Management Bits and Tips

It’s important to see signs of the approaching troubles from any possible angle including social media like Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter (bit). For example, if your company or someone from the hierarchy above you follows you on Twitter monitor that to catch the moment when that account stops following you (tip).

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

I found the book Selling the Work Ethic: From Puritan Pulpit to Corporate PR in a local library a few months ago and was intrigued by its title and table of contents. After reading it from cover to cover I must say I was really surprised to learn much more about capitalism and the unfolding of consumer society than I learnt during Soviet era from Marxist propaganda. Having a big management library myself I would say I never questioned why all these management books were printed. To know why you need to read this book. Funny enough, after reading, I stumbled across the demo of a computer game about Sponge Bob where he was about to start working hard to be promoted to a management position. Walking around his house he met a welfare creature who asked him not to forget him after the promotion. The whole episode now looks from a fresh selling work ethic perspective especially when I learnt that the CD came from a packet of children food bought in Tesco (selling work values to kids?). I liked the book and bought another one from the same author: This Little Kiddy Went to Market: The Corporate Assault on Children and also a biography Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

Previously announced book (publication date is 1st of September, 2010) now got preliminary front and back covers.

Front cover:

Back cover:

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

Some people cling to their jobs unwilling to move on because of the possible redundancy payout accumulated over years. They just afraid of loosing it when moving to a new job (bit). Consider job hunting companies that offer a sign off bonus. As a fraction of your possible redundancy package it can ease your departure. Alternatively divide your minimal redundancy package into the number of months, for example, the length of a probation period, and add this to a new compensation when negotiating with your potential employer (tip).

No comments here. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

Downflooring / upflooring could be the mild version of downsizing, promotion or demotion, depends on the office space plans for your next office move. It could also mean nothing if staff streaming is rotational, as mathematicians say, div rot S = 0 or it might say which employee team or a functional unit is important if streaming was done relative to some non-movable office. It might also mean team compression, to minimize staff gradient, like mathematicians say, grad T = 0.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

Have you ever been worried about managerial amnesia? There are two types of it: the full amnesia and the partial one. The latter one is the most dangerous. Being selective, it provokes worries. The full amnesia, on the contrary, might stem from the current organization focus in other functional areas and could be even a confirmation of trust. Here is the story. I was made redundant in one company long time ago. A month before that, I asked to replace a light bulb in the room because I used to work very long hours. However the light bulb had never been changed and only after redundancy I realized that it was one of the warning signs: there was no need to replace the light bulb - I was one in the office room and after my redundancy the room became empty…

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

If you move to work in another country it is always useful to read about local workplace norms, redundancy regulations, various employment acts and other smart knowledge. If you happen to be the native of that country then you should prefer to read such books as well. More than 8 years ago when I moved to work in Ireland I bought this guide (one of the previous editions):

Working And Living In Ireland

Today I was visiting a local bookshop and browsing the bargains section where I found this book written by the same author and immediately bought it. “Exit” chapter is recommended to read during the current turbulent times in Irish economy.

Smart Moves at Work in Ireland

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -

The title of this post employs an operating system metaphor for a team member as a thread in a process (team).  I recalled this morning a book that I was reading 3 years ago and dug it from one of my dark dusty office corners:

My Job Went to India: 52 Ways to Save Your Job (Pragmatic Programmers)

I think it is relevant in this economic downturn if you replace India as an empty set or empty string: My Job Went to “”.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ ManagementBits.com -