Esther and I have been editing the management book this week. We’re pairing to edit also – one keyboard, one file, two heads. It’s exhausting and fun. Here are things I’ve learned this week: We don’t have the same default ways to write — and that’s ok. The manuscript is richer for us talking
Sorin’s comment says (in part): If, on the other hand, he is an alumnus of one of the “Grandes Ecoles” (which are themselves finely ranked), then it means that guy has what it takes to compete in the system. I believe that competing in the education system is different than success at work. I had
Martin Fowler recently posted PreferFunctionalOrganization. Here, his functional organization means “organize around the business functions,” what management would call a project-based organization and his technical organization means “organize around the technical functions,” what management would call a functional-based (development, test) organization. There’s another option, that I didn’t see on Martin’s site, the matrix organization.
A colleague asked today “What keywords should I look for on a resume?” I wish there was a list and you could just scan resumes looking for keywords. (Yes, there are software packages that do that. I’m not talking about tools and technology keywords. Don’t get me started on ruling out people because they’re missing
I’m a big fan of emergent schedules (see the rolling wave planning and low tech scheduling entries). I also write that way. I generally have an idea of what I’m going to say, but I’m never quite sure how I’m going to get there until I’m done writing. Emergent design also works for me as
I was at the Rational User Conference last week. I took away one significant idea from the keynotes and one of the track sessions: Writing software, according to Grady Booch is a “priviledge and a responsibility.” Systems are becoming more complex because we need them to do more things faster. We need people who
After reading Where Are the Women — And Their Names?, I tried to leave this comment on the FC blog, but was unable to, so I’ll post it here: I hope the trend is for people to make choices that fit for them. My daughters have my husband’s name. We only have trouble traveling when
In It’s the People, Stupid!” David Hornick quotes an unnamed friend discussing hiring (it looks as if it’s a startup): [T]he best advice I have for you is this: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES make any one of your first ten hires anything less than an outstanding, 10’s from all judges, blow your head off superstar. Then
Via Fast Company’s blog, read Practical Networking: Make Your Own Luck. As Kevin Laws says, “networking is about serendipity not persistence.” You meet someone who knows someone who’s looking for someone and bang – you’ve got a new job. Read his six suggestions and then act on them. For you hiring managers, remember that every
Imagine you’re a fly on the wall in a readiness review meeting—a meeting of the project and senior managers to see if the product is ready to release. Senior manager: “Where are we with the testing?” Test manager: “Oh, here’s the defect data and the test data and…” Senior manager: “No, tell me where we