Tag: manager

When to have and when not to schedule meetings

Companies should, by default, avoid scheduling meetings that start before 10am or end after 5pm. If an employee comes to the office at 8am on some days, it is often to use the two hours of the morning before meetings to catch up and/or get a head start on the day. Meetings that start before… Continue reading When to have and when not to schedule meetings

50/25 Meeting Format

If you manage a team, value your team members time and want to improve productivity at your workplace with a simple change, consider implementing the 50/25 Meeting Recommendation that some companies are embracing. You can communicate something like the following to your team: Dear Colleagues, We deeply value your time, your productivity and your comfort… Continue reading 50/25 Meeting Format

Using Laptops or Smartphones in Meetings

Using smartphones — or worse, laptops — during in-person meetings diminishes productivity, is disrespectful to others and decreases your brainpower. Yes, scientific evidence indicates that multitasking makes people less intelligent.1 When you are  doing something unrelated on your phone or laptop in inappropriate situations (e.g. during business meetings), you lose out because you become oblivious to the environment, people, and… Continue reading Using Laptops or Smartphones in Meetings

What I Learned During the Hacking Attacks of August 28, 2013

One of the most important lessons that was reinforced to me during the Aug 28th hacking attacks on Melbourne IT, the domain registrar for the Web sites of The New York Times, Twitter and many others was the importance of human relationships, personal networking and real-time communications during an emergency situation. In this article, I’ll mention… Continue reading What I Learned During the Hacking Attacks of August 28, 2013

Ray Dalio, Randall Munroe and I Think Alike – Culture of Courage & Candor

On the matter of bad behavior of complaining against others behind their backs, Ray Dalio, Randall Munroe and I share the same viewpoint. This article starts with Randall’s cartoon, Ray’s and my quotes on the subject and then discusses the causes of and solutions for this problem. Please note that this article is not about ethical… Continue reading Ray Dalio, Randall Munroe and I Think Alike – Culture of Courage & Candor

Maker’s Schedule (For Managers Too)

The following memo from a department head to staff is an example of how to implement a productive maker’s schedule at your workplace. This approach recommends starting with baby steps, evaluating results and making changes accordingly. Dear Colleagues in the Technology, Project Management and Product Teams, Executive Summary:1 We are implementing a maker’s schedule starting… Continue reading Maker’s Schedule (For Managers Too)

HR Classification and Discretionary/Business Job Titles for Makers, Managers and Leaders in Technology

This article presents an organization system and policy for job titles of maker, manager and leader roles in technology staffs. Separate job titles for HR classification and discretionary/business use are used at many technology organizations, ranging from medium-sized, innovative and fast-moving companies to large, established and enterprise technology companies.1 This is a well-established practice that balances HR requirements with the rapid pace of innovation and change in job… Continue reading HR Classification and Discretionary/Business Job Titles for Makers, Managers and Leaders in Technology

5 Productivity Tips for Executives in Leadership & Management Roles

Here are 5 productivity tips for executives in leadership & management roles. Each tip involves the number 5. Every morning (or the night before), make a prioritized list of the top 5 things you plan to accomplish that day. These are your must-do tasks for the day. At the day’s end (or when making the… Continue reading 5 Productivity Tips for Executives in Leadership & Management Roles

Your Brain At Work (Book Review)

Let me tell you a story about my friends Emily and Paul. Emily and Paul were struggling in their demanding jobs and in managing their busy family life raising young children at home. Emily, a marketing manager at a company, had recently earned a promotion to VP and was finding it challenging to supervise the… Continue reading Your Brain At Work (Book Review)

Case for a Consistent, Comprehensible & Cost-Effective Vacation Policy

This article makes a case for having a vacation policy that is simple, sane and standard across the organization. Some organizations have unnecessarily complicated vacation policies that require a lot of labor and time to implement, manage and support exceptions for. That is substandard because such vacation policies are costly for the organization, they distract from… Continue reading Case for a Consistent, Comprehensible & Cost-Effective Vacation Policy