Freedom to Make Decisions is the Key to Joy at Work The World Bank recently conducted a study of 70,000 poor people around the world. One of the questions asked of respondents was this: “What is your most pressing need?” The answer was not social services or homes or other material things. What these people wanted most was the freedom and wherewithal to be entrepreneurs. This was not surprising to me. People I have met—regardless of class, income, nationality, and education level—want a chance to make the most of their abilities to meet the needs of their families while doing something useful for society. Joy at work starts with individual initiative and individual control. Individuals, not a bureaucracy, make the decisions and hold themselves accountable. The process is bottom up, but it is not a loosey-goosey, anything-goes affair. It involves creativity, careful analysis, meticulous planning, and disciplined execution (see chapter 4 on the advice process). The goal is to design a workplace where the maximum number of individuals have an opportunity to make important decisions, undertake actions of importance to the success of the organization, and assume responsibility for the results. Why is it fun and rewarding to play in a game or work in an organization in which you are given a measure of control and responsibility? The answer lies in the nature of human beings. We are uniquely created with the ability to reason and to develop talents and skills; we are able to apply these gifts when making decisions; and we feel it is natural and appropriate to be held accountable for the actions we take. When all of these factors come into play at the same time, we feel something approaching pure joy. Dennis Bakke www.DennisBakke.com p.s. e-mail your questions and comments to askdennis@dennisbakke.com
"Dennis Bakke's book is a 'coaching manual' on how to make fun and success synonymous in the workplace."
--Mike Holmgren, coach of the Seattle Seahawks
Executive Summary> Read the synopsis of Joy at Work online for an overview of the key concepts. Executive Summary
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HBR Article: "The Great Intimidators" > In a recent HBR article, Roderick Kramer argues that fear and coercion are useful to motivate employees. Read The Boston Globe's coverage of the article Since leading with intimidation is not consistent with the Joy at Work approach, we have asked Dennis Bakke to respond. Even if it seems “to work”, this is not the way to control or force change. The goal is not really to force people to change like you would develop a new machine or process to do the work required. The goal is to create an environment where people can recognize changing environments and the need to change themselves. However, there are times such as a war or an emergency, when there is no time for the advice process and our humanness as workers needs to be suspended (see my chapter on emergencies). Instead of leading with fear, the better approach for a leader is to treat people as human beings who are creative, trustworthy, capable of making good decisions, and willing to hold themselves accountable. Drive out fear instead of of using fear to coward people into limited performance roles. -- D.W.B Search Joy at Work with Google Book Search> Want to tell a friend or colleague about Joy at Work? Direct them to Google Book Search where they can search the entire book online.
 1. When given the opportunity to use our ability to reason, make decisions, and take responsibility for our actions, we experience joy at work. 2. The purpose of business is not to maximize profits for shareholders but to steward our resources to serve the world in an economically sustainable way. 3. Attempt to create the most fun workplace in the history of the world. 4. Eliminate management, organization charts, job descriptions, and hourly wages. 5. Fairness means treating everybody differently. 6. Principles and values must guide all decisions. 7. Put other stakeholders (shareholders, customers, suppliers, etc.) equal to or above yourself. 8. Everyone must get advice before making a decision. If you don’t seek advice, “you’re fired.” 9. A “good” decision should make all the stakeholders unhappy because no individual or group got all they wanted. 10. Lead with passion, humility, and love.
Dennis Bakke breaks down #1: Joy at Work
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FREE DOWNLOAD - Water Cooler Wisdom - Rule #1 printable 8.5 x 11 pdf document
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Want to start a dialogue in your office about joy at work? Download the PDF and stick it up where it will be seen. 
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