Tag: leadership
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Managerial serfdom
You are not a serf. Advice to work to make your manager “look good” is detrimental to you and your career. A functional working relationship requires manager and managed supporting each other to be successful doing the work.
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Gravitational pull of leadership
Have you imagined a corporate structure comparable to a planetary system and that they have a “gravitational” pull? Picture the CEO at the center, with concentric management layers. Too flat with many direct reports doesn’t scale, and managers will be overworked and ineffective. Too many layers, and communication breaks down, politics flourish, and bureaucratic processes…
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The impulsive firing of Brian Braswell
In “Halt and Catch Fire,” Gordon impulsively fires Brian after a car accident; that’s a case of poor management. Instead, set expectations, communicate well, manage negativity, and create a culture of feedback. Life doesn’t have to imitate art.
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Preconditions for legitimate leadership
Legitimate leadership is earned through trust, skill, and aligned goals. It’s not a natural state as it requires a partial and temporary surrendering of agency. Thus, it must be based on agreements that are neither imposed by force nor circumstances alone.
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Great job, here’s more work
The phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” reflects the feeling many professionals report when they are given more work without a matching recognition. Promotions are not merely rewards for good performance but indicators of consistently operating at the next level. Factors like budget and headcount availability are real constraints and can slow down career progression,…
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The meaning of leadership is independent of scale
The meaning of leadership is invariable from scale, just like the number of degrees in a circle doesn’t change with its size. Larger teams may require more work, but not more leadership.
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Agile vs. Waterfall vs. Others. Scale matters
Shortly after a recent reorg at my company, I found myself discussing the merits of different project management methodologies, rather than focusing on the work to be done. That got me thinking, at the scale of small- to mid-size projects, are the benefits among methodologies even noticeable? Read the article and find out how scale…
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But I would have done it differently
Improving your leadership skills involves learning how to assign tasks and having confidence that the person will deliver a high-quality outcome. The real test isn’t just delegation, but the acceptance of different approaches from your own. When done right, delegation enables professional growth, innovation, and shared responsibility, but it involves trust, clear communication, evaluation of…
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Quiet quitting and how you may be working against yourself
Quiet quitting involves performing only the minimum work required, which stagnates personal and professional growth. While it may seem tempting, it is a bad strategy. Instead, investing in oneself, embracing continuous learning, and striving for excellence can enhance career opportunities and overall job satisfaction.
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Duck Assisted Management
People often approach me and ask how to deal with a manager who feels compelled to make frequent “contributions.” A technique used once in the development of a chess game may be the closest solution to date for this predicament. In this article I will show you how to handle those situations, keep a good…