The Starfish and the Spider:
The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom
What is a Starfish Organization?
Starfish vs Spider
Starfish Examples
Examples
-The Apache
-File Sharing Networks
-Wikipedia
-Craig's List
-Terrorist Networks
How do you know you are dealing with a starfish?
How do you Know?
- There's no one in charge
- No headquarters
- If you thump it on the head, it survives
- No clear division of roles
- No harm if you take out a unit
- Distribution of knowledge and power
- Flexible
- Self-Funded
- Can't count the participants/members
- Working groups communicate directly
Starfish Components
Starfish Qualities
The Hidden Power of the Catalyst
The Catalyst
- Genuine Interest in Others*
- Loose Connections
- Mapping
- Desire to Help
- Passion*
- Meet People where They Are
- Emotional Intelligence*
- Trust
- Inspiration
- Tolerance of Ambiguity*
- Hands-Off Approach
- Receding*
Strategies to Combat a Starfish Organization
How to Combat a Starfish
- Change Ideology
- Centralize Them (The Cow Approach)
- Decentralize Yourself (If you Can't Beat 'Em...)
Managerial Implications
Managerial Implications
-Creativity
-Autonomy
-Innovation
-Standardization
-Accountability
-Security
Healthcare Application
**How can we incorporate starfish concepts in to the following:
- Primary Care delivery
- Patient Education
- Practice Management
**Can a starfish be highly reliable?
(Reluctance to simplify, deference to expertise, sensitivity to operations, resilience, preoccupation with failure)
Healthcare Application??