Suggested Reading: The No A#*hole Rule

The No A#*hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't, by Robert I. Sutton.
Based on our last blog entry, I'm sensing a theme here. This will be last A-bomb in a while, we promise.

Whether you are a worker trying to improve your skills at navigating the social intricacies of the workplace, or a higher-level manager trying to keep an eye out for trouble makers, this book may be of interest.

From the publisher: "Sutton then uses in-depth research and analysis to show how managers can eliminate mean-spirited and unproductive behavior (while positively channeling some of the virtues of a#*holes) to generate an a#*hole free—and newly productive—workplace. Enlightening case studies include an analysis of how Google's "don't be evil" maxim helped launch the company to unprecedented early growth, how JetBlue and Southwest Airlines "fire" passengers who demean their employees, and how a "belligerent" e-mail from Cerner CEO Neal Patterson made his company’s stock plunge 22% in three days (and how his graceful apology helped the stock bounce back)..."

A#*h^le driven development

"The software industry might be the world’s greatest breeding ground for new systems of management. From Agile, to Extreme Programming , to Test Driven Development (TDD), the acronyms and frameworks keep piling up. Why?

Some say it’s immaturity: that software is still a young industry and all the change is the path to some true fundamentals. Others say it’s because software people like making things up and can’t help themselves. Well I say this: if we’re going to have dozens of models we may as well have some that are honest, however cynical, to what’s really going on much of the time..."

With terms like "Get Me Promoted Methodology (GMPM)" and "Development By Denial (DBD)" this makes for a funny read.

Don't forget to check out some great additions in the comments...

You Might Be a Workaholic If...

By TORY JOHNSON
June 14, 2007

It's a frequently asked question: Do we live to work, or work to live?

A growing number of Americans are finding that they live for work, and some of them are popping up at Workaholics Anonymous meetings nationwide.

Unlike people who simply work very hard, which quite frankly is most of us, workaholics never punch out. They always feel like they are on the clock, 24/7, physically, mentally and emotionally working.

They are more genuinely enthusiastic about work than anything else in their lives, even family and friends. There's nothing that person would rather be doing than working.

And we're not just talking about Fortune 500 executives; nurses and construction workers, among others, attend Workaholics Anonymous meetings to try to kick the habit.

Read the full article.

The rise of the midlevel professional

Good food for thought here, challenging the notion that the higher up the ladder you go and more you earn, the better. How many of us really have the self awareness and willpower to know when it's time to stop? Remember the Peter Principle? Many rat racers would do well to readjust their sights to a more realistic level and think about the trade-offs of a stressful career.

New must have desk accessory?

Everyone who has worked in an office environment knows that different people have different temperature preferences. You may have thought that the guy next to you was born psychotic, but perhaps he's just a bit hot under the collar - literally. Well, this looks like a promising idea: Herman Miller is unveiling a personal heating/cooling unit that goes right on your desk. So rather than coming to work in a parka, you can just turn on the C2 and be snug as a bug. As an added bonus, it's environmentally friendly. As with other Herman Miller products, though, this little luxury won't come cheap though... the price tag is $300.

Feature Update: Enhanced Profiles

We're busy making refinements to the overall Coworkers.com user experience. We are pleased to announce some recent refinements to the way Profiles are presented. Improvements include a more prominent highlighting of the overall rating, and quick links to options for the profile.



This is just a taste of some of the updates coming in the weeks ahead. Thanks again to all of our users. We'll keep you posted as other stuff goes live.

Managing Generational Differences in the Workplace

fastcompany.com: "Different generations exude various qualities and have differing needs in the work place. Get an insider's tips on how to manage diverse teams by recognizing three fundamental needs that are common across employees of all generations...

I think that, underneath the dazzling differences, three perennial commonalities remain: the desire for fairness, the need to be stretched, and a yearning for community..."

This article attempts to specify the primary qualities of a universally satisfying workplace. The "three key ingredients" outlined in the article - fairness, stretch, and community - seem like pretty good buckets to lump things into. However it would be nice to see more elaboration on issues of: blending of personalities, flexible work schedules, and team communication.

One for the employers

6 People You Should Never Hire. Pretty humorous, in a Men's Health sort of way. The people described in this article can certainly be found here at Coworkers.com!