Quotes from Ricardo Semler

I once worked it out - after $12 million, all millionaires are the same. That's because we're all humans, confined to human scale. How many homes can you live in? How many meals can you eat? You can have a living room the size of a cathedral, but you won't live in it. It's too big.

No-one works for money alone and tapping into what people want from their careers and what they have to offer is essential.

In life, we do not give employees enough leeway. If you look around Semco's office, there are plenty of empty desks. The question is - where are these people? I do not have the slightest idea, but I am not interested.

People are too keen to follow standard preconceptions of how organisations should work. All too often, we feel that we are unable to make changes and so hope that someone, somewhere in your organisation knows what we are doing and what the overall aim is.

There is no contest between the company that buys the grudging compliance of its work force and the company that enjoys the enterprising participation of its employees

The purpose of work is not to make money. The purpose of work is to make the workers, whether working stiffs or top executives, feel good about life.

I believe no one can afford, endure or can stomach leaving half a life in the parking lot when she or he goes to work. It's a lousy way to live and a lousy way to work.

The key to getting work done on time is to stop wearing a watch.

The best way to invest corporate profits is to give them to the employees.

People are responsible adults at home. Why do we suddenly transform them into adolescents with no freedom when they reach the workplace?

Bill Gore from Goretex was a very strong influence because he was one of the first larger companies to experiment with freedom in the workplace.