Dates covered: November 19-25, 2018 (week 47 of 52)
Business
How Managers Should Respond When Bribes Are Business as Usual (via Harvard Business Review)
Sometimes when dealing with international markets, it takes some unethical money to stay in business (e.g., making sure your goods don’t get delayed at customs). 1) Offer other legal things instead of bribes (e.g., create more jobs); 2) build in the cost of avoiding bribes into your projections; 3) identify markets you should just walk away from; 4) reconsider performance-based targets for employees in high-risk areas (i.e., likely to take a kickback to meet quotas).
How Software Is Helping Big Companies Dominate (via Harvard Business Review)
With some companies, it’s not about applying IT to the incumbents, it’s about replacing the incumbents (e.g., instead of software to help taxis/limos, we get Uber & Lyft).
Replacing the Sales Funnel with the Sales Flywheel (via Harvard Business Review)
Sales reps had more info in the 90s; around 2005 customers had about the same info, so it shifted to marketing. Now, delighted customers drive new growth. One approach to get momentum is use a stick (retract sales commissions on customers that leave) and carrot (better commissions on longer-staying customers). Reduce the friction for your customers — it’s not about a better product, it’s about a better experience. Have 80% of customer interaction be about self-service, have fewer handoffs between roles (think T-shaped instead of I-shaped)
Career
Never say these 6 things in a job interview (via The Software Mentor)
1) Talk about how bad your previous company was; 2) saying you’ll do anything; 3) use generic attributes (e.g., self-motivated, leader) with nothing to back them up; 4) saying “no I don’t know that” without offering how you’d figure it out or sharing what you do know; 5) asking what the company does; 6) saying you want a job that pays a certain amount.
Ace Your Exit Interview Using Little White Lies of Omission (via The Software Mentor)
This post posits that there is no upside to sharing truly honest feedback during exit interviews. The answer is to pretend that it was really tough to leave your current gig for the next one — the post has examples. As I tend to be in the “idealist” camp using Dietrich’s terminology, I don’t agree with his suggestion. Perhaps if you work in a really dysfunctional company, or if you really only care about what’s in it for you, I could cede some ground.
The Subtle Stressors Making Women Want to Leave Engineering (via Harvard Business Review)
“Our research shows that women engineers experience hidden stress stemming from the gendering of tasks and roles in engineering, and subsequently the ways in which female engineers perceive that their work and roles are devalued within the profession. By reflecting more on what they want out of work and embracing their complex identities, women in engineering may become more resilient in the face of stress to create long, meaningful careers.”
Communication
Better People Analytics (via Harvard Business Review)
Analytics typically involves traits (things that don’t change often — e.g., gender) and state (things that do change — e.g., tenure, age). This article describes how putting those together by analyzing peoples’ digital exhaust helps identify areas of ideation, influence, efficiency, innovation, silos, and vulnerability. This allows leaders to make evidence-based decisions that improve organizations.
Technical Writing: Documentation on Software Projects (via Pluralsight Communications for Technologists Path)
This course covers how to create documentation for various parts of a software projects — requirements, design, code, test plans/cases, and end-user documentation. There are lots of tips and best practices for writing clearly and efficiently. If you’re starting from scratch, there are lots of templates for the various types of documents you’d see in a software project (e.g., test plans, release notes).
Culture
The free coffee test, or Lefkowitz’s Law of Corporate Financial Health (via The Software Mentor)
When money gets tight, companies cut the easy stuff first — like free coffee and snacks. If you see this happening, it’s usually a sign that bigger cuts are in your future. The author suggests we should just make the big cuts first instead of starting small and making progressively larger cuts.
When the Market Is Our Only Language
Leadership
To Get More Done, Focus on Environment, Expectations, and Examples (via Harvard Business Review)
1) Treat new tools as debt — they may be hard to integrate; 2) block out time on your calendar as a team; 3) make the most of your workplace environment; 4) keep things small — number of people, scope; 5) reward the right behaviors; 6) have a contract for how you communicate as a team — e.g., team charter; 7) don’t ask people for updates; 8) be mindful what you say because everyone is listening and watching; 9) don’t expect consensus; 10) watch how much you’re available online — e.g., Skype/Slack status; 11) be thoughtful instead of reactive; 12) take real breaks where you don’t check in at work.
Don’t Let Lazy Managers Drive Away Your Top Performers (via Harvard Business Review)
“…engaging and retaining employees is a complex endeavor, and it takes hard work to do it well.” If it were just common sense, good managers would be the norm. “Indeed, the sheer volume and availability of solutions to employee engagement and retention problems through blogs, books, podcasts, and other sources is greater than ever, and the reality is that much of it targets lazy managers seeking quick fixes.” 1) When employees are disengaged, consider the management instead of the employee; 2) managers need to keep up with the practice and study of management because not every tool/practice will work for every employee/company; 3) organizational leaders need to look for lazy management when retention becomes an issue.
Process
How to Work for a Boss Who Has a New Idea Every 5 Minutes (via Harvard Business Review)
1) Foster mutual respect — your boss brings the ideation strength and you bring the execution strength; 2) recognize not all ideas require action; 3) explain the time commitment for the ideas, as it may require more time than your boss assumes; 4) revisit ideas to help set priorities.
How to Start a Habit (and Why Setting Goals Doesn’t Work) (via Lifehacker)
Outcomes aren’t from goals: they’re lagging indicators of your habits. Think about moving from “clean the bedroom” to “do things to keep it from needing big cleanings”. Make your habits 1) obvious, 2) attractive, 3) easy, and 4) satisfying. Master the art of showing up by optimizing for the starting line when making a habit — e.g., read 1 page per day and then move on to 10 pages per day. (The video is by James clear; I also recommend his blog.)
Psychology
What Kind of Happiness Do People Value Most? (via Harvard Business Review)
Happy in your life, or happy about your life? There’s no one right answer. In a recent study, most chose the former, stating that life is short and you should seize the moment.
A New Way to Become More Open-Minded (via Harvard Business Review)
We need leaders who are “smart and strong-willed enough to persuade people to do great things, but flexible enough to think differently, admit when they’re wrong, and adapt to dynamic conditions.” Intellectual humility: “the willingness to change, plus the wisdom to know when you shouldn’t.”
Technology
What If Banks Were the Main Protectors of Customers’ Private Data? (via Harvard Business Review)
“Prior to the digital age, that data was kept on paper which meant it could be protected by physical means and was relatively difficult to share. Today, the IT skills needed to protect digitized data are beyond most consumers and even most of the traditional custodians of data.” Banks deal with virtual money, are usually at the front of security methods, are committed to confidentiality, and can build more local relationships with clients.