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It’s the Boss, Stupid

Tuesday, October 15th, 2019

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vuhung/12461011705/

It’s said that people don’t leave companies, they leave bosses, but now and then it’s the top bosses, the ones who control the culture, who create the circumstances that incite an exodus, as opposed to an immediate manager.

That’s what’s going on at Google, according to James Whittaker, who left Microsoft for Google and then left Google to return there.

The Google I was passionate about was a technology company that empowered its employees to innovate. The Google I left was an advertising company with a single corporate-mandated focus.

Googlers have left because of harassment, retaliation, various governments’ contracts/projects, treatment of contractors, and other ethical considerations.

Google’s bosses are also some of the biggest hypocrites in tech. Worse even than Zuckerberg at saying one thing while doing the opposite covertly — especially something that negatively affects the entire planet, not just people’s privacy.

Despite making noises about becoming more environmentally friendly, Google has been quietly funding organizations which say climate change isn’t real [emphasis mine].

Fortunately, all the clandestine stuff keeps surfacing and people are coming to the realization that Google is anything but benevolent.

All these things fall under the culture umbrella.

A culture controlled by Google bosses.

Image credit: Nguyen Hung Vu

Golden Oldies: Ducks in a Row: Bosses Different as Night and Day

Monday, October 14th, 2019

Poking through 13+ years of posts I find information that’s as useful now as when it was written.

Golden Oldies is a collection of the most relevant and timeless posts during that time.

CEOs screwing up their company culture isn’t new. And, one way or another, CEO ego is usually the cause; what differs is what they do now vs. then. Before, it was rotten decisions based on dinosaurian mindsets coupled with a god complex. Now the screw-ups tend to be grounded in rotten decisions based on hard-to-believe immaturity coupled with a god complex.

Read other Golden Oldies here.

Edicts by Steve Ballmer and tweets by David Sacks do not a culture change.

Changing culture doesn’t happen overnight and takes a lot of damn hard work.

But it can be done.

And for CEOs willing to take the time and do the work, the payoff is ginormous to the 10th power and goes well beyond money — for the company, the employees, stakeholders and last, but certainly not least, for themselves.

Just ask Satya Nadella or Lou Gerstner, who turned around IBM and said it best.

“I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game—it is the game.”

On a funny, or should I say ironic, side note.

As I looked through past posts and articles I realized how similar in name Nadella is to his complete cultural and managerial opposite, [Robert] Nardelli.

Separated by two letters and a mental chasm that dwarfs the Grand Canyon.

Flickr image credit: jphilipg

Ducks in a Row: Culture is the Keeper

Tuesday, March 26th, 2019

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ebby-rebby/5800753858/

Oh joy. A new study of 25,000 employees, working in more than 1,000 different companies across 20 industries spread across Northern America, Europe, Asia, and Australia was done over the 12 months of 2018.

43% of employees said that they would be likely to leave their current companies if they were offered a 10% pay rise elsewhere. That number was up from 25% in their 2017 survey.

The report says that weak company cultures are to blame, while the author thinks the strong job market is also responsible.

I disagree, because if the majority of the stuff listed below is actually fixed it will take a lot more than a 10% raise to attract someone to a culture that probably has those same problems.

Here is the list.

  1. Technical issues with software, and other tools
  2. Interruptions and disruptions from Slack, emails and noisy office environments
  3. Poor communication from management / lack of training and information
  4. Disorganized and time-wasting systems and processes
  5. Misguided decisions from management / bad leadership
  6. Lack of flexibility / no opportunities to work from home
  7. Overworked / under resourced team
  8. Office politics / favoritism
  9. Difficult customers
  10. Too many meetings

The sheer size of the responding group means smart bosses will take note of these irritants; most are fixable without much impact on the budget.

Most require changes the boss can effect or, at least, influence. People aren’t stupid, they know their boss can’t change the whole company. But if they change what they can and keep working on the others, their people will stay and work with them.

What often matters most is that bosses recognize that they are part, if not all, of the problem and are honestly trying to change.

Image credit: Emma

Ryan’s Journal: Costume Time

Thursday, November 1st, 2018

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dapuglet/35539105606/

 

I have found Halloween to be a bellwether of how a company culture truly is.

Is the company relaxed and open to folks coming into work in wacky costumes? Are there team themes that compete for top prize? Or perhaps the company asks that no one dress up at all.

I have found myself in all three and currently find myself in the last group.

At first I was a bit surprised, but now I realize not dressing up might be the best thing ever.

I am a bit reserved and I always found dressing up to be a major chore and distraction.

There is always the task of finding an outfit that is both unique and also work appropriate. Inevitably someone shows up wearing a costume that is deemed inappropriate.

This, of course, is followed by a mandatory HR meeting describing what is and is not appropriate attire in the office.

The big day arrives. Some participate while others sit it out.

You have a party that truly feels like mandatory fun time and then you go home.

Instead, my work day today was sans drama and hijinks.

We came to work and did what needed to be done. Then we left early because our company realizes we have a life outside the office.

I have to say this is probably the best culture fit I have had in quite some time.

Image credit: DaPuglet

Ryan’s Journal: Culture Unconstrained

Thursday, October 11th, 2018

 

I have been at my new company for a little more than a month now and continue to learn more each day. I stumbled across something last week that impacted me more the longer I dwelled on it and I thought it important to share.

We use #slack at work for all internal communications and there are several channels that cover a variety of topics. This ranges from marketing info, sales data and the most important channel of all… random.

This channel is exactly as it sounds. You can post whatever you like in here as long as it is not offensive. People post pics of cute dogs, random news stories and funny memes.

However, there is a deeper element that I have come to appreciate.

I work for a geospatial data collection company and our platform allows our users to create apps that can meet their specific needs when it comes to data collection.

If a utility company wants to document where streetlights are located they can create an app to do so. Want to track where poachers are operating in the African bush? We have you covered with an app. What if you want to track and document something a bit less serious, say what type of booze you are consuming each night?

Bingo, that’s right. Some enterprising individual in our company created an app on our platform that can track what drinks you consume. You can include a picture, your location, 1-5 star rating and any comments you may have on the drink.

However, they took it a step further. After documenting this event how can you tell the world, or in this case our company, that you consumed a wonderful beverage? Simple, you link it to the random channel in #slack and every time you create a log it sends that info to be posted on the random channel.

Each night I get to see what my team mates are consuming and the various comments people post. How does this tie into culture? It is a purely voluntary action on the part of those submitting posts. It’s not pushed by management or tracked. It’s a fun way to interact with your colleagues after hours, while enjoying the comfort of home.

Not a bad way to end the night, in my opinion.

Image credit: Slack

Ryan’s Journal: Adjustments and Satisfaction

Thursday, September 27th, 2018

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If you have been following then you saw I took on a new role recently. So far the role has been great and very fulfilling. I have begun diving into what my role is, have started taking ownership and also learning the quirks of my co-workers.

Something that is quite new to me is the fact that I no longer have an office and am in a more open office floor plan setting. It has made me think about how do I like to work and interact with others?

A couple of positive points about working in a more open setting. You always have someone to talk to, it enables easy collaboration and quick huddles with your team to address a challenge.

I also like to hear my colleagues on the phone (we do inside sales), not to listen in, but to get a sense for what best practices look like when I hear them. I have also found that I tend to be a bit more focused on my work when others are around. I can pop on my headphones, listen to music and get into the flow.

There are some definite downsides to an open plan. No privacy. I don’t have a ton of personal calls during the day, but it does happen I have to go out to the elevator bank or a conference room to speak.

Instant collaboration…about fantasy football. Quick way to get out of the flow. And for every best practices call there are a ton where you want to smack your head for hearing something so dumb being said.

And if your headphones are missing then I hope you can grind through and block out the conversations around you.

I don’t have an answer on what is better for an office space, but I do appreciate that my company has break rooms, conference rooms and quiet areas to take calls or work if needed. I can go lounge on a couch if I want and do some work, no one is going to say anything.

So in the end I am satisfied. I get to enjoy my work, go to our onsite gym and drink unlimited amounts of La Croix.

Image credit: Mike_fleming

Golden Oldies: If the Shoe Fits: Hiring with Fred Wilson and Me

Monday, September 24th, 2018

 

Poking through 11+ years of posts I find information that’s as useful now as when it was written.

Golden Oldies is a collection of the most relevant and timeless posts during that time.

You can not imagine the thrill when I see the stuff I passionately believe in mirrors the beliefs of people I hold in high regard, such as Fred Wilson, who knows and has experienced far more than I ever will. It’s a definite high.

Read other Golden Oldies here.

A few days ago Fred Wilson wrote about the importance of culture and fit.

Some entrepreneurs and CEOs buy into “hire the best talent available” mantra. That can work if everything goes swimmingly well. But as I said, it often does not, and then that approach is fraught with problems. The other approach is hire for culture and fit. That is the approach I advocate.

That’s the same approach I’ve advocated for decades.

What many forget is that “the best talent available” refers to whoever will perform best in your culture as part of your team and focus on your company’s success.

Too many founders, CEOs, other execs and even lower level managers seem to hire for bragging rights instead.

I wrote about hiring and culture here last Sept and included a link to an article I wrote for MSDN way back in 1999 that explained how to use your culture as a screening tool when hiring.

I’ve always told clients that the fastest way to success is to always hire the right person at the right time and for the right reasons.

Good hiring is like cooking Chinese—80% of the time used is spent prepping and the balance doing.

There really are no shortcuts; especially not hiring other people’s stars.

Not to sound self-serving, but I’ve been surprised at how closely the ideas I’ve always believed in parallel Wilson’s thoughts.

Image credit: HikingArtist

Culture On Purpose

Wednesday, July 12th, 2017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardofengland/6788829651/

Back in 2013 I wrote a post about intentional culture quoting Quicken Loans CEO Bill Emerson.

“If you don’t create a culture at your company, a culture will create itself. And it won’t be good. I sometimes hear people say ‘We don’t have a culture at our company.’ They have one. But if it hasn’t been nurtured, if no one has spent on any time on it, you can assume it’s the wrong culture.”

It’s well recognized that good culture doesn’t just happen — it requires conscious intention from day one and never ending vigilance ever after.

Sustaining culture requires a tough stance on hiring and a willingness to walk away from candidates who aren’t aligned with and enthusiastic about your culture.

However, no amount of vigilance and effort assures that the resulting culture will be what is termed ‘good’.

Whether the intentioal from the top or is allowed to rise from the ranks, the culture will reflect the values of the source and will be propagated by attracting candidates with similar values.

Uber’s bro culture reflects Trvis Kalanick’s values.

Zappos reflects Tony Hsieh’s.

For a great read on intentional culture and how to do it, check out Making Culture a Tangible Metric by Eric Blondeel and Moufeed Kaddoura, co-founders of ExVivo Labs.

Hat tip to the CB Insights newsletter for sharing this article.

Image credit: Richard Matthews

The Source Of Tech Misogyny

Wednesday, March 8th, 2017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/allaboutchase/3210937988/

Anyone looking at the data can’t avoid seeing that tech culture has a strong misogynistic streak.

It wasn’t always that way.

What happened?

Marketing happened.

Specifically, the marketing of computer games in the 1980s.

A lot of early computers were used for game playing,” Elizabeth Ames says. “Those games tended to be more aimed more at boys and men, so it was easy for boys to get a leg up in that area through gaming.

Consider the stats.

… in the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1984, 37% of computer science graduates were women, but those numbers began to drop dramatically in the middle of the decade. By 2016, that number had been whittled down to 18%.

Computers and games were not only marketed to males, they denigrated females (as did other toys, remember the Barbie “Math is tough” fiasco).

In the beginning Apple couldn’t crack the business market, so it went after the education market. When those kids grew up they were completely hooked on Apple and took that attitude into the workplace.

Jobs’ Apple was a master of brainwash marketing, so those kids also brought Apple attitudes with them, too.

The Apple personal computer that was released at the time was marketed specifically to boys (included teasing girls’ computer skills), as were a whole range of other consoles. This gave rise to male computing culture.

Those boys and young men grew up to start and run companies now.

And it’s those insidious attitudes instilled by all that male-centric marketing that became the cornerstones of today’s bro culture.

Knowing this, the current misogynistic streak isn’t all that hard to understand.

But that still doesn’t make it acceptable.

Image credit: Chase N.

Golden Oldies: Ducks in a Row: The Seeds You Plant

Monday, July 18th, 2016

It’s amazing to me, but looking back over more than a decade of writing I find posts that still impress, with information that is as useful now as when it was written. Golden Oldies is a collection of what I consider some of the best posts during that time.

This one reminds us that there are as many cultures as there are bosses/managers/supervisors/team leaders in the company. All existing, for better or worse, under the umbrella of the company’s official culture. Read other Golden Oldies here

“That culture is like the air we breathe or the water that fish swim in. It has the potential, for better or worse, to affect everybody in the same way.” –Dr. Linda H. Pololi, a senior scientist at Brandeis University

http://www.flickr.com/photos/infomatique/2544951056/Dr. Pololi was talking about the culture in academic medicine negatively affecting men as well as women, although the women’s situation has a higher profile.

While the information in the article is interesting, as well as unexpected in part, it’s her comment at the end on which I want to focus.

As a manager you set the culture of your own group; it may closely resemble your company’s culture or may be wildly divergent.

The divergence is not always a bad thing—many managers have created great cultures in the midst of toxic ones.

By the same token, toxic mini cultures have been propagated within good company cultures by managers who believe that approach is the best way to manage.

Companies are much like gardens and the cultures within its main culture are what grow therein.

If you equate good culture to flowers and bad culture to weeds the problem becomes obvious.

Flowers are fragile and require more thought, attention and cultivation for them to spread.

However, with no effort on the part of the gardener, weeds spread quickly and if ignored will take over the garden.

There is an anonymous poem that I do my best to emulate throughout my life,

Your mind is a garden,
Your thoughts are the seeds,
You can grow flowers or
You can grow weeds.

With a bit of tweaking you can use it for your company,

Your company is a garden,
Your cultures are seeds,
You can grow flowers or
You can grow weeds.

It’s always a choice, but this choice will affect your employees, customers, vendors and investors.

Be sure to choose consciously, wisely and well.

Flickr image credit: William Murphy

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