A COMPANY OF ONE:
The Power of Independence in the Workplace

This book answers tough questions being considered by today's organizations and workers.

ORGANIZATIONS:

• How can we establish a climate in which employees willingly give more discretionary effort?
• What part can we play in creating a more realistic employee/employer relationship?
• What are the pros and cons of creating a culture of independence?
• How can we move from a culture of dependence to one of independence?

INDIVIDUALS:

• If we don't control our organizations, is it in our best interests to be dependent on them?
• Are we working for our organizations because we want to or because we have to?
• Is organizational loyalty dead?
• Are people respected in today's organization?

Why is this book important?

For the Individual:
When asking workers what would be the major benefit of being independent from the organization paying their salaries, Tom Payne found the summary answer confirming the need for independence in the workplace was "if I were truly independent, I could stop being scared." A Company of One is about not being scared. It's about hope. It's about control.

For the organization:
The challenges organizations face to remain productive during change require employees to be working because they want to not because they have to. In the current unsettled environment, people who perceive they are dependent on the organization for their economic and emotional survival are anything but open to any change which could bring about failure.

HIGHLIGHTS

"Are we working for our organizations because we want to or because we have to?"

"We are not talking about employees becoming independent so they will leave their jobs. We are talking about employees becoming independent so they can leave -- critical difference."

"Independent people are essential to maximize the potential of the organization."

"While interdependence is the ideal, for the present, striving for independence is most practical."

"Organizations benefit because independent people willingly and openly communicate their ideas."

"Organizations benefit because independent people are more motivated consistently to perform at their best."

"Organizations benefit because independent people who are not committed to the organization's mission feel able to leave and not remain to drain limited resources."

"Independent people benefit because they are more in control of their lives and experience less negative stress."

"Independent people benefit because they they are in the best position to continue doing work that is meaningful to them."

"Independent people benefit because they possess the ability to act on their own hopes and dreams, not somebody else's."

Copyright © 1993 by Tom Payne. Reprinted by permission of Performance Press.

REVIEWS

Canadian Manager
A Company of One: The Power of Independence in the Workplace is a clarion call to all who are employed by someone else to really "get" the concept that regardless of who pays our salary we all, in the end for personal and organizational benefit, must work for ourselves.

This compact book by Tom Payne is about workers taking personal control of their security and the increased organizational productivity this control will produce. It contains the pros, the cons and the "how tos" of creating a personal and organizational culture of independence, in addition to timely discussions on the "new loyalty" and today's "employment contract."

Telephone Engineer & Management
The book is easy reading and short. I imagine you can read it in about four hours. But more important, you'll likely spend more time thinking about the material than you will actually reading it. And this thinking time will be well spent.

The Art of Leadership
Tom's ability to get you thinking is really the best part of the book. And, as if he knows you are off thinking while your eyes are reading, he recaps at appropriate intervals so you don't miss anything....The recaps also facilitate quick review.