the+starfish+and+the+spider+by+forrest+sherman
TRANSCRIPT
The Starfish and the Spider:The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
Starfish and Spiders?
Spiders Hierarchical Clear leaders Departments Titles Communication is
difficult
Starfish Horizontal Structure Everyone has equal
say Can operate
sporadically Direct communication
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Ryuthela.secundaria.female.-.takinawa.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Starfish.jpg
For Example…
http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/25966-hi-napster.jpg?tag=mantle_skin;content
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/Edonkey2000_logo.gif
http://www.hostsaint.com/webhosting/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=57
http://dnn.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/borderlands/25/Images/AA%20Logo.jpg
http://images.gizmag.com/hero/skype.jpghttp://clovisexperts.com/files/2009/09/craigslistLogo.gif
http://www.bittorrent.com/
http://www.textually.org/ringtonia/archives/2010/06/05/limewire-logo.jpeg
http://blog.toggle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/emule_logo1.jpg
http://www.blogsdna.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/kazaa-logo.gif
And to a Lesser Extent…
http://www.supermopi.com/joomla/images/stories/mopi_photos/amazon.jpg
http://blogs.ft.com/fttechhub/files/2010/01/ebay-logo.jpghttp://www.fredberinger.com/images/google_logo.jpg
Examples of Starfish
The following examples are explicitly stated in the book
Skype Craigslist Apache (web software, and Native
Americans) Wikipedia
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Blue_starfish_in_Papua_New_Guinea.jpg
How is Skype a Starfish?
Free program
Enabled to talk to others using the program
Distributed computing power using p2p
http://www.chipchick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/hoaxcall.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_U4mS133rdMA/S-FIZYH3X4I/AAAAAAAAAQI/o2zQQM6NcAg/s400/angry-on-the-phone.gif
What about Craigslist?
Direct interaction between users
Craigslist is only a platform to use
No history between users, just come and go
Originally just an idea between Craig and friendshttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Handshake_%28Workshop_Cologne_%2706%29.jpeg
Apache (web software)
Engineers were unhappy with being ignored
Contributors developed code and patches
These were implemented based on which ones worked the best
No formal direction
http://haacked.com/Images/haacked_com/WindowsLiveWriter/twitter-maintenance.gif
Apache (Native Americans)
Spiritual leaders called Nan’tans
Based on previous reputation
Nobody was obligated to follow
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Apache_portraits.jpg
Alcoholics Anonymous Formed from a previous church
program using 6 steps
Formation of the circle group aided cohesion
Added and expanded to other situations
http://www.aa.org/pics_site/noflash_people.gif
P2P Technologies
Based on sharing Everyone contributes Adds to the value of the network
with new members Always under development
http://openp2p.com/pub/a/p2p/2001/11/08/wed_photos2.html
http://www.wikinoticia.com/images/alt1040/cdn.alt1040.com.files.2010.11.online-video-p2p.jpg
Wikipedia
The famous and well-known Wikipedia
Anyone can contribute Can be applied to almost anything
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Wikipedia_Michelangelo.JPG
Major Principles
First: When attacked, a decentralized organization tends to become even more open and decentralized
Second: It’s easy to mistake starfish for spiders
Third: An open system doesn’t have central intelligence; the intelligence is spread throughout the system
Principles (cont.)
Fourth: Open systems can easily mutate
Fifth: The decentralized organization sneaks up on you
Sixth: As industries become decentralized, overall profits decrease
Seventh: When attacked, centralized organizations tend to become even more centralized
Ingredients
Circles The Catalyst Ideology The Preexisting
Network The Champion
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Baking.jpg
Catalysts
Most important part of the Starfish
Germinate the idea and help to spread it until it can grow on its own
Very separate from a CEO
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/c2005/purves6/figure06-14.jpg
What are Ways to Defeat the Starfish?
Change the ideology
Make them more centralized
Decentralize yourself
Are Starfish Organizations Better? There’s give and take
Decrease in profits
Give up direction
Gain valuable information
Able to respond quicker
Hybrid Organizations
Centralized company that decentralizes
customer experience
Google Amazon eBay
Centralized company that decentralizes internal parts of
the business
Jack Welch and GE
How Can We Find a Balance?
Story of Toyota and GM
Mixing and mingling employees
This balance may change over time
Rules to Keep in Mind for the New Age
1. Diseconomies of Scale
2. The Network Effect
3. The Power of Chaos
4. Knowledge at the Edge
5. Everyone Wants to Contribute
http://nummynims.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/starfishpile.jpg?w=500&h=333
Rules (cont.)
6. Beware the Hydra Response
7. Catalysts Rule
8. Values ARE the Organization
9. Measure, Monitor, Manage
10.Flatten or be Flattened
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2009/11/spiders_4b.jpg
Personal Thoughts on the Book
Disappointed there was no mention of Bittorrent, Freenet, Tor, or Linux
http://1stblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/freenetproject.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Tor_logo0.png
http://www.welove-music.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/torrent.jpg