Monday, October 20, 2003

Ed Cone: "The most powerful piece of software inside Microsoft may be the $40 application from a tiny vendor called Userland that Robert Scoble uses to write his weblog." [Scripting News] From the article: There are some barriers to adoption. Using weblogs means trusting your employees to speak honestly and openly. It means conversing with customers, not just marketing to them. It means even more flattening of your organization. I don't write about my work and I'm not at a company big enough to change things much if I did.  However, I will agree that the weblog world has changed my opinion of Microsoft and other companies.  Other companies are missing the opportunity for this to happen if they block it.  It's such a great opportunity to make your company personal in ways that most marketing pieces can not...even with all the pictures of "real people" that you want to use.   There is the chance that the employee could say the wrong thing and it could backfire, so there are trust issues.  However, that's always the case.  I think working to establish the connection that's required for a continual relationship is worse the risk. Comments2:30:46 PM

Oh, I missed this one in my quote list from earlier. Tove Jansson. "You can't ever be really free if you admire somebody too much." Admiring somebody too much often sets you up for a fall.  No one is perfect.   And thinking someone is or is even close is hard for them and it's hard for you.  At the same time, a certain level of admiration does seem good for you.  Often times I think that I've seen how well someone else did or such and it's inspired me to do well myself.  You just can't be a glutton with your admiration.  :) Comments2:10:50 PM

No Decision is a Decision from [Managing Product Development] Managers are paid to make decisions. When I've seen organizations fail, in each case, the management team forgot that their job was to make the tough decisions. Managers have to make decisions in the face of ambiguity. No decision is still a decision -- to continue on as in the past. Sometimes, that's the right decision. But all too often, it's the wrong decision. Remember to apply the rule of three with decision-making. If you don't have three valid options, (one of which might be to continue on) you don't understand the problem. If you think your only option is to maintain the status quo, you're not working to the best of your management ability. Make sure you think of at least two other, worthy options. When you think about decisions, consider this: Only one alternative is a trap. Two alternatives is a dilemma. Three alternatives offer you a real choice. (I learned this from Jerry Weinberg.) Remember, no decision is a still a decision -- a decision to continue on as you have been. If you're satisfied with the results, that may be exactly the right decision. But if you're not satisfied with the results, generate more options. Then you'll have a decision that works for you. And your management will count. I think even something like the inactivity that I was just discussing from the quotes can be viewed as making the decision to live with the results.  The difference is that a lot of the decisions I'm feeling in my life really only affect me and my future.  As a manager, your decisions are affecting your team and your company.  It's a big deal to avoid making a decision instead of considering at least three options.  That's a nice rule of thuumb. Comments2:02:50 PM

Two good quotes: Dorothee Solle. "If my hands are fully occupied in holding on to something, I can neither give nor receive." This really hits home for a lot of people I know who are stretching so far beyond their means that they really can't give or get any help...because then they'd break.   I'm happy to say that I don't feel near breakable at this point. Alfred Lord Tennyson. "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers." Wisdom has been interesting to me lately. I've been realizing how many times I have the knowledge I need to know what to do, but not the *something* that's needed to do it. I know when I need to talk to someone or not. I know when I need to work or spend time on myself or my home, but that's not enough to do it.  I think wisdom might be what I need.  :)   Comments1:57:20 PM

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