Netflix recently released a "Reference Guide" titled "Culture" on Slideshare, giving everyone a chance to peek "behind the curtain" at the values the innovative company expects from its employees. There are some real nuggets in the presentation.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The "Keeper Test" for managers:

Which of my people, if they told me they were leaving in two months for a similar job at a peer company, whould I fight hard to keep..."

The irrelevance of "hard" work:

It is about effectiveness -- not effort -- even though effectiveness is harder to asses than effort.  We don't measure people by how many evenings or weekends they are in their cube.  We do try to measure peole by how much, how quickly and how well they get work done -- especially under deadline.

The refusal to tolerate "Brilliant Jerks" in the workplace:

For us, the cost to teamwork is too high.

The preference of "Rapid Recovery" from vs. Preventing error:

You may have heard preventing error is cheaper than fixing it ... not so in creative environments.

The entire policy for expensing, entertainment, gifts and travel:

Act in Netflix's Best Interests.

Please read the whole thing, and while you do, imagine how a law firm would thrive (or fail) if it adopted a similar culture as Netflix's.

Thanks to the Emerging Leadership Circle blog for the pointer to the presentation!