Business
Are Our Management Theories Outdated? (via Harvard Business Review)
This essay describes our society being at an inflection point where we try to maximize efficiency (Taylorism) and profit (capitalism) over the people in the system. People need a broader purpose and we need to be more intentional about how business impacts the world around us (e.g., societally, environmentally). It’s not the lack of new management theories; it’s the strength of the old ones.
Career
The Upside of Career Envy (via Harvard Business Review)
- Allow the envy, stop the shame
- Shift from comparison to curiosity
- Move toward, not away from, those you envy
- View your career like a portfolio of investments, not one job
Culture
Seek the Challengers (via Software Lead Weekly)
You need people in your organization to question things, otherwise you’re less likely to grow and change.
Leadership
The Best Managers Balance Analytical and Emotional Intelligence (via Harvard Business Review)
- The brain uses two networks that are mutually exclusive: analytic network and empathic network
- The analytic network is for information and analysis, and the empathic network is about people or qualitative observations
- Recognize which network is your default, practice activities to strengthen your non-default, and practice balancing both
How to Do Performance Reviews — Remotely (via Harvard Business Review)
- With COVID-19, things are not normal; your usual techniques won’t work here
- Reflect on how you want to treat employees; “tend to your flock” and help people get stronger
- Thing about what you’re evaluating
- Consider doing away with numerical ratings
- Gather different kinds of data
- Set the right tone; connect with video chat
- Tread lightly with poor performers, and be effusive with your stars
Our book club finished the book by discussing specialized roles and closing the interview loop.