The "Org Board": Hubbard's Plan for Improving on "80 Trillion Years" of Management

Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1990
by Joel Sappell and Robert W. Welkos

About the Series The Making of L. Ron Hubbard Chapter 1: The Mind Behind the Religion Chapter 2: Creating the Mystique Chapter 3: Life with L. Ron Hubbard Chapter 4: The Final Days Defining the Theology Burglaries and Lies Paved a Path to Prison The Man in Control Staking a Claim to Blood Brotherhood Church Scriptures Get High-Tech Protection The Selling of a Church Church Markets Its Gospel with High-Pressure Sales Shoring Up Its Religious Profile The Courting of Celebrities Inside the Church Defectors Recount Lives of Hard Work, Punishment

Reaching into Society Church Seeks Influence in Schools, Business, Science Courting the Power Brokers The Org Board Foundation Funds Provide Assist to Celebrated Teacher Escalante The Making of a Best-selling Author Costly Strategy Continues to Turn Out Bestsellers Attack the Attacker On the Offensive Against an Array of Suspected Foes Suits, Protests Fuel a Campaign Against Psychiatry A Lawyer Learns What It's Like to Fight the Church The Battle with the I.R.S. The Battle with the "Squirrels"


A key element of the management techniques Scientologists sell to businessmen is L. Ron Hubbard's "organizational board."

Used also by the Church of Scientology, the "Org Board" divides an organization into seven divisions -- executive, personnel, sales, finance, training, marketing and qualifications. Each division's duties are spelled out, along with the basis for evaluating employee performance.

In describing the Org Board's virtues, Scientology consultants omit Hubbard's colorful account of its origins -- an account reminiscent of one of his science fiction tales.

During a 1965 lecture to Scientologists in England, Hubbard said his board is a refined version of one that was used for "80 trillion years" by an "old galactic civilization."

Hubbard said the civilization died (he did not say when) because its organizational board lacked one division that he incorporated into his modern-day version.

Declared Hubbard: "We don't want these temporary fly-by-night affairs!"