Tag Archives: people management
So You Want To Be a Manager? What Do You Do If…
Where I give advice for those transitioning from individual contributor roles to management. I use a story to illustrate how to be comfortable with the hard questions, and how to be supportive and honest with your people. Continue reading
You Gotta Do What Makes You Happy
Where I discuss the importance of pursuing personal happiness in work, what it means to be happy, and why you should help people be happy. Leaders check in with their team, because unhappy people are less productive. Perseverance is vital for growth, but leaders need to listen and help solve issues with compassion. Continue reading
What To Do When Things Go Wrong
People don’t remember what you did when things were going well. People remember what you do when things go wrong. This post explores that idea, and how to make sure you think clearly about the BEST thing to do, and then DO IT. Continue reading
Don’t Be Afraid
In which I discuss how fear is an overweight counterbalance in the risk equation, and how to check yourself whenever you feel afraid. There are a lot of benefits to not being afraid. Continue reading
How To Ask For Help
When you ask for help, the right way to do it is to say: (1) This is what I’ve done; (2) This is what I plan to do next; (3) Am I on the right track? This article discusses the hows and whys of this pattern. Continue reading
New Hires: Gophers vs. My Hair’s On Fire
In which I discuss another spectrum of behaviors, specifically as it pertains to how people approach and solve problems, how they do it wrong, and how good leaders coach them to be better. Continue reading
Fixers vs. Enablers
In which I discuss the difference between “fixers,” who intervene at any sign of trouble, to “enablers,” who encourage and enable their teams to solve the problems themselves. Both extremes are bad, but understanding where you are, and where your boss is, on this spectrum helps manage expectations. Continue reading
A Slightly Wonky Follow-up on Pay, After the “Talent is a Power Curve” Post
Where I compare Amazon’s pay structure against the fact that talent is a power curve. Is it possible that Amazon was trying to model the curve? Or are Amazon’s compensation ranges not adequately reflecting differences in performance? While I don’t have an answer, the question itself has interesting implications. Continue reading
Luck
In which I talk about how I’m very lucky in my life, and because of who I lived with in my sophomore year in college, I am even luckier still. Continue reading
Amazon’s Compensation Targets Exploit the Promotion Process and Pay Below Industry Rates
In which I review Amazon’s new compensation targets. This structure discourages promotion due to forcing newly-promoted people into the range minimum for 1-2 years, while insisting they perform at the next highest level for 2-4 years before they’re promoted. It also potentially places 80% of all employees at or below the midpoint for their level. Continue reading
