Leading Geeks

Can they actually be led?

Category Archives: general leadership

The burned-out geek leader

I’ve been thinking recently about different types of leaders.  Or at least of different of types of behaviors that leaders might exhibit.  If I keep thinking about it, this may well turn into a series.  If I stop thinking about it, however, I reserve the right to change topics. The first one that I thought [...]

Why does my staff hate me?

If you’ve ever managed people and (like me) are somewhat empathic, you’ve had this experience: you walk into the office, and you can feel the waves of disgruntlement radiating from your staff. You’re not sure why or what happened, but they’re grumpy.  If it were just one or two of them, you could easily brush [...]

My job as a manager

When you think about it, management is really a necessary evil.  Oh, sure, I happen to weirdly like it and have been accused of having a talent for it, but it’s really unfortunate that we need as much management as we do. Just think about it.  When your team or company is small enough, you [...]

Dear Job Applicant: Your résumé is driving me insane

Dear Job Applicants: Your résumés are driving me nuts.  So nuts that I’ve created a list: You don’t tailor your résumé to my job posting.  If my job posting says you have to know marketing and be able to teach, the word “marketing” should actually SHOW UP on your résumé.  If I specify that you [...]

I Can’t Keep You Fixed

Yeah, I know. Your job sucks sometimes. Servers crash, users complain, you are looking to your next job but haven’t quite gotten there yet, etc. Or maybe you’re having some troubles at home, not sleeping, etc. I promise you that I will do my best, as your manager/leader/director/chief whatsit officer, to make your job better. [...]

When You Shouldn’t Hire “The Best”

“We always hire the best.” “The people who work here are the best people in the world.” “We never use the phrase ‘good enough’ in our hiring.” I’ve seen countless companies completely mess themselves up by sticking to some sort of resolve to “hire the best” without thinking it through.  They hire the coolest, brightest, [...]

Leading Geeks through Disasters

Some of you have read this blog for a while might already know that I have some experience with technology disasters. Specifically, two back-to-back disasters involving many gallons of water and a server room, thereby earning me the nickname “Waterfall Girl” a few years back. (Which didn’t really stick, luckily.) Here are some lessons I’ve learned: [...]

Does Management REALLY Mean Death by Meeting?

    I’ve been trying to figure out best practices for, well, just getting stuff done with other people.  Somehow, it seems like we use email when we should use a meeting, a meeting when we should use a quick face-to-face, and a quick face-to-face when we should use email.  I’m constantly left feeling somewhat, [...]

Geeks & Gag Rules

If you’re a geek leader, are you gagging your geeks?  (No, I don’t mean with your lack of showering.  That’s probably a different post.) What I’m asking is whether saying certain things is verboten in your department/team/company.  Are you so paranoid that a user or customer will hear someone venting and get offended–I used to [...]

Customer Service = Convenience

Editor’s note: We’ll be announcing all the nifty Leading Geeks changes soon, but Jenn got inspired before that… I admit it, I subscribe to the Harvard Business Review. I’m a total business/leadership/management geek, and I really enjoy the articles and occasional data porn.  Heck, I’m even on the advisory board.  For a publication that’s supposed [...]

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