Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
The myth is that startups mostly exist in places like San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Austin, Portland and Boulder, Boston or New York City.
That part is no myth; startups up do exist in those places.
But there is another startup in the town where you live. In fact, it’s even got your name on the door.
It’s the startup called you.… Read the rest
Journalist (and Twitter friend) Kara Swisher noted regarding the Carol Bartz debacle that “there really is no good time to fire someone.”
I think Kara’s work is great, and I’d suggest otherwise.
There are good times to fire people.
Lord knows that as someone who worked as a corporate HR exec during the height of the restructuring boom in the 80’s and 90’s I’ve fired more people than I can count.… Read the rest
Character counts – at least that’s what most of us are told as kids. But does it really?
What if – as the headline of this week’s New York Times Magazine blared – The Secret to Success is Failure, and not your GPA or even the schools you attended but rather your CPA – character personality average – that predicts your path forward?… Read the rest
Life as a corporate alpha male – or alpha female – can be tough.
Rivals lurk everywhere; rivals that need to be dominated and subdued. Impatience, aggression and anger for some alphas is only a millisecond away – a tough price for the “plays well with others” performance rating and getting people to spend time with you at a family picnic.… Read the rest
There are some advantages to being at the organizational top.
People below you on the business pyramid are unfailing polite, things sometimes happen on a suggestion and not a request, furniture is nicer and pay is usually greater. Tones are hushed, the carpet is deeper, and pleasantries are often the order not just of the day, but the minute.
Candor – the quality of being frank, open and sincere – is often missing in action.… Read the rest
The Roche takeover of South San Francisco-based Genentech two years ago provided a field day for all sorts of commentary.
From the revisionist account of the Genentech takeover to Roche’s shifting stance on how they’d “preserve headcount and culture” at Genentech, the acquisition has provided rich fodder.
The report that key execs from Genentech such as Pat Yang [disclosure: Pat’s organization was a client] moving to Basel were required to learn to speak German because it was the language in which business was conducted (note: German is spoken in the Basel area of Switzerland) was – how to put it – was akin to the cherry on top of the sundae; the perfect topping to a trail of miscues.… Read the rest