Archive for March, 2013

How to Create Memorable Lectures

Posted on March 27th, 2013 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

Lecturing has been one of my passions ever since I first entered the workforce 35 years ago. Wherever I was employed I’d volunteer to deliver lectures every chance I had: to fellow employees, to new hires, to visitors, to students, at conferences – and now that I’m self-employed I also do it for a living (though I still can’t resist volunteering to lecture for free if it’s in a good cause). I’ve delivered hundreds of talks on VLSI technology, Technical Leadership, Internet adoption, Information Overload, Social Media, the History of Computing, Innovation, Quality Assurance, Science… and it turns out that.. Read more

Responses to Common Objections to Telecommuting

Posted on March 21st, 2013 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

I’ve already posted my thoughts about Marissa Mayer’s announcement banning telecommuting at Yahoo. Since then I’ve noticed how – after the initial indignation had abated – writers across the blogosphere and media started raising arguments taking Ms. Mayer’s side. Some of them make sense, but many confuse problems with telecommuting with problems in company culture and management competence. Having battled many similar objections when I was championing this cause at Intel years ago, I can’t resist weighing in on the side of reason… and so should you when considering allowing your employees to work from home. Here goes, then: Objection.. Read more

What Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer May Be Missing About Telecommuting

Posted on March 13th, 2013 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

Last month there was a big hoopla  when Yahoo’s CEO, Marissa Mayer, issued a ban on Work from Home by the company’s employees. Like troops retreating into the castle, Yahoos have been recalled to the office. All over the planet the media and blogosphere are abuzz with criticism and counter-criticism about what was seen as a regression from the reigning paradigm of workplace flexibility and Work/Life balance. Even the irrelevant fact that Mayer is a woman and a mother was used by some who painted her as a traitor to her gender. As a veteran driver of Telecommuting, let me.. Read more

New Insight Article: Lessons From the First Decade of Knowledge Management

Posted on March 5th, 2013 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

I was very fortunate to hop on the KM bandwagon long before it became a bandwagon, before it was a trend or a buzzword, before it was even called Knowledge Management. This forced me to really think about what it really was all about; and it gave me the opportunity to share this thinking with others who were leading the exploration of this new territory. Today, 17 years and many projects later, I observe that most people don’t look beyond the Knowledge Management hype; entire organizations fail to address the layers below the obvious immediate aspects of KM. Thus, although.. Read more

Rosh Gadol: How You Can Manage for Initiative and Get Away With It

Posted on March 3rd, 2013 · Posted in Analysis and Opinion

What on earth is Rosh Gadol? These are terms that every Israeli knows, and like much Israeli slang they come from the army: Rosh Gadol (literally, a large head) – a person who sees the bigger picture, takes initiative, and goes beyond the immediate task at hand or the orders given to ensure that the end goal is achieved. Rosh katan (a small head) – one who obeys instructions literally and avoids any initiative beyond their exact wording, often to the detriment of the intended mission. In Israel Rosh Katan is usually used pejoratively; in a culture known for its.. Read more