Scaling a MultiMillion Dollar Business Without a Single Manager.
What if I told you it's not only possible but reasonable to build and scale a multi-million dollar business without a single manager?
This is exactly what Morning Star Tomatoes company did.
In the wake of Doug Kirkpatrick's TEDx talk on Morning Star, an organization without a single manager, I find myself tumbling down the rabbit hole of self-organization - a mind-blowing idea that principles, not managers, can drive unprecedented success challenges every notion we hold about success in business.
In 1970, Chris Rufer began Morning Star as a one-truck owner-operator company in California's Central Valley, hauling tomatoes from fields to canneries. Morning Star supplies 40 percent of national markets today with bulk tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Their industrial sales are approximately $750 million annually.
They completed this journey without a single manager and continue to run their operations this way.
Morning Star's journey defies our conventional way of thinking, showcasing the immense power of trusting people to take ownership of their work, in the same way they take ownership over the rest of their lives. The belief that everyone is a leader in their domain fosters a culture grounded in responsibility, accountability, and collaboration.
Morning Star operates on three foundational principles, offering profound insights for teams seeking clarity, autonomy, and agency:
Mindset First:
At the core of Morning Star's self-management model are two essential principles: voluntary interactions and unwavering commitment. Envision a workplace where collaboration is entirely voluntary (No one can tell another person what to do,) and commitments are considered sacred. This foundation establishes a culture built on trust and responsibility.
Goal-Driven Autonomy:
Self-management is not a free-for-all; it's a collective effort to determine what needs to be done. Aligning individual efforts with a clear team goal ensures purposeful and directed autonomy. Picture a workplace where each team member's personal mission aligns seamlessly with a shared organizational goal—this synergy becomes the driving force behind success.
The CLOU (Colleague Letter of Understanding):
Morning Star employs the Colleague Letter of Understanding (CLOU), a brilliant tool providing clarity. This concise document outlines each employee's personal mission and commitments, fostering transparency and accountability. Efficiency and collaboration flourish in a workplace where roles and expectations are crystal clear.
“Management is nothing more than a social technology to get work done. With the rise of the internet, this is arguably the best time to adopt the management models of the future. It is time to go beyond empowerment and let people manage themselves in the workplace the same way they already manage themselves in their own personal lives.”
Reflecting on this, I wonder how we can incorporate elements of self-management into our own teams and organizations. It's about empowering individuals, fostering a sense of purpose, and creating an environment where everyone's voice is not just heard but valued.
Examples like Morning Star compel us to rethink conventional business structures. How might these concepts reshape our approach to growth and collaboration?