In my last article on silent culture killers, I talked about failing to address rumors as one of the things that seem harmless on the surface but can do quite a lot of damage if left unfixed. I felt that point alone merited an article of its own. Consider this my 2020 reflection (or at…
Category: Engineering Management
Dealing With Four Silent Culture Killers
Company culture – a holy grail that most companies hold in very high regard and rightfully so. Yet, despite all the motivational speeches and slogans plastered throughout our office walls, we often find ourselves in holes that are a bit difficult to climb out of and cycles that seem… counterproductive, to say the least. There…
How Teamwork Can Water Down Individual Preferences
Let me share something I’ve recently learned the hard way. Back story – one of the engineers on my team has decided to pursue another opportunity and leave our company, which caught me and most the rest of our team a bit off-guard. There were no warning signs and no discussion around the possibility as…
Exercising the golden rule with care
While it seems pedantic to even be discussing it, there is definitely a lot to talk about when it comes to the two variations of the golden rule. To those unfamiliar, the two variations are the Christian variation, which is phrased as: Do unto others what you would have them do unto you. … and…
Why Decisions Shouldn’t Be Judged By Outcomes
I’m currently in a business analytics class in my MBA program, which is all about using quantitative methods for coming up with the best business decisions. There was one particular quote mentioned in the intro session that really got me thinking. A good decision is different from a good outcome. This really spoke to me….
The Big Problem With Estimates
It’s no question that estimates still play a big role in modern-day planning. It’s easy to see why. Estimations give us a mental model of what’s possible in a given timeframe. Having an estimate gives us a sense of security that we know what’s coming and based on which we might drive the rest of…