3 ms·

I know one company where semi-formal ultra competitive asshole culture worked. It worked because it was only applied at senior level (80% marketing and sales)

I know one company where semi-formal ultra competitive asshole culture worked. It worked because it was only applied at senior level (80% marketing and sales) and there was extremely strict policy for not behaving like that for outsiders or underlings. Boss giving temper tantrum or bullying his workers resulted creative and humiliating punishments. Employees who were not part of luscious bonus program knew they were safe. My theory is that forcing people to change behavior in different context was easy way to differentiate between people who enjoy aggression and job insecurity from people who are assholes 24/7. Obvious downside was very self selective almost exclusively male club that had to exclude talent that could not adjust. But those who liked it had incredible job satisfaction and earned lots of money.

venomsnake 10y ago
Not sure why do you classify "preserving a corporate culture that works fine" as downside. It surely looks like a great place to work.
tomp 10y ago
> Obvious downside was very self selective almost exclusively male club that had to exclude talent that could not adjust Why is that a downside? I mean, you say that they were very successful... Maybe the people they excluded wouldn't be as successful?
- TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
  For that particular circular definition of "successful." If you follow the naive but socially sanctioned view that making money = success, or "getting what you want from life" = success, then hedge funds can look like very successful places. If you have a more independent view - the kind of view that someone like Dalio, for all his alleged openness, is likely incapable of understanding - then hedge funds aren't going to be the right place for you.