Managing Without Power

In its heyday Google was notoriously anti-management. They stripped managers of their power where they could. Recruitment, performance evaluation and promotions are decided in groups, and compensation is largely determined by fixed rules.

Joris Merks-Benjaminsen worked at Google for twelve years, and embraced this principle of Managing Without Power: he became one of Google's highest scoring managers and trained many fellow managers.

When humaneness prevails at the expense of accountability, or if prestige or a focus on performance wins over humaneness and culture, a new balance is needed. Managing Without Power helps you build teams and organizations that combine a high bar for performance with human leadership. If you are a manager starting out, the practical models and exercises will quickly help you get started. If you work in HR, or in a senior leadership position, the book helps create principles, processes and systems that balance performance and humanity. Diversity and inclusion is always the 'default setting'. A team or organization can only perform at its highest level if all people are their best selves and work well as a team.

Joris Merks-Benjaminsen played a critical role in Googles Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives. As an independent entrepreneur he now organizes trainings and courses to coach managers in finding the right balance between humaneness and performance.

"If you’re a manager, or are looking to upskill managers in your organization, if you want to establish an inclusive culture with start-up spirit in a large organization, or you’re a fast growing scale-up eager to maintain the culture you’ve built, then look no further than Joris’s Managing Without Power."
Kim Wylie: Senior Director People Development at Farfetch.