Management, 12th Edition

2

Management Learning Past to Present

Wisdom Learning From Others

> THERE ARE MANY PATHWAYS TO GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

Facebook and Zappos were both entrepreneurial startups that made it big while following very different approaches to employee hiring and retention.¹ Is one right and the other wrong?

Facebook's founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, likes to hire “hackers” with an entrepreneurial side. He's interested in people who like to create new things quickly rather than those who want long-term employment. He compares Facebook to great collegiate sports schools where athletes go to play and excel, while also preparing for later careers in professional sports. The great “hackers,” according to Zuckerberg, don't “want to stay at one place forever.”

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh says, “We have a different approach from what Mark was talking about. We actually want our employees to stay with the company for a long time, for 10 years, maybe for their entire life.” Internal career paths are clear at Zappos, promotions are frequent, and time off for personal affairs is not a problem. Zappos invests heavily in staff training and mentoring. The key, according to Hsieh, is “constant growth” along with a strong dose of satisfaction.

The lesson here is there are many pathways to goal achievement. But which firm would you most like to join—Facebook or Zappos? What does this choice say about your career needs ...