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Productivity News
The Beautiful Mess
2M
173
Image Credit: The Beautiful Mess
TBM 308: Boundary of Safely Challenged Assumptions
- Software product development has idealized approaches to working firmly planted in mission command, independent teams etc.
- However, there is no established vocabulary for when things go wrong.
- We are capable of more systematic approaches to responding to complex events, although with normal operations, cause and effect may be difficult to tease out.
- Visibility of the shop floor is not visible in the same way as it is in other industries, and even in synchronous, in-person work, all you see is a group of people sitting at computer screens.
- The idealised view of independence and small teams is largely mythologised in software development. It is surprisingly fragile when something goes wrong.
- There is not yet an accepted vocabulary for addressing incoherence between processes and people.
- Designing software development organisations based on the premise of uncertainty would benefit safety in challenging assumptions.
- Organisational structure boundaries need to be flexible, ensuring that systematic introspection and adaptation is supported to prosper under exceptional conditions.
- The discussion proposes that maximum team sizes should be able to challenge its assumptions under difficult conditions.
- Idealistic structures in software development lead to fragility under challenging conditions.
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Leah’s ProducTea
2M
241
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Working in a company that doesn't know their customers
- Knowing your Ideal Customer Profile is crucial for product, marketing, and sales teams.
- Designing for everyone means designing for no one.
- Without knowing your customers, it's impossible to prioritize effectively.
- Leadership buy-in is critical for defining and implementing the ICP across the company.
- A specific definition allows for organizational focus and the ability to say no to good ideas for the wrong customers.
- B2B businesses struggle with not having enough people to interview and measure, which can lead to expanding the number of people they listen to.
- A good Ideal Customer Profile gives clear guidance on who to use for insights, preventing compromise.
- Focusing on specific industries and use cases is important for product teams to get meaningful direction on what to build.
- Not having a clear ICP can lead to wasted marketing spend, product-market misalignment, increased customer churn, and slowed growth.
- Creating a scalable product without knowing your customers is impossible.
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Minis
2M
2.5k
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Viral Pics Show Resumes Of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates When They Were 18
- Vintage resumes of tech legends Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, from when they were 18, have gone viral on social media.
- Jobs’ 1973 resume highlights his focus on electronics and technology, while Gates’ 1971 resume lists programming languages like FORTRAN and COBOL, and his $35,000 salary—a notable amount at the time.
- Gates also mentions his partnership with Paul G. Allen, which led to Microsoft’s founding. Social media users are calling these documents "fascinating" and a glimpse into the early ambitions of these world-changing innovators.
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Minis
2M
1.8k
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3 High-Income Skills To Learn For Free Without A Degree In 2024
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Learning AI can boost your salary by up to 40%. Free courses include "AI for Everyone" by DeepLearning.AI and "Generative AI with Large Language Models" by AWS.
- Data Analysis: Data analytics skills are in high demand, with potential earnings of up to $150,000 annually. Free courses include the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.
- Strategic/Critical Thinking: Employers value these soft skills for leadership and decision-making. Free resources include the "Strategic Leadership And Management" course by Coursera.
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Minis
2M
18.9k
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Asking these questions at the end of an interview could cost you the job
- Tailor Your Questions: Avoid generic queries like "What are you looking for?" and ask about specific responsibilities to show genuine interest.
- Work from Home Caution: Asking directly about working from home can signal disinterest in office work. Instead, inquire about the weekly schedule or office culture.
- Don’t Demand: Avoid asking "What can your company offer me?" This can come across as demanding. Instead, ask about company policies they’re proud of.
- Postpone Salary Talks: Save salary discussions for a follow-up email after the interview for better timing.
- Subtlety in Work-Life Balance: Don’t ask "What time will I finish every day?" Instead, ask about the company’s work environment to gauge work-life balance
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The FishmanAF Newsletter
2M
101
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How To Do Things That Don’t Scale
- It is important to do things that don’t scale, as these efforts can effectively solve some of the hardest problems for companies and people.
- In customer acquisition, “unscalable” tactics like guerilla marketing, non-traditional marketing channels, and in-person activations can be very effective.
- Human-powered tactics like calling potential drivers, in-person training before launching, and a manual referral program can also be effective.
- In addition to customer acquisition, unscalable operations like building creator pages, culture building with internal newsletters, charging patrons subversively, and forecasting with daily manual updates can be effective.
- These unscalable tactics require hard work, but they can help bring companies closer to customers and build better products.
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Minis
2M
1.2k
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Women earn 22-30% less than their male colleagues in popular tech jobs: TeamLease report
- A recent TeamLease Digital report reveals a significant gender pay gap in India's tech sector, with women earning 22-30% less than men in popular roles like product manager, data scientist, and DevOps.
- Even at entry-level positions, women make about 15.38% less than their male counterparts. The disparity is attributed to structural inequalities, unequal role distribution, barriers to career advancement, and negotiation gaps.
- The pay gap widens with higher positions due to limited mentorship and promotion opportunities. The average overall pay gap in general tech roles is approximately 10-17%.
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The Beautiful Mess
2M
217
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The "X" Files (65.57% of 2024 Edition)
- In 2024, short dialogues on LinkedIn have become popular, with many using the format Simon Wardley uses on Twitter, where he converses with “X”.
- X refers to different people in different conversations but has usually been described as someone who is not evil, completely incompetent or an asshole, but rather someone with whom people have different views about how things should be.
- Different conversations between X and other people on various topics are presented in the article, such as consistent sprint lengths, open-ended priorities, when projects will be done, productivity and performance, accountability, and many others.
- One conversation talks about a manager who believes that good managers should be able to have 8-12 reports, but it is pointed out that the workload is too much for most managers, and it is unlikely to be improved unless something changes.
- Another conversation highlights how companies often identify too many priorities, causing teams to be spread too thin, resulting in a lack of focus on projects that are most important, and causing inefficiencies.
- In a separate conversation, designers were asked to become more business-savvy, leading a designer to become a product manager, although they find themselves unhappy and unfulfilled.
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Minis
2M
1.4k
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3 things you should never tell your manager, from an HR professional
- Your Weekend Plans: Avoid sharing details about weekend activities, especially if they involve partying or excessive drinking. Managers might associate these with your work habits, leading to negative assumptions about your reliability.
- Personal Problems at Home: Refrain from discussing personal issues with your manager, as it can make them question your focus and ability to handle your role. It’s better to be vague about personal emergencies if needed.
- Disliking Your Coworker for Their Personality: Don’t complain about a coworker’s personality traits to your manager. This could make you seem unprofessional and focused on irrelevant issues. If a coworker’s performance is problematic, address it constructively.
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27 Likes
Minis
2M
403
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Lenovo employee fired for peeing in hotel lobby seeks $1.5 million from company
- Richard Becker, a 66-year-old former Lenovo salesman, is suing the company for $1.5 million after his dismissal for urinating in a Times Square hotel lobby.
- Becker, who has a chronic bladder condition and has been under urological care since 2016, claims he was forced to relieve himself due to an urgent need. According to the lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court, Lenovo terminated Becker without proper investigation or consideration of his disability.
- The lawsuit accuses Lenovo of discrimination under New York State and City human rights laws. Becker, who was reportedly unaware that a coworker reported him, has been unemployed since his firing. Lenovo has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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Minis
2M
1.7k
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Flipkart gifted this to Bengaluru man after his post on getting a new laptop in 13 minutes went viral
- Sunny R Gupta, a software developer, recently went viral after ordering an Acer Predator laptop on Flipkart Minutes, a quick commerce service, and receiving it within 13 minutes.
- The unexpected speed led to widespread attention, and Flipkart rewarded him with a laptop bag. Gupta emphasized that the post was not a marketing stunt but a genuine expression of surprise.
- "I had no incentive to create a viral moment or engage in any marketing ploy," Gupta said. Despite this, he admitted enjoying the attention, noting, "I'm not complaining." Flipkart Minutes was recently launched in select areas of Bengaluru.
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Minis
2M
1.3k
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Amazon Employee Says He Earns Rs 3 Crore For Doing "Nothing", Sparks Discussion
- A Senior Technical Program Manager at Amazon confessed on Blind, an anonymous forum, that he has been earning over ₹3 crore annually for doing minimal work.
- The employee, who joined Amazon after being laid off by Google, revealed that in 1.5 years, he has only resolved seven support tickets and built one automated dashboard, taking three days but claiming it took months.
- He spends most of his day attending meetings and avoiding extra work. This revelation sparked debate online, with users expressing mixed reactions about the situation and its implications on corporate culture.
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The Beautiful Mess
2M
116
Image Credit: The Beautiful Mess
TBM 308: No Unforced Errors
- When you are passionate about helping others, improving ways of working, challenging the status quo on behalf of those hurt by the status quo, etc., you will invariably have an off day.
- Research has shown that negative events are more salient and that we process them more thoroughly (negativity bias).
- Unforced errors in work come at the expense of achieving desired outcomes.
- Sometimes, the best strategy is to let things implode and burn to the ground. Do nothing. Save your energy.
- You only have a narrow window to influence change at a global level in any organization.
- The best strategy is to be there with the best relationships, trust, and confidence after the crash.
- Given that it is impossible always to have a good day—especially when navigating the thorny mess of change, how can I make the smartest decisions regarding how I apply my energy?
- Show grace to ourselves, and seek long-term positive things without burning out.
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Minis
2M
12.7k
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These 2 simple tips will make you sound smarter, says communication expert
- Matt Abrahams, author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter, offers two key tips for sounding smarter and more confident in professional settings.
- First, avoid using complex words; simplicity is clearer and more effective. Abrahams highlights that communication aims to make information accessible, not to impress with jargon.
- Second, slow down your speech. Speaking too quickly can make you seem nervous, while a measured pace conveys thoughtfulness and focus. Abrahams advises breathing slower, syncing gestures with speech, and imagining you’re speaking to non-native listeners to naturally regulate your speaking speed.
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95 Likes
Minis
2M
227
Image Credit: Minis
10 Impressive Questions to Ask in a Job Interview
- Success Metrics: "How will you measure success in this position?"
- Challenges: "What challenges might the role involve?"
- Daily Routine: "What does a typical day look like?"
- Turnover: "How long did the previous person stay in this role?"
- Initial Goals: "What should be accomplished in the first six months?"
- Top Performers: "What makes someone great in this role?"
- Culture: "How would you describe the company culture?"
- Personal Experience: "What do you like about working here?"
- Important Questions: "What’s crucial for me to know about this role?"
- Next Steps: "What’s the timeline for the next steps?"
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