Innovation Through Living Our Values at Energeticos-Colombia

Abstract

This chapter is based on the experiences of a Colombian engineering company from 2003 through to 2013. The company was a local engineering office of an international oil services company based in Scotland but also with substantial offices in US and around the world. In 2003, the company was making a loss and in 2004 had to reduce down to 60 people. It had a traditional “command & control” approach to management. Over a period of seven years we developed a unique culture/working model which focused on allowing employees to contribute and participate in the running of the company and removed all bureaucratic barriers that restricted its employees from working effectively. The company grew to over 1200 in 2013. The chapter explains the success of removing organization charts, eliminating policies and procedures, eliminating working hours, and allowing employees to recruit new staff, manage their own holidays, and set their own salaries, which produced a fully motivated culture and successful company.