Today I read The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams. My blogging id is Cubicile Blues and my favorite cartoon strip is Dilbert. Just like any other cubicle dweller I can identify with Dilbert because the central premise of Dilbert is that don’t go looking around for logic in management decisions because you can’t find logic in absurdity.
The Dilbert Principle not only reiterates this point but takes it to the next level. It explains why business is absurd. According to The Dilbert Principle business is absurd because people are idiots and that includes me, you, management and Scott Adams.
The book is combination of a management book and cartoon strip. It not only successfully explains arcane management concepts such as Business Communication, ISO 9000 and Performance Reviews, but also provides some solid advice on how to pretend being the most busy employee. Remember work is for idiots who think office has been created for work. An ideal employee knows office has been created for his career enhancement.
Mandatory criticism
No book review is complete if you only praise the book. A book review without – This book could have been better if……… is like my last performance review. I was told during my last performance review – We are impressed by your performance but we can’t offer you an increment.
I think the book has got too many cartoons. In fact few pages consist solely of cartoons. While reading it sometimes you think you are reading a black and white comic. It gives the book a very childish feel and it won’t be successful with adult audiences. Moreover, children prefer color cartoons and hence the book doesn’t have much market potential. Another shortcoming of the book is that it is environmental unfriendly. The font is too big. Several trees would have been saved if the book had been printed with a smaller font size.
Don’t be surprised at my criticism. I am trying to act like a manager while reviewing a book dealing with business. People are idiots but management is clueless too.
To sum up
The Dilbert Principle is not in the same league as Peter Drucker but it is a classic in its own right. 5 out 5 stars to the book because it explains why frustration is a universal trait shared by all employees.
