managementWhat is the difference between a slave and a free man? A slave has a master. That master, a cruel and ruthless villain, is telling the slave what to do and punishing him at will. However, at the same time, the master guarantees food and a roof over the slaveās head. A slave understands this exchange of freedom for food as a fair trade, while a free man values freedom more. Thatās the difference. Thatās how it was in the Roman empire centuries ago. But isnāt that how it is now too? Arenāt we ancient slaves in our offices and in front of our monitors?
This post is partially provoked by a recently published semi-historical book How to Manage Your Slaves by Jerry Toner. However, thereās more. The entire eXtremely Distributed Software Development (XDSD) methodology is based on a primary fundamental principle that states, āEveryone gets paid for verified deliverables.ā Theyāre not paid for their time per hour, per week, or per month, but rather for verified deliverables. What is the difference and what does all this have to do with slavery? Letās see.
My point here is that any payment schedule based on time instead of results is turning us into slaves.
Here is an example. Say Iām a software developer and I need some money to pay my bills, buy a car, rent a house, and enjoy my life. I have some skills for that. I can write Java software. I find a company that needs my skills. It hires me, and we sign a contract. The contract says I have to be in the office from 9 until 5 and I have to do what my boss tells me to do. In exchange, I will get paychecks every few weeks, which will cover my expenses.
Doesnāt it look similar to what I just said above about ancient slaves? The master (a.k.a. CEO) tells me what to do and punishes me at will; in exchange, he gives me food and safety.
The problem here is not about punishment. This model of work makes me think like a slave. I think this is a fair exchangeāI give away my freedom (my time), and I get back food and safety. Iām a slave not because the master is punishing me and Iām sitting all day long in fetters. Absolutely not. A slave is not the one who was captured and imprisoned. A slave is one who thinks slavery is a fair way of management.
Letting someone tell me what to do with my time in order to get food in return is exactly what slavery is about.
What is freedom, then? How should a free man make money?
A free man sells the results of his work. A free man cleans someoneās house and bills him when the work is done. A free man drives passengers from the airport to their home and bills them when they get there. A free man creates a software module and bills the client when itās ready. A free man translates a document and bills per page. A free man cooks a cake and bills for it.
A free man sells results, not time.
Also, a free man takes care of the food and security on his or her own.
Is it more risky? Yes. Is it more stressful? Yes. But thatās what freedom is about.
This is my favorite quote from the book: āa good slave is loyal, hard-working and vigilant.ā
Think about it.
