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Quote by Max Barry

“It is a building designed by committee: all they have been able to agree on is that it should be rectangular, have windows, and not fall over.”

Quote by Max Barry

Book:Company

Work

Company

Company is a satirical novel that delves into the mundane yet absurd realities of corporate life. The story follows a group of office workers as they navigate the bureaucratic maze of a nameless company, highlighting the often ridiculous policies, power struggles, and interpersonal dynamics that define the modern workplace. Through sharp wit and keen observation, the book examines themes of identity, conformity, and the search for meaning within a system that prioritizes efficiency over humanity. more

Author

Max Barry
Max Barry

Max Barry, born on March 18, 1973, is an Australian author known for his unique perspective and humorous style. His works primarily focus on science fiction, fantasy, and realism. more

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“There is a whole school of thought that holds bureaucracy tends to expand according to a kind of perverse but inescapable inner logic. The argument runs as follows: if you create a bureaucratic structure to deal with some problem, that structure will invariably end up creating other problems that seem as if they, too, can only be solved by bureaucratic means. In universities, this is sometimes informally referred to as the "creating committees to deal with the problem of too many committees" problem.”

“When choosing committees, look for opportunities that will help you level up as opposed to volunteering for the sake of volunteering. Ultimately, what I am involved in today either fulfills me personally, or it fulfills a strategic objective. Try everything once and then whittle down your list by evaluating afterwards with these questions: - Did I meet the people I wanted to meet? - Did it help me meet people who have influence? - Will it bring me visibility? - Will it get me decision-making power or a seat at a table I wouldn't normally get a seat at? - Is it worth attending again? It wasn't long after I started prioritizing networking that people began to notice that i was looped in. When people came to me with their work issues, I either had the answers to their questions, or I knew exactly where to send them. Since I had networked across all levels within my company, I was in a unique position to be helpful up and down the org chart.”

“Today...major actors and actresses develop their own projects or, at the very least, cherry-pick their roles carefully to suit not only their tastes but also whatever image they have cultivated to present to their public. Most major stars have their own production companies through which such projects are developed and even financed. While the biggest male stars of that time did in fact have their own production companies--Jimmy Stewart, Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, and Burt Lancaster, to name a few--and thus exerted creative and financial control over their careers, that was not the case with female stars. But Marilyn Monroe was about to change that.”