How Do We Treat Each Other?

Rothman Consulting Group, Inc.
Vol 9, #15: Your Culture:How Do We Treat Each Other?
October 3, 2012                                                                                  ISSN:2164-1196
In This Issue:

 

 

Your Culture: How Do We Treat Each Other?

I was excited about the job when I read about it in the paper (yes, this is an ancient history story). It had great technology. It had a great commute. And, during the interview, I walked by one technical argument.

 

“You *&^%*& sons of &^$#^& female dogs.It can't possibly work that way. It has to work this way!” Well, the architect didn't use the term ‘female dog.' He used another term that rhymes with witch. Everyone in the room was sitting there, cowed, heads bent.

 

I asked my HR interviewer who was in the room. “All the developers and the lead architect.”

 

“How many architects are there?”

 

“We have seven architects.”

 

“And how many developers?”

 

“We have six. You would be our seventh.” 

 

I saw perfectly what would happen. The Architects Would Hand Down the Perfect Architecture From On High and then be angry when it didn't work. We would implement it and beg them for their valuable time when it didn't work. No, thank you. I didn't take that job.

 

In another interview, I asked how people evaluated design alternatives. The developer said, “Well, we talk in a funny way about designs. I hope you don't take offense.”

 

“Not much offends me,” I explained.

 

“When we get going, we start talking about ‘brain-dead' designs. We don't mean that *you* are brain-dead. No, not at all. We just mean that that part of your design is questionable. Is that going to be a problem?”

 

These folks were concerned about not being offensive to each other, but were concerned about being able to have frank and open discussions and let their passions show. 

 

Now, ‘brain-dead' is not a politically correct term these days. I am not advocating it. You'll notice that the person I spoke with separated the feedback about the person from the design.

 

When you take all three parts of culture, what you can discuss, what you reward, and how you treat each other, now you can understand the organization's culture.

 

Hiring Geeks That Fit is Available on Leanpub

Cultural fit is a big piece of hiring, and I've updated my hiring book to explain that. Hiring Geeks That Fit is a big rewrite of my original Hiring book. I've trimmed the book, reducing the overall word count by 20,000 words, added more about cultural fit, added guidance about how to use Twitter and LinkedIn for sourcing, and updated most of the templates.

If you liked the original hiring book, you will love Hiring Geeks That Fit. You can download a sample book on leanpub now. I'm in copyediting now, so if you buy it on leanpub, you can get the updates as I fix anything my copyeditor discovers.

Cultural fit is not just for people who are hiring. It's for people looking for a job, too.

If you are looking for a job, take a look at my beta book: Manage Your Job Search: Focus on Your Concrete Steps to Get Your Next Job. The book is not complete, which is why it is in beta. If you are looking for a job, you can help me by downloading the book and providing me feedback about what else you need. You automatically receive all the updates I make.

 

Join me at the Final AYE Conference

I am one of the hosts for the Amplifying Your Effectiveness Conference, AYE again this year. It's in Albuquerque, NM, November 4-8, 2012. 

 

This year's AYE conference is the last. There will be no AYE conference in 2013. If you have thought about AYE and put it on your “bucket” list, take it off your bucket list and take one of the remaining six spots.
I'm leading these sessions:
  • Has Your Project Outgrown Its Training Wheels?
  • Replacing Management Myths
  • What's Your Number One Project?
  • Improve Your Social Networking Skills
  • Reinventing Yourself
  • Congruent Coaching, a full day workshop
I do hope you join me there.

Johanna

copyright 2012 Johanna Rothman

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