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DOV SEIDMAN

Dov Seidman is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of LRN. Leading companies such as Disney, Dow Chemical, eBay, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Raytheon, and 3M turn to LRN to help management govern more effectively and workers do the right things the right way, even in the most challenging of situations. Dov is a Harvard Law School graduate who also earned a bachelor's and master's degree in philosophy from UCLA, and a BA with honors in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University.

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Self-Governance

Even the Boss Has Stupid Rules

Don’t let Grandma talk to the press.

The rank-and-file aren’t the only ones affected by stupid rules.

According to Business Week (Feb. 25, 2008), the new employment contract between investment firm Lazard and Bruce Wasserstein, its CEO, has one of the most far-reaching non-disparagement agreements in recent memory.

Not only must the CEO not talk badly about the company, but he must also “instruct his spouse, domestic partner, parents, and any of their lineal descendants” to hold their tongues as well.

The enforcement of such a rule would be difficult, at best, but practical considerations aren’t the real issue here. At the end of the day, successful business relationships are built on trust. No rules can take the place of shared values and mutual respect.

Last 5 posts by Dov Seidman
• The Certainty Gap - June 26th, 2008
• Of Doughnuts, Aristotle and Children... - May 28th, 2008
• Southwest Flies Into Crisis - April 3rd, 2008
• What's Next? - February 27th, 2008
• The State of K-12 Education - February 8th, 2008