Here’s a book summary on the changing nature of the employer-employee relationship. It suggests a different way of thinking about this relationship – make it an Alliance.

1. The Alliance
Reid Hoffman, Founder and Chairman Linked In

2. This is a book about the employer
–employee relationship. The
author suggests that the
relationship should be one of
‘allies’.

3. The employer-employee
relationship today is based on a
dishonest conversation

4. The old model of life time
employment for loyalty was
relevant in an era of stability

5. Trust in a business and trust in
senior management is at an all
time low.

6. The business world needs a new
framework that builds mutual
trust, mutual investment and
mutual benefit between employer
and employee

7. Employment now is an alliance-
with mutual benefits and explicit
terms.

8. Employees need to tell their
bosses- help me grow and flourish
and I will help the company grow.

9. Organizations are like professional
sports teams. The members come
together to accomplish something
significant.

10. Teams win when individual
members trust each other to
prioritize team success ahead of
individual glory.

11. Paradoxically, winning as a team is
the best way for the team
members to achieve individual
success.

12. Each employee must have a tour
of duty, borrowed from the
military which is a specific
assignment for a specific time
with specific results. Doing one
tour of duty right entitles you to
the next one.

13. Acknowledging that an employee
might leave a company is the best
way of building trust. This enables
great people to stay.

14. If you hire good people, then it is
the role of the employer to create
an environment where people
decide to stay and invest their
time.

15. Most managers spend their time
‘managing their people’ as
opposed to having a set of honest
conversations and defining
expectations.

16. ‘Alignment’ today is to seek
commonality between the
company’s purpose and the
employees career purpose and
values.

17. Having honest conversations
• Define values in a group
• Define personal values one on one
• Build trust by opening up
• Be sensitive to power imbalances
• Choose metrics that are leading indicators

18. In the old economy, success meant
keeping your manager happy. This
forced both to look inward.
Inward focus over time becomes a
self defeating exercise.

19. Growing their professional
networks helps employees
transform their careers. Employers
should encourage this.

20. There are more smart people
outside your company versus
within your company. Hence, it is
always important to talk to the
eco system.

21. Managers tend to be inward
looking. Despite the benefit of an
outward focus, managers tend to
focus inward on resources they
personally control. That is a weak
manager

22. Employees who are thought
leaders outside the company
improve the company’s brand and
image.

23. Build an effective alumni network,
this will help company image and
also be a key source for recruiting
good people.