I just finished my first reading of Taleb’s Antifragile and started listening to All Quiet on the Western Front. (I haven’t read it since middle school.) I noticed a principle from Antifragile in Remarque’s historical fiction of The Great War. Advice From a Position of Trust The main group of young men were inspired by their school… Continue reading Beware Advice That Costs Them Nothing
Category: executive
Innovation is Saying “No” to 1000 Things
People think focus means saying “yes” to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying “no” to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done.… Continue reading Innovation is Saying “No” to 1000 Things
Theory and Practice
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice; in practice there is. — Author Unknown Attributed to Yogi Berra in Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile – Things that Gain From Disorder (2012), p. 213. Disputed in WikiQuote.
Are You Being Wooed?
An interesting and short article went over the predictable labor shortage caused by the difference between the sizes of the Baby Boomer and Gen X population groups. It talked about Employment Branding.
The technical term is “Employment Branding,” and it’s how companies woo top talent. They showcase their company culture, values, benefits, perks, executive team, staff members, business mission, and anything else that will make a great candidate want to work for them instead of their competitor.
… Google, Zappos, Amazon, and Facebook aren’t the only hot employers on our planet. They’re just the ones that embraced Employment Branding when others didn’t. But soon, we’ll be seeing companies of all shapes and sizes strutting their stuff in hopes of catching our eyes. It’s going to be a great year!
Has this been true for you? I know I talk up our unique workplace — especially for top candidates. How prominently has “Employment Branding” featured in your recent job interviews?
An Irritable Programmer Calls 911
Operator: Please state the nature of your emergency. Programmer: I need immediate assistance. Operator: Are you injured? Programmer: Look lady, I don’t want to turn this into a status meeting. Status is Not Stupid I’ve noticed people saying the word “status” with scorn: “Now, instead of getting work done we’re just reporting on status.” In fact, I’ve heard… Continue reading An Irritable Programmer Calls 911
Embrace The Right Stress
An excellent article in a recent Wall Street Journal lays out a better way to deal with performance anxiety. Though most of us (91%) think of calming down as the proper response to stage jitters the proven better alternative is to welcome the anxiety as a performance enhancer.
In other words, it’s better to tell yourself, “I am excited,” than to give the aspirational lie, “I am calm.”
Not only does your audience rate you better, and your performance on objective criteria rises, but you will find the event less taxing.
According to the article this simple trick of stress-mindset may even be effective at avoiding burnout.
The article doesn’t mention this, but it seems wise to see that there is a difference between the stress that accompanies a moment of high-performance, and the chronic stress of worry.
I’m sure you should still find times in the day and week to unplug and seek a lower level of energy. But in the moment when performance is necessary it is clearly better to be truthful about your emotions, accept them, and have faith that they will elevate your performance.
Quotpourri: Listening, Safety, and Leadership
From an SSCA Newsletter (and the linked to Desktop Coach article). Active Listening Listen with the absence of thought. Listen without a filter. Listen without inserting your own viewpoints, paradigm, personal experiences, or belief systems. Listen without feeling the need to provide an answer. Build a Circle of Safety [The] best organizations foster trust and cooperation because… Continue reading Quotpourri: Listening, Safety, and Leadership
Hug Your Kids and Smell Their Hair
This article on Burnout comes thanks to Grant Skousen (@gskousen) who sent it to me in reply to the article I linked to on Tuesday.
I’m pretty sure I was burning out some-time in 2013. A lot of what the article says resonates with me. The top two are
1 – “Make time for numero uno”
It’s kinda silly so I don’t like to tell a lot of people, but I often listen to fiction on my commute. Especially Epic Fantasy like The Wheel of Time or Words of Radiance.
I blush to add that I’m now branching into vampire novels. It’s not great writing, but that’s not the point: SOMETIMES MY BRAIN NEEDS A TWINKIE.
When I was a developer I always listened to 2 to 4 technical and management podcasts on my commute every day. (Thank goodness for 3x playback.) It made me feel so productive. I loved what I was learning.
The bloom started to wilt a few months after becoming a manager. I would get this rising level of anxiety that said, “These ideas are awesome! I have to do them all RIGHT NOW!“
Since I’ve added fiction to my rotation I’ve found I get to work energized and come home ready to adore my kids.
I still listen to business and technical books and podcasts from time to time, but I keep a close watch on how they affect my state of mind. Maybe it sounds silly, but it works for me.
2 – “Have a process”
This was something I didn’t need as much as a developer, but is CRITICAL as a manager.
I thought life was bad as a dev. In management it got worse.
I have way more “bosses” now than I ever had as a dev. I have far more conflicting “number one priorities.”
Having a process for ingesting, digesting, and executing on input has become more and more crucial for me.
A Bow Always Strung Loses Its Spring
It’s great to be driven. But if you aren’t careful you’ll loose it all.
Practice mindfulness. Smell those roses. If you have kids then smell their hair when you hug them (my favorite smell in the world).
You’ve got to respect all those clichés or they will gang up and get you, eventually.
Spot a Poorly Fitting Job
I recommend this quick read: 5 Signs it’s Time to Quit Your Job
Not a bad list. The quick version is to worry over
- a no-win environment
- no desire to think about work
- feeling unsafe to express yourself
- frequent Sunday night blues
- no more laughing at work
As Sallie Krawcheck mentions, your signs could be different.
As a manager, you might want to keep these warning signs in mind when running one-on-ones with your employees. You could ask questions to try and uncover burn-out or dissatisfaction early. For example, you might ask
- What is standing in the way of greater success for you?
- What are you passionate about? Does your passion find a voice at work?
- Do you feel safe taking risks and speaking out at work? We may not always agree, but I always want dialog to be open.
- What parts of your job do you look forward to?
- When was the last time work was particularly fun or rewarding for you?
As a manager, I hope I can talk about these things with my directs.
No worries. Just talk. I want my directs to be happy. Life’s too short to hate your job.
I Can’t Accept Every Meeting
Some time last year I realized that if I scheduled every meeting I’m “supposed to” schedule, and accepted the standard meetings others are “supposed to” schedule it would add up to more than 40 hours in meetings every week. Up to this point I had been scheduling, accepting, and rejecting meetings in a one-off way.… Continue reading I Can’t Accept Every Meeting