจ้งสุดๆ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นสถานการณ์การเงิน ไปจนถึงแผนกลยุทธ์ เพราะผู้บริหารมี mindset ที่น่าสนใจมากว่า NETFLIX มีหน้าที่ปฏิบัติต่อคุณให้สมกับเป็นผู้ใหญ่โดยบอกข้อมูลทั้งหมดที่เรามีให้คุณรู้เพื่อตัดสินใจได้อย่างมีข้อมูลพร้อม
ทั้งหมดทั้งปวง NETFLIX มองว่าเรื่องหยุมหยิมหรือปัญหาทางเทคนิคในการบริหารจัดการ ไม่ใช่ threats หลักของเค้า แต่เค้ามองว่า “ความเสี่ยงสำหรับเราคือไม่อาจหาไอเดียสร้างสรรค์มามอบความบันเทิงให้ลูกค้าได้ จนมันไม่ผูกพันกับชีวิตพวกเขาอีกแล้ว”
อ่านจบแล้วมันว้าว
นับถือหัวจิตหัวใจของผู้บริหารผู้วางรากฐานของ NETFLIX เลย
แน่นอนว่าหลายๆ อย่าง ไม่สามารถเอาไปใช้ได้กับทุกองค์กร แต่มุมมองเรื่องการบริหารคนและการไว้วางใจคนหลายๆ เรื่อง ก็เอาไปใช้ได้เลยทันทีเช่นกัน
มันน่าสนใจมากที่บริษัทที่บุคลิกอย่างนี้ สามารถบุกโลก ขยายสำนักงานไปต่างที่ต่างวัฒนธรรมได้ เอาวัฒนธรรม “ไม่มีกฎ” ไปปรับใช้ได้ทุกที่ เรียกว่ามีความยืดหยุ่น และฝ่าย HR ก็เก่งสุดๆ จริงๆ
ขอปิดท้ายด้วยหลักการ Feedback “4A +1” ที่ชอบจังเลย
Aim to assist - มุ่งช่วยเหลือ
Actionable - ปฏิบัติได้
Appreciate - ขอบคุณ
Accept or decline - ยอมรับหรือปฏิเสธ
และ
Adapt - ดัดแปลงให้สอดคล้องกับวัฒนธรรม
PS
รอเล่มแปลไทยมานาน ในที่สุดก็ได้อ่านสมใจ 😊
September 11, 2020
I really enjoyed the read, and am still a full supporter of what's in here. The only reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because if you are already familiar with Netflix culture through the culture deck/memo and have given it a lot of thought/reflection, most of the content is just a more digestible re-telling / re-organizing of existing insights and examples for those new to it. The international aspect might be a bit new to those who have followed Netflix culture from the outside.
If you're not already intimately familiar with the Netflix culture and are curious about it, I do think this is a fantastic 5 star starting point.
If you're not already intimately familiar with the Netflix culture and are curious about it, I do think this is a fantastic 5 star starting point.
December 6, 2020
Let me start by saying that Netflix culture is not for me but this book does a great job comparing a culture rules a d processes with a culture of principles and freedom. This was my second time reading this book and I enjoyed it even more the second time. You can read the last chapter first to fully understand what you should look for in this book. In the last chapter (which should have been the intro) you will learn where you can use thé culture of rules and processes and where you should chose thé culture of freedom and flexibility. The rest of the chapters tell you how to implement it in your organization. Excellent book if you need to manage an organization.
April 12, 2021
I really like Netflix as a company and I admire their internal culture having done some probono work with them and meeting a bunch of people in management. This book was a fascinating look at the way they created their culture. Some parts of it did scare me a bit--the idea that there are no vacation days for example, though well-defended in the book, did seem like it would foster a culture of no one ever taking a vacation, which is thing hard-driving professionals do anyway. But they say that the team leads are constantly showing off about their own vacations and urging people to take them so maybe it works? I do wonder if it would work more toward fostering resentment though....
January 1, 2021
Just read it! You'll most likely have your perspective enriched, even if you're not part of an organization that can or will adopt the culture. It’s a great book that should be read by literally everyone - from CEOs to managers to individual contributors, no matter the business area, because it speaks to growth and mindset. Whenever you'll say to yourself "No way that can work!", you will be proven that it can work indeed.
November 8, 2020
Although interesting, the information offered does not warrant this amount of pages. The authors are repetitive and 60% of the content is composed of redundant examples. Just read the summaries at the end of each chapter and you're good to go; if you want a little further information, peruse the chapter. The TED Talks interview with Reed Hastings should also suffice.
April 14, 2021
This is certainly one of most important books I've read this year ❤️📖💯
I'm absolutely fascinated by the company's culture of Netflix and would love to implement majority of its principles in my company/team:
- build a team of talented people, which are then constantly developing by learning from each other
- establish a strong culture of instant, actionable and honest feedback
- once you trust your team 100%, start removing controls and the red-tape from the processes to boost innovation and foster extreme sense of ownership
These are just a few takeaways, but the whole book is eye-opening and inspiring! A must read!
I'm absolutely fascinated by the company's culture of Netflix and would love to implement majority of its principles in my company/team:
- build a team of talented people, which are then constantly developing by learning from each other
- establish a strong culture of instant, actionable and honest feedback
- once you trust your team 100%, start removing controls and the red-tape from the processes to boost innovation and foster extreme sense of ownership
These are just a few takeaways, but the whole book is eye-opening and inspiring! A must read!
January 2, 2021
The book describes the corporate culture of Netflix its underlying philosophy and how it is nurtured. The format is a dialog between Reed Hastings, Netfilx Founder and CEO and Erin Meyer, professor and business writer. The principles and policies are clearly described with Netflix examples.
The critical element is what they call “talent density”. To have top talent Netflix pays top dollar. Average or acceptable performance will yield a thank you and generous severance package. The company doesn’t put up with “jerks” even if they are talented.
The talent is trusted to take time off (i.e. no vacation policy) as desired but corporate goals must be met. Business trips don't need approval since trust will mean that the time and money is well used. There is a strong vetting system for innovation, but the person responsible for the outcome is the one who green lights it and sets the budget.
There are no annual goals and objectives… they are confining. The annual review is replaced by a feedback session, involving more than the boss. Given the feed back system, before and after decisions are made, failure does not impede a career, as long as lessons are learned from it.
Hastings and Mayer believe the suspension of these rules is vital to keeping talent density and inspiring Netflix staff.. Netflix has good results that it uses to demonstrate the effectiveness of its personnel policies.
There is acknowledgement that this style will not work in all environments, particularly those where rules are needed for safety.
There is a lot of food for thought. I wonder how this will play out when the day (eventually) comes when Netflix is a mature company in a static or declining sector.
The critical element is what they call “talent density”. To have top talent Netflix pays top dollar. Average or acceptable performance will yield a thank you and generous severance package. The company doesn’t put up with “jerks” even if they are talented.
The talent is trusted to take time off (i.e. no vacation policy) as desired but corporate goals must be met. Business trips don't need approval since trust will mean that the time and money is well used. There is a strong vetting system for innovation, but the person responsible for the outcome is the one who green lights it and sets the budget.
There are no annual goals and objectives… they are confining. The annual review is replaced by a feedback session, involving more than the boss. Given the feed back system, before and after decisions are made, failure does not impede a career, as long as lessons are learned from it.
Hastings and Mayer believe the suspension of these rules is vital to keeping talent density and inspiring Netflix staff.. Netflix has good results that it uses to demonstrate the effectiveness of its personnel policies.
There is acknowledgement that this style will not work in all environments, particularly those where rules are needed for safety.
There is a lot of food for thought. I wonder how this will play out when the day (eventually) comes when Netflix is a mature company in a static or declining sector.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,435 reviews