Performance Assessment Series - Volume II - Issue IX - III

Posted on
September 4, 2020
by
David Simpson

Corporate Sabotage

A now de-classified 32-page document that is on the CIA website makes for an interesting read.  The text, published in 1944, was a World War II field manual that instructed employees on how to sabotage an enemy business enterprise from the inside.  The following are a few of the ideas put forth from that handbook published 76 years ago.

·       Insist on doing everything through channels and never allow short-cuts

·       When possible, refer time-sensitive matters to committees for further study.  Ensure the committee has at least five members

·       Constantly advocate caution on all decisions

·       Re-open and rehash decisions that have already been previously decided upon

·       Haggle over precise wording of communications and resolutions

·       Refer to irrelevant issues as frequently as possible

·       Whenever possible, challenge who possesses decision-making authority in any group meeting

·       Never pass on your skills or capabilities to a new team member

·       See that 3 people must approve everything where one would do

·       Blame your poor work on machinery, tools or lack of resources

·       Put heavy emphasis on assigning unimportant work to subordinates

·       Promote incompetents

I think everyone gets the idea that many of these items may very well relate directly to some business environments in today’s world!  

Posted on
September 4, 2020
in the
Performance Assessment Series
category
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