Blog
Stuck In the Middle #3 Finding meaning
Last week, we explored why people work a job: to make a living. Today, we will explore the other reason, finding meaning. Returning to my dad’s quote, “You aren’t supposed to like all parts of your job. That’s why they pay you.” Implicit in this quote is that there are parts of a job that you enjoy and that give
Stuck in the Middle #2 Working for a living
Years ago, when I complained to my dad about some aspects of my job, he responded, “You aren’t supposed to like all parts of your job. That’s why they pay you.” He had created a split between the part of the job that creates meaning (and you enjoy) and the part that earns you a living. He reasoned that you
Stuck In the Middle #1 Introduction
Welcome to the Stuck In The Middle Newsletter. This Newsletter aims to show you ways of thinking differently about the context of modern knowledge work. This first newsletter should be considered an extended introduction. What does it mean to be stuck in the middle? At times, we all feel stuck in the middle. You may feel stuck between the executive
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
One of the most popular management books of all time Is Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. I have recommended this book to many first-time managers as I think it helps explore some important concepts. That said, it is a book that has some significant issues. I won’t waste a lot of time poking holes in the inanity
360s are broken
Stop doing horrible 360s. Most 360s that I have encountered in organizations are poorly designed. They ask the reviewer to provide objective, holistic feedback on an individual. They ask things like, “Is this person a great coach and mentor for their team?” And asks the reviewer to rate the person on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning