“Pickle Makers probably think pickle-making makes the world go round.” — George Will It’s human nature to appreciate ourselves and our contributions far more than we appreciate others. I know how difficult and important what I do is, but why do we need so many people in finance? Or engineering? OK, maybe it’s time consuming, […]
One of the many asinine word plays that always bothered me is “there’s no I in Team.” OK, that’s true. It’s also true that anybody who makes decisions based on verbal coincidences should be distanced as far as possible from any decision making process. My equally asinine rebuttal is that the difference between a losing […]
It’s easier and more fun to criticize and discuss negatives, but let me describe what work is like when it’s going well, so we can remember what our goal as managers is, and why it’s worth it. You look forward to going to work every morning. You already know what you’re going to accomplish today, […]
Think you’re a good manager? Now imagine that many of the people who are building your site don’t even work for you. You can’t tell them what to do. They don’t rely on you for their jobs or paychecks. They owe you nothing, and your business is to help them create. It shouldn’t be surprising […]
My weakness (among others): I try to impress people with my knowledge. I need them to know that I’m on top of key issues and that I work hard. The situation: I’m on vacation and an e-mail is sent to the senior management team with a partial analysis of some key numbers. My (very incorrect) […]
The sky is blue, the birds are singing, and a young (at heart) man’s thoughts turn to baseball. Maybe I’ve just been wasting my time all these years following baseball. But I like to think that it taught me the following: 10. Appreciation of history and tradition 9. Resilience, and acceptance of defeat 8. How […]
OK, this is a great headline: Facebook, YouTube at work make better employees: study. From Reuters no less. And the Twittersphere is abuzz with how great surfing at work is. Here’s the money shot: “surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity” Yeah. Later the explanation: “Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a […]
I’m reading The Brand Bubble, which they gave out at Search Engine Strategries, NY. I have mixed feelings on the book so far, but I agree with his key points on creativity. He quotes FDR: “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of […]