Career Center
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Re-orgs Hazardous to Teams
On Monday, my manager said “We’re having a re-org. But don’t worry. it doesn’t affect anyone in my group.” She was partially correct. There is no immediate, direct, acute effect. However, the longterm indirect effects are demoralizing. We’re losing three people from the Team. Continue reading
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Changing the Culture? Start with the Meeting!
The Company That Employs Me has decided it needs to Change. To get the employees to understand and “internalize” the new Purpose, they’re holding “Corporate Purpose, Strategy and Culture” meetings. Specifically, mandatory, 3-hour, in-person attendance meetings. This is not a Company with a history of holding effective meetings. You could say that effective meetings are… Continue reading
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Four Walls and a Door
Consider the effects of four hard walls and a door. First of all, it’s quiet. Even with the door open, most extraneous sounds are greatly reduced. I don’t hear my neighbors’ typing, this one’s telephone conversation, that one’s talking to herself as she works out a problem. Continue reading
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Whisper Campaign
Sometimes, when you switch to a new manager, you take along baggage you didn’t know existed… Continue reading
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Empowered Teams
Companies fear empowered teams. Employee empowerment represents the end of management as we have known it. That cannot happen too soon for me. … Being a part of an empowered team is a heady experience. Once you’ve experienced that, you want it again. Continue reading
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Do You Pass The Joel Test?
Do you work for a Tech company? Are you part of a software team? Does your team pass the “Joel Test”? Continue reading
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Business Communication
There is a popular belief, generally put forward by human resources departments, time management consultants, and other “experts”, that formal communication and discussion between people in the workplace should never be handled by email (i.e. written). I disagree. Continue reading
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Vital Integrities
In his book, Vital Integrities, George Brymer says something interesting: People join an organization. They leave a manager. Continue reading
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State of Mind
My job performance, productivity, and quality of work are all inextricably tied to my emotional state. When I feel good about my job and my co-workers, when I feel that I’m doing the best I can do and being recognized for that, then I feel good about my job. I have high work esteem. I… Continue reading
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Passionate About the Company?
I’ve felt this way for a long time now. It’s nice to see the sentiment expressed elsewhere and so well. Continue reading
Slightly Off KIlter 