Tony Hsieh doesn’t want to be CEO of Zappos anymore. Okay, that’s not quite true. In reality, he doesn’t want the title “CEO.”

In a move that some outlets are already touting as the hot, new management trend of 2014, Hsieh will flatten his organization and implement a Holacracy.

Hola what? Yeah, a Holacracy (it’s capitalized because it’s a brand, folks), which is “a distributed authority system—a set of ‘rules of the game’ that bake empowerment into the core of the organization,” as defined by HolacracyOnce LLC. “Unlike conventional top-down or progressive bottom-up approaches, it integrates the benefits of both without relying on parental heroic leaders. Everyone becomes a leader of their roles and a follower of others’, processing tensions with real authority and real responsibility, through dynamic governance and transparent operations.”

For Zappos, about 10 percent of the company currently operates under a Holacracy. By the end of year, all 1,500 employees will operate under the system.

However, Alison Griswold, a reporter for Business Insider, says it won’t work. She says that the fundamental issue is that people don’t self-regulate or discipline themselves that well. Another reason is attrition.

“Companies bled talent as successful managers jumped ship instead of losing their titles,” she wrote. “At the same time, poor and mediocre managers that the companies hoped to effectively demote continued to be seen as de facto leaders.”

Over on Medium.com, Alexis Bowers with HolacracyOne addresses some of the common myths surrounding the operating system.

“Holacracy specifies how to decide, not what to decide,” Bowers wrote. “There are principles an organization can align with when designing systems like compensation that will align well with Holacracy, but there’s no one prescribed answer.”

And it’s not a cure-all, either.

“It is simply a technology that specifies how an organization can build its bones and structure itself,” Bowers wrote. “It probably doesn’t do all of the magical things that folks think it will do, but it can be pretty transformative. Holacracy will not make unicorns pop out of cupcakes, but if practiced regularly, there is increased transparency, efficiency, and more distribution of power and authority.”

Back up there. It won’t make unicorns pop out of cupcakes? Well, then, maybe it’s not for me. Maybe it’s for you, though. How would you imagine your organization operating under a Holacracy? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

(Image from the HolacracyOne Facebook page)

Here are the answers to the crossword puzzle featured in the October/November issue of Facility Manager magazine. As a reminder, any IAVM member that sends in a photo/scan of completed puzzles from the next issue will be entered into a drawing for a complimentary registration to VenueConnect 2014 in Portland, Oregon! (Submissions must be received by the deadline printed with each puzzle.)

When you’re a Certified Facilities Executive (CFE), it shows that you’re a skilled manager, that you’re committed to the industry, and that you’ve pledged to continue your professional growth and development.  You’re also recognized as an expert in your profession by those inside and outside of the industry.

“I love what I do and obtaining my CFE is not the end, it is only the beginning,” said Cat Dragon, CFE, in our February/March 2013 issue. “It has opened doors for me to provide greater service for the good of the whole.”

It also provided Dragon with something else.

“Credibility…with my colleagues and students, with clients, with potential employers for my students,” she said. “The certification are not given out lightly; they are earned. The certification fosters a stronger spirit of professionalism and shows your commitment to the education value within our field.”

Now’s the time to join that group of your peers who have reached the pinnacle of achievement with IAVM by becoming Certified Facilities Executives. With the holidays and end-of-the-year activities now behind you, accept the challenge to make 2014 the year you earn your CFE.

Applications and written essays are due no later than Feb. 1, 2014.  Apply today!

There was a lot of industry news this past week you may have missed. Here are some headlines that caught our eyes.

Hey, Stars, Be Nice to the Stagehands. You Might Need a Loan.
—The New York Times
“The stagehands of Local 1 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees bring some of New York City’s most glittering stage effects to life, from the auditoriums of Lincoln Center to the theaters of Broadway. But their work comes at a steep price, even at venues where they do little more than load in orchestras and set up music stands.”

Super Bowl Security Takes Shape
—ESPN New York
“…the NFL will begin construction of a double chain link and jersey barricade fence nearly 4 miles long. Ultimately, it will encircle MetLife Stadium and a 300-foot buffer in all directions, as well as the Izod Center and the power station that feeds them both, and the fence will serve as the security perimeter for the nation’s biggest game, the Super Bowl on Feb. 2.”

6 Fundamentals That Can Make You a Better Manager in 2014
—Forbes
“…when it comes to operational effectiveness, chances are that will be determined by how well you execute fundamentals day in and day out.”

Sochi Watch: Everything You Need to Know about Russia’s Massive Olympic Security Operation
—Foreign Policy
“Just five weeks before the 2014 Winter Olympics kick off in Sochi, two bombings in the Russian city of Volgograd have highlighted security concerns in the volatile region, and drawn attention to the massive security apparatus emerging around the Olympic games.”

Saving the Lost Art of Conversation
—The Atlantic
“‘I am going to be a little boring,’ Sherry Turkle announces as we sit down to tea in the living room of her sprawling Boston townhouse. ‘And you’re going to be a little boring, too.'”

(Image: Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times)

There were only two regular season TV blackouts in the NFL this season. That’s a great stat and one the league and stadiums should be proud of. None of that matters, though, now that the playoffs are starting and the threat of blackouts for 75 percent of the games are a possibility.

If you live in Cincinnati, Green Bay, and Indianapolis, the chance for you to cheer on your team from your sofa may not happen. As of this writing, both Green Bay and Indianapolis have about 5,500 tickets left to sale, while Cincinnati has around 8,000 tickets.

And Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio doesn’t like the idea of you missing a game.

“Sports fans make significant financial investments in their home teams through local, county, and other taxes and should not be denied access to a local game because they cannot afford tickets,” he wrote in a letter to Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. “The current blackout policy does not serve taxpayers, sports fans, or networks.”

The NFL feels differently.

“We are on pace for a historic low number of blackouts since the policy was implemented 40 years ago,” Brian McCarthy, a vice president at the NFL, told CNN. “While affecting very few games the past decade, the blackout rule is very important in supporting NFL stadiums and the ability of NFL clubs to sell tickets and keeping our games attractive as television programming with large crowds.”

Brown’s and McCarthy’s comments raise some good questions, and we would love to know how you feel about TV blackouts. Of course we support venue managers and their goal of creating a great live experience. But are TV blackouts still helping to meet that goal? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Update: Indianapolis has until 4:30 p.m. today to sell 3,000 tickets, and Cincinnati has until 4 p.m. to sell 3,500 tickets. Green Bay also has until 4 p.m. today to sell 3,000 tickets.

(photo credit: Old Fogey 1942 via photopin cc)