The Dilbert Principle: A Cubicle's-Eye View of Bosses, Meetings, Management Fads & Other Workplace Afflictions

By Scott Adams

Book Overview

A New York Times Bestseller

The creator of Dilbert observes corporate America in all its glorious lunacy.

"The Dilbert Principle" is simple: In any given corporate space, the most ineffective workers will be systematically moved to the place where they can do the least amount of damage to the company's reputation, the product, or the bottom line: Management.

Scott Adams' career was spent illustrating this principle every day, lampooning the corporate world through Dilbert, his enormously popular comic strip. In Dilbert, the potato-shaped, abuse-absorbing hero of the strip, Adams gave voice to the millions of Americans buffeted by the many adversities of the workplace.

In The Dilbert Principle, he takes the next step, attacking corporate culture head-on in this lighthearted series of essays. Packed with more than 100 hilarious cartoons, these 25 chapters explore the zeitgeist of ever-changing management trends, overbearing egos, management incompetence, bottomless bureaucracies, petrifying performance reviews, three-hour-long meetings, the bewildering info superhighway, and more.

The Dilbert Principle features

Adams' trademark wit as he skewers the bizarre absurdities of everyday corporate lifeDilbert strips exclusive to the book throughoutHilarious essays on incompetent bosses, management fads, head-turning technological changes, and so much moreLaugh-out-loud hilarity

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0887307876
• ISBN13: 9780887307874
• Release Date: March 1996
• Publisher: Harper-Collins
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.5" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

So real it is scary.

This book is so real that it is scary. You can tell that Scott Adams has spent some cube time. His description of cube life is still relevant today. I have been trying to justify the Peter Principle and could not make it fit, but after reading this book, all things became clear. It is impossible to keep a straight face in meetings without seeing the different types of personalities doing their thing. I can even anticipate what they are going to say and the reactions. Usually, as in most books and movies, you recognize everyone but yourself. The most obnoxious person will laugh at his stereotype or just not get the point when it comes to movies and books. However, this book is scary in the fact that I could see myself when Scott was describing engineers. And it took a little while to realize what he was talking about, the ringing device that knows when to break your concentration. I am going to leave a copy on QA's desk. MY next must-read is "Dogbert's Top-Secret Management Handbook."

Funny

If you think you cannot lie during the interviews, you should read this book before you face one. I am sure you will be able to lie without feeling guilty :) Good Luck!

Sad & True, Dilbert embodies life of todays' office techie!

I've worked as an engineer or technician, both for big companies and small. Before Dilbert, in all but the most restrictive environments, a small office underground poked the same kind of fun at management. Some offices even have their own cartoonists. A mega-sized company in Texas had a talented, cartoon artist, who did satirical office cartoons, with great caricature likenesses. He signed his work "The Phantom", and because I think even management knew who he was, he stayed restrained enough to keep it funny, but not too insulting. One possible exception, was a cartoon that mimicked the classic road gang movie, "Cool Hand Luke". He depicted an office corridor which as management walked by each office, they would say "Still shaking that work order there, boss". It did not go over too well with management.The Dilbert Principle is loosely based on the long discussed phenomena, called the "Peter Principle". Which I always thought means the biggest "prick" rises the highest. Usually it's the most unqualified as well. In this age we pay CEO's millions in salary, and then give them massive stock options. In return, they bankrupt the company with shady accounting practices, and sometimes, outright theft. You have to wonder if the term "business ethics" is an oxymoron. It's good that most offices have people like Dilbert, and we all have artists like Scott Adams. The humor allows many of us to survive the droll, office existence day after day. The unrewarding existence, of working in a system where incompetents profit, often on our good works.Prior to Dilbert, I may have considered myself unique, or just unlucky to be employed by some of these bozo's in suit and tie. I've been through the improvement meetings, sensitivity, and those focus groups. The "one on one" carpet sessions with my boss, which accomplished nothing, except to try my patience, and then waste my time. Still, management needs to feel they do something, and if it can't make a new report to show their own boss this week, it may be time to try out the latest management fad. Adams collection of cartoons, groups these into common categories of management tactics. If you look hard enough, you may even find a cartoon, that help you avoid experiencing the same Hell in your own office. It's too bad the managers don't seem to read these books, or if they do, they don't seem to be telling.Perhaps the most important thing found in The Dilbert Principle, is that it gives some of us a better understanding of what's really going on. Unless you're fairly astute, you will occasionally find yourself buying into a lot of management disinformation. Information, that could clue you into a "downsizing", a company sale, management change, or other "issues", that may give you reason to brush up the old resume. At the very least, if gives you a chance to know what's probably going on behind the scenes, and decide how to best keep your own house.Another thing that is uncanny about Scott Adams,

This book changed my life forever

This book changed my life forever (and also Scott Adam's life, I supose, because it selled very well). I was a manager in LOJAS AMERICANAS, one of the largest retail trade companies in Brazil. There was no cublicle there, because we worked in the store's floor, but I sensed something very wrong was going on with my life. I was 28 years-old at the time and I saw consultants making hell of our lives, managers that didn't even know what was "Windows", directors trying to give inspiring speechs to absurdly low-paid employees... Someday, I bought this book. UAU ! It was everything there ! THat was the hell and ridiculous I was living, line-by-line, word-by-word ! I'm not a irresponsible man, but I was fired a little time after reading the book, and the book gave me the conscious that stopping working for that company could be the salvation of my life. And it was. Now I work almost for myself, in a dignified way, with a decent salary. Thanks, Scott.

The best guide for the corporate world

If you're going into the corporate world and want to know what to expect, or you are already there and want to "get a second opinion" about your situation, this is the book for you. Highly recommended

This Book Excels at Pointing Out Organizational Stalls

My work involves helping company leaders identify the causes of "stalled" thinking in the organization. What impresses me about this book is how many of the causes Scott Adams has identified. The man is clearly a great observer of organizations. His crusade against "stalled" thinking (especially by the leaders) also means that others with keen insights send him their observations, as well. Future historians of the American corporation would do better to start with Scott Adams than most of the organizational theory and practice business books that have been written. His humor is excellent, because he is unerring in picking the right balloon to prick. As a management consultant, I regularly reread his chapter on management consultants to be sure that I am not behaving like the ones he describes. Keep these wonderful books and comic strips coming! Be sure to post the strips where they will get the most attention. Maybe you will help someone wake up in your leadership!