Management fads come and go, but one thing never changes — the fact that that most management fads don’t seem to last. That’s why I was surprised when I saw this recent Wall Street Journal article touting “agile management” as the hot, new management trend. My doubt was fueled by the third paragraph of the Journal story that openly admitted …
Like so many people, I loved Game of Thrones. And that’s why ANY big company layoff that’s referred to as a “Marketing Red Wedding” gets my full and undivided attention. The fact that the company is Uber, and the “Red Wedding” description comes from Uber employees about a big layoff that took place there in late July, well, that’s just …
Here’s the latest recruiting wrinkle in job listings: Posting an ad where the company is completely up front about what the position pays — even if it is $181,000 a year. Jeff Hyman, a long-time executive recruiter and author of the bestselling book Recruit Rockstars, recently flagged me to the fact that project management software company Basecamp was looking for …
I’ve seen a LOT of job listings over the last few years, so I shouldn’t be surprised at any of the preposterous skill requirements that some hiring managers seem to be looking for. But then I saw this one. I could hardly believe what was listed as the No. 1 required skill for a position as Advisor to the President …
Did I miss the memo? When did the venerable Performance Improvement Plan — a managerial non sequitur that often has little to do with performance OR improvement — morph into the more concise but equally Orwellian “Corrective Action?” I bumped into this new terminology for what most managers lovingly refer to as a “PIP” a couple of weeks ago when …
I’ve had a lot of jobs so I’ve worked for a lot of different managers — the good, the bad, and the really ugly. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of them, it’s this: it’s rare when you find one that you would really want to work for again. In fact, when I try to count the good …
Do you really believe that today’s U.S. unemployment rate is at the lowest level since 1969? Well I don’t, and I’m getting tired of the constant overhype about how this is possibly the greatest market for job seekers ever, and that anyone who wants a job can find one. That’s because the current job market isn’t nearly as good as …
I’m not easily surprised, but I am when I see something like this: According to The Wall Street Journal, companies are now turning to robots to train and coach young managers. *Insert your bad manager joke here* According to The Journal, the training comes in the form of a bot, “a manager-training app powered by the artificial intelligence of IBM …
I learned long ago that you should always be ready to take good advice — no matter where it comes from. This month, it came from a guy named Michael Dermer who touts himself in his blog and newsletter as The Lonely Entrepreneur. His words of wisdom were short, sweet, and spot-on. He said: “Turn off at a respectable time, …
Count me as a big fan of college internships. I’ve told this story before, but I trace my long career as a journalist and media executive back to my college internship on the Metro Desk of the Los Angeles Times. I got class credit instead of pay, but that wasn’t the point. I wanted a chance to write something that …
