Many people working in large companies speak business-buzzwords as a second language. Business language is full of pretty meaningless words. I Don’t Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore article tells that the language of internet business models has made the problem even worse. There are several strains of this epidemic: We have forgotten how to use the real names of real things, acronymitis, and Meaningless Expressions (like “Our goal is to exceed the customer’s expectation”). This would all be funny if it weren’t true. Observe it, deconstruct it, and appreciate just how ridiculous most business conversation has become.
Check out this brilliant Web Economy Bullshit Generator page. It generates random bullshit text based on the often used words in business language. And most of the material it generates look something you would expect from IT executives and their speechwriters (those are randomly generated with Web Economy Bullshit Generator):
“scale viral web services”
“integrate holistic mindshare”
“transform back-end solutions”
“incentivize revolutionary portals”
“synergize out-of-the-box platforms”
“enhance world-class schemas”
“aggregate revolutionary paradigms”
“enable cross-media relationships”
How to talk like a CIO article tries to tell how do CIOs talk, and what do they talk about, and why they do it like they do it. It sometimes makes sense to analyze the speaking and comportment styles of the people who’ve already climbed the corporate ladder if you want to do the same.
The Most Annoying, Pretentious And Useless Business Jargon article tells that the stupid business talk is longer solely the province of consultants, investors and business-school types, this annoying gobbledygook has mesmerized the rank and file around the globe. The next time you feel the need to reach out, touch base, shift a paradigm, leverage a best practice or join a tiger team, by all means do it. Just don’t say you’re doing it. If you have to ask why, chances are you’ve fallen under the poisonous spell of business jargon. Jargon masks real meaning. The Most Annoying, Pretentious And Useless Business Jargon article has a cache of expressions to assiduously avoid (if you look out you will see those used way too many times in business documents and press releases).
Is Innovation the Most Abused Word In Business? article tells that most of what is called innovation today is mere distraction, according to a paper by economist Robert Gordon. Innovation is the most abused word in tech. The iPad is about as innovative as the toaster. You can still read books without an iPad, and you can still toast bread without a toaster. True innovation radically alters the way we interact with the world. But in tech, every little thing is called “innovative.” If you were to believe business grads then “innovation” includes their “ideas” along the lines of “a website like *only better*” or “that thing which everyone is already doing but which I think is my neat new idea” Whether or not the word “innovation” has become the most abused word in the business context, that remains to be seen. “Innovation” itself has already been abused by the patent trolls.
Using stories to catch ‘smart-talk’ article tells that smart-talk is information without understanding, theory without practice – ‘all mouth and no trousers’, as the old aphorism puts it. It’s all too common amongst would-be ‘experts’ – and likewise amongst ‘rising stars’ in management and elsewhere. He looks the part; he knows all the right buzzwords; he can quote chapter-and-verse from all the best-known pundits and practitioners. But is it all just empty ‘smart-talk’? Even if unintentional on their part, people who indulge in smart-talk can be genuinely dangerous. They’ll seem plausible enough at first, but in reality they’ll often know just enough to get everyone into real trouble, but not enough to get out of it again. Smart-talk is the bane of most business – and probably of most communities too. So what can we do to catch it?
2,597 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kärsitkö boreoutista? Töissä tylsistyminen on tabu, mutta se on burnoutin kaltainen uhka työhyvinvoinnille
https://atalent.fi/fi/blog/boreout-toissa-tylsistyminen?utm_medium=paid&utm_source=facebook+instagram&utm_campaign=b2c_some&utm_content=boreout_v1_kuva&hsa_acc=10150179678108607&hsa_cam=6271425139202&hsa_grp=6271524335802&hsa_ad=6278142898602&hsa_src=fb&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_ver=3&fbclid=IwAR3y8-66qkO1rmLX3IjAttNjo0y1JJzIox8G24cIq-j5EFqYHFenPtumagE
Tomi Engdahl says:
Third of world economy to hit recession in 2023, IMF head warns
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/02/third-of-world-economy-to-hit-recession-in-2023-imf-head-warns
China’s lagging growth a key threat this year, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said, while the US is ‘most resilient.’
For much of the global economy, 2023 is going to be a tough year as the main engines of global growth – the US, Europe and China – all experience weakening activity, the head of the International Monetary Fund has warned.
The new year is going to be “tougher than the year we leave behind,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said on the CBS Sunday morning news program Face the Nation on Sunday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://duunitori.fi/tyoelama/huippumyyja-palkkaneuvottelu?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=falcon&utm_campaign=Duunitori&fbclid=IwAR3hObM7Zv0DwECek_Sj5mmQeLphXM32ZwMSiJERMavqyHsJauXOIrp6PfE
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2023/01/04/9-ways-to-demonstrate-that-youre-a-leader-when-your-job-is-individual-contributor/?utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainFB&sh=6e5ac21c7e47
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/linnoittautuiko-kollega-kotikonttorille-syyna-voivat-olla-burnout-oireet?utm_content=fb_post_falcon&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=OTTY_B2C&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3JAnmGWv33eJCgODIPsM201cirLjq_SWOGz0XegS8mcBdi45cs46Hmnuc
Tomi Engdahl says:
Burnout-oireet
uupumusasteinen väsymys
kyynistyneisyys
alentunut ammatillinen itsetunto
kognitiiviset ja tunne-elämän hallinnan vaikeudet
yleiset stressioireet
Lähde: Duodecim Terveyskirjasto
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Create a Winning Speech? Tips From Past Speaker Contest Winners
https://www.nbforum.com/newsroom/blog/speaker-contest-2023/how-to-create-a-winning-speech-tips-from-past-speaker-contest-winners/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/07/stop-asking-how-are-you-harvard-researchers-say-this-is-how-successful-people-make-small-talk.html#Echobox=1673540164
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/lahtijat-kun-tyopaikan-vaihto-on-ainoa-oikea-ratkaisu
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/linnoittautuiko-kollega-kotikonttorille-syyna-voivat-olla-burnout-oireet
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.op.fi/corporate-customers/customer-relationship/large-corporations/survey-of-large-corporations
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/mista-tietaa-etta-on-aika-vaihtaa-tyopaikkaa-5-syyta-hakea-uutta-tyota
Tomi Engdahl says:
Startups often fall into the trap of writing off incumbents as too big to act, too clueless to know what customers want and too incompetent to deliver good products. That’s a convenient story, but it often isn’t completely true.
https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/17/build-a-company-not-a-feature/?tpcc=ecfb2020
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Verge:
Over 24 current and ex-Twitter staff detail Elon Musk’s destructive leadership: mass layoffs, relaunching Blue, losing money, and breaking the company’s culture
Extremely Hardcore
https://www.theverge.com/23551060/elon-musk-twitter-takeover-layoffs-workplace-salute-emoji
Twitter’s staff spent years trying to protect the social media site against impulsive billionaires who wanted to use the reach of its platform for their own ends, and then one made himself the CEO.
In April 2022, Elon Musk acquired a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter, making him the company’s largest shareholder, and was offered a seat on the board. Luke Simon, a senior engineering director at Twitter, was ecstatic. “Elon Musk is a brilliant engineer and scientist, and he has a track record of having a Midas touch, when it comes to growing the companies he’s helped lead,” he wrote in Slack.
Twitter had been defined by the catatonic leadership of Jack Dorsey, a co-founder who simultaneously served as CEO of the payments business Block (formerly Square). Dorsey, who was known for going on long meditation retreats, fasting 22 hours a day, and walking five miles to the office, acted as an absentee landlord, leaving Twitter’s strategy and daily operations to a handful of trusted deputies. When he spoke about Twitter, it was often as if someone else were running the company. To Simon and those like him, it was hard to see Twitter as anything other than wasted potential.
In its early days, when Twitter was at its most Twittery, circa 2012, executives called the company “the free-speech wing of the free-speech party.”
Twitter rode this momentum to become one of the most important companies in tech: an all-consuming obsession for those working or merely interested in politics, sports, and journalism around the world. Frequently, the platform set the news agenda and transformed nobodies into Main Characters. What it lacked in profits it more than made up for in influence.
Rumors were swirling that Musk planned to cut 75 percent of the company. People were audibly sobbing in the bathrooms.
No one understood how to weaponize that influence better than Donald Trump, who in 2016 propelled himself into the White House in part by harnessing hate and vitriol via his @realDonaldTrump feed. A new consensus that the site was a sewer made it worth a lot less money. Disney CEO Bob Iger pulled out of a bid to acquire Twitter, saying the “nastiness” on the platform was extraordinary.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/tyylikkaana-toimistolle-mita-tyopukeutuminen-kertoo-sinusta?utm_content=fb_post_falcon&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=OTTY_B2C&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3IkAxi-ltKRmNbYX3FgfqlnMDosz8jkuNEHvW6e6LFkwbXHgVgy6r1I2E
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://kollega.fi/2023/01/miksi-hyvista-johtajista-puhutaan-niin-vahan/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Voiko yrityksesi tärkein pääoma hyvin?
https://www.taitotalo.fi/artikkelit/voiko-yrityksesi-tarkein-paaoma-hyvin?fbclid=IwAR1ICa_7MQvy0_cyHJP6O8abW8xRolHVX4Dd5SkAY4k7tVq1YCimQ3nXAKk
Sanotaan, että nyt on työntekijän markkinat. Osaavasta työvoimasta on huutava pula, koska emme ole osanneet ennakoida työmarkkinoiden muutoksia riittävän nopeasti.
Taustalla ovat monet muutokset: eläköitymisen kiihtyminen, syntyvyyden alentuminen, tiukka maahanmuuttopolitiikka, teknologian nopea kehittyminen, ammattitaitovaatimusten kasvu, työn kuormittavuus sekä fyysisesti että henkisesti.
Onko teidän yrityksessänne osattu ennakoida osaajapulaa koskevaa haastetta henkilöstöstrategiassanne? Henkilöstöstrategian yksi tärkein ajuri on liiketoiminnan muutosten ennakointi, jotta liiketoimintastrategian tavoitteet voisi saavuttaa. Liiketoiminta määrittää yrityksen palvelut, prosessit ja osaamisen. Kiihtyvässä työtahdissa voi myös henkilöstön jaksaminen joutua koville. Onko yrityksesi henkilöstöstä huolehdittu? Onko työhyvinvointi kunnossa?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ostovoima on otettava vakavasti
https://insinoori-lehti.fi/tasta-on-kysymys/ostovoima-on-otettava-vakavasti/
Neuvotteluita teknologiateollisuuden kolmesta työehtosopimuksesta on käyty pitkin syksyä ja alkuvuotta. Siitä huolimatta tulokset ovat olleet laihoja tai paremmin sanottuna, tulosta ei ole saatu aikaan. Kyse on yksinkertaisesti siitä, että työnantajaosapuoli ei jostain syystä ota huolta palkansaajien ostovoimasta vakavasti.
Samalla muut alat ja työnantajat ovat hirttäneet itsensä kiinni teknologiateollisuuden palkkaratkaisuun. Missään ei mikään etene, ennen kuin niin kutsuttu päänavaus on teollisuudesta syntynyt. Suma seisoo.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why do developers want to hurt themselves with cargo cult development
https://nitor.com/fi/artikkelit/why-do-developers-want-to-hurt-themselves-with-cargo-cult-development?fbclid=IwAR3qrhgLkLom6I4kh1RSbw3KEh1tm9Fmc-1EVNhfzTqUVyzKnfFnm8WU43M
Cargo cult development is, without fail, the wrong approach. Why is it so alluring then? We need to look at the IT industry and its practices, as well as take a good hard look in the mirror. To find the cure, you need to understand the whys.
Cargo culting = the act of producing code or design without fully understanding it. See more in part 1: How are cargo cults born and how to resist temptation of quick fixes of the article series.
Most developers I have met take great pride in their work. That is why it’s surprising that some people are doing cargo cult development when it hurts them in the long run. There are no definitive answers, but here are some of my thoughts and experiences on the matter.
It starts with the job market
Some employers put a lot of pressure on both job applicants and employees and this behaviour has negative side effects. These side effects are:
Talent shortage
Employers constantly communicate that they cannot find employees and blame talent shortage. This talent shortage in the job market has led to people switching careers and becoming software developers.
If employers hire people who have strong domain knowledge and little software development experience, they must lower their expectations and let these people grow at a sustainable pace. Otherwise, these people start practising cargo cult development because they feel pressured to get things done.
Unrealistic expectations by employers
Employers publish job ads which have unrealistic experience requirements. This is a bad practice because of two reasons:
Some people believe that you have to fulfil all requirements to be hired. This means that they have a very strong incentive to have a shallow understanding of the required technologies so that they can claim to fulfil the requirements. If you hire them, they will practise cargo cult development to live up to the partly false promises they made.
People are encouraged to apply, even if they don’t fulfil all the requirements. Even though the employer knows that the person will be slower in the beginning, as they need to catch up on the required skills, the employee may feel they need to step up to the plate. In this situation practising cargo cult development can be tempting because this will help them feel productive.
It’s tempting to play the CV game
I have worked in the IT industry for over 20 years. During this time, software development has become both simpler and more challenging. We have more tools than we used to have, and these tools can make software development easier if we know when and how we should use them.
Sadly, at same time, the IT industry has fallen in love with something I call the CV game. This game aims to build an impressive CV that helps you brand yourself as a unicorn who can basically select their next dream job or consulting gig. These unicorns are highly sought after because they are easy to sell.
The only problem is that becoming a true unicorn takes a lot of time. That’s why it’s extremely tempting to take a shortcut in cases like these:
Junior developers don’t get enough time to develop their skills
if you are a student or have switched careers and have yet to find a job at a company with a training program for junior developers, you might be in trouble. It’s hard to gain a deep understanding of the required technologies if you have to do it on your own.
“Because you still have to pay the bills, it’s very tempting to try to fake it until you make it.”
The employer doesn’t allow worktime for skills development
If you work for a consulting company, your employer assumes you keep your skills up-to-date. However, not all employers allow you to use work time for learning new skills.
Because software development requires continuous learning, people must be allowed to learn new things when they are on the clock. If employers expect that people will study new technologies in their free time, most employees won’t do it. If these people have to use a technology unfamiliar to them, there is a high chance that they will practise cargo cult development.
We need a good, hard look in the mirror
It’s not fair to put all blame on external factors such as employers, recruitment agencies, customers, or the IT industry in general. That’s why I want to end this article by identifying reasons professional software developers end up doing cargo cult development. These are:
Farewell to jack of all trades, master of none
The constant (and in some cases rapid) development of programming languages, frameworks, and libraries means that no one can be an expert on everything. Some people become anxious and start to doubt their skills and ability to do their job.
“The cure is to accept that developers cannot be the masters of everything and concentrate on mastering a limited set of tools they use in their daily work.”
Resist groupthink and celebrate in critical thinking
People are often looking for easy answers to hard questions. Many developers and architects are building their brands by writing articles and recording videos which describe why a specific architecture style or design pattern is the best thing that has happened to humankind. These social media influencers have become a kind of superstars who have followers and fans.
Unfortunately, this has led to a situation where the value of an opinion depends on the person who presents it. For example, it’s quite common for people to give more weight to social media influencers’ opinions than to an unknown developer’s opinions.
Assess whether you are cut out for the job
Some developers are just not cut for the job they are in. Not everyone can become a professional software developer. It’s vital to admit that some people will never be good software developers because they don’t have the required analytical mindset. Also, it’s equally important to understand that this doesn’t make these people any less valuable. It just means that these people were born to do great things in other roles or other areas of life.
Above we’ve explored the reasons why cargo cult development happens in the first place. In my next blog posts, I will give some tips to software product organizations and product owners, employers and developers on how to nip the lure of cargo cult development in the bud.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.taitotalo.fi/artikkelit/voiko-yrityksesi-tarkein-paaoma-hyvin?fbclid=IwAR3bODSYugiDOBI-mC0NLEgMHK7MKAw4F6ebLCmXeabBDYq9an2pzhnK8lo
Tomi Engdahl says:
Taklaa työuupumus ajoissa – uupumuksesta toipuneiden oivalluksia
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/taklaa-tyouupumus-ajoissa-uupumuksesta-toipuneiden-oivalluksia
Työyhteisössä hoetaan kiirettä kuin mantraa, ylitöitä paiskitaan salaa pomolta ja väsymys hyväksytään osaksi perhe-elämää. Toisinkin voisi olla. Työuupumuksesta toipuneiden oivallukset auttavat rakentamaan arkea, jota jaksaa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/kuusi-supervoimaa-nama-ovat-introverttien-vahvuudet-tyontekijoina
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.op-media.fi/yrittajyys/mita-yrittajan-taytyy-tietaa-arvonlisaverosta/
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Empathy is absolutely learned behavior.”
ServiceNow CFO Gina Mastantuono shares her thoughts on taking calculated risks, developing empathy, and the power of being uncomfortable as a leader. https://trib.al/zYkf2Co
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sometimes really smart people undervalue the other skills they need to solve a problem.
5 Ways Smart People Sabotage Their Success
https://hbr.org/2018/11/5-ways-smart-people-sabotage-their-success?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=facebook&tpcc=orgsocial_edit
Mark was always one of the smartest kids in his class. He’s done well in his career, but when he checks Facebook, he sees people he outperformed at school who have now achieved more. Likewise, there are colleagues at his firm who have leapfrogged him. Sometimes he wonders, “What am I doing wrong?”
Sound familiar? You might relate to Mark yourself, or have an employee or loved one who struggles with similar feelings. Raw intelligence is undoubtedly a huge asset, but it isn’t everything. And sometimes, when intellectually gifted people don’t achieve as much as they’d like to, it’s because they’re subtly undermining themselves. If you’re in this situation, the good news is that when you understand these foibles you can turn them around.
1. Smart people sometimes devalue other skills, like relationship building, and over-concentrate on intellect. Very smart people sometimes see their success as inevitable because of their intellect, and don’t see other skills as important. For example, an individual who finds workplace diplomacy difficult might write this off as an irritation rather than as a core skill required for their role.
in most workplaces, you need more than raw intelligence to get ahead. And only focusing on your greatest strength, rather than also addressing your weaknesses, tends to be self-sabotaging.
Solution: Use your strengths to overcome your weaknesses. If you’re good at learning you can simply learn the skills that don’t come as naturally to you. You don’t need a personality makeover, you just need a game plan and a genuinely constructive attitude.
2. Teamwork can be frustrating for very smart people. When someone grasps concepts quickly and has high standards for their own performance it can create difficulties when working with others who take longer to process information and pick up concepts.
Solution: Be self-compassionate about your internal reactions and understand where they come from, but also learn to genuinely appreciate what diverse minds bring to a team.
3. Smart people often attach a lot of their self-esteem to being smart, which can decrease their resilience and lead to avoidance. If a lot of your self-esteem rests on your intelligence, it can be very difficult to be in situations that reveal chinks in your armor.
Solution: Take an objective view of the benefits of working with people who are, in some respects, smarter than you. If you’re surrounding yourself with smart people, you’re doing something right.
4. Smart people get bored easily. Being smart is not exactly the same as being curious, but if you have both these qualities you might find yourself becoming easily bored with executing the same behaviors over and over. Some types of success stem from creativity, but other types come from becoming an expert in a niche and performing a set of behaviors repeatedly. If you’re smart, curious, and have a love of learning, you might find you quickly lose interest in anything once you’ve figured it out. The execution side of performance might bore you, and you’d rather constantly be learning new things. This can end up being less lucrative than finding a niche and repeating the same formula, but that might seem too boring or unchallenging to you.
Solution: Try taking a 30,000-foot view of when it’s worth tolerating some boredom to collect easy wins when it comes to your overall success. Instead of attempting dramatic change, decide when tolerating short periods (a few minutes or hours) of boredom could have a very beneficial impact on your success. For instance, devoting 5 hours a week to an activity that’s monotonous but lucrative.
5. Smart people sometimes see in-depth thinking and reflection as the solution to every problem. Bright people are accustomed to succeeding through their thinking skills, but can sometimes overlook when a different approach would be more beneficial. For example, the smart person might attack every situation by trying to think it to death (over-researching every decision and ruminating over every mistake) when other approaches would be more fruitful.
Solution: Notice when thinking becomes an unhealthy obsession. Consider when strategies other than thinking are more likely to result in success. Experiment with taking breaks to get unstuck, and allow yourself to learn by doing rather than through exhaustive advance research.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Millenniaaleille työhyvinvointi on uusi normaali – irtisanoutunut kolmekymppinen: ”Miksi työpaikka on niin pyhä, ettei sieltä voisi lähteä?”
https://yle.fi/a/74-20013804
Työlle asetetut odotukset ja vaatimukset ovat muuttuneet nuorten sukupolvien myötä. Tuore väitöstutkimus osoittaa, että etenkin nuoret naiset toivovat työltään merkityksellisyyttä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jennifer Shappley, head of global talent acquisition at LinkedIn, likens the current environment to a washing machine cycle that “keeps getting turned on and off without notice.”
#Relatable? Here’s how to keep your team motivated nonetheless.
https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/employee-experience/ways-to-keep-your-team-motivated-in-times-of-uncertainty?trk=orgsocial-3-ways-to-keep-team-motivated-linkedin-11-18-22 #humanresourcesmanagement #motivation
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/neuvottelitko-sinakin-palkkasi-vaarin?utm_content=fb_post_falcon&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=OTTY_B2C&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3Gb1cP197CwF8lEv05eDwvmLyaTzjcE00AWEVdW5JB_7njtFZ_TPH5ATg
Tomi Engdahl says:
They’re common sense, but not common practice.
Warren Buffett Says 4 Choices in Life Separate the Doers From the DreamersNow 90 years young, the Oracle of Omaha is still impressing with important life lessons.
https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/warren-buffett-says-4-choices-in-life-separate-doers-from-dreamers.html?cid=sf01002&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=freeform
Ever read something Warren Buffett said or did and mumble to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Take, for example, the advice below. Common sense, yes. But to many of us, it’s not common practice. That is, until we become believers that the principles actually work. All you need to do is act on them with positive intent.
1. Pick your friends wisely.
2. Go to bed a little smarter each day.
3. Improve your communications skills.
4. Say no.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/growing-a-business/5-types-of-toxic-employees-and-how-to-deal-with-them/251614
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.taitotalo.fi/artikkelit/voiko-yrityksesi-tarkein-paaoma-hyvin?fbclid=IwAR1oUJ-Untd9f4MOtOOsmI9SzfxtXWbsnAl0mtqmtA4A_7DGGmBnj7_U6sQ
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nostetaan hyvää johtajuutta esille
Huonosta johtamisesta puhutaan jatkuvasti, mutta hyvästä johtamisesta ja hyvistä johtajista ani harvoin. Voisimmeko edes vähän enemmän tuoda esille esimerkkejä hyvistä johtajista, Jyri Kansikas kysyy kolumnissaan. Nostamalla esille tällaisia tarinoita antaisimme myös toiveikkaamman kuvan työelämään siirtymässä oleville nuorille. Tällä hetkellä työelämän kuva näyttää aika ankealta. On hyvä muistaa, että Suomessa on paljon hyviä johtajia, jotka ovat onnistuneet luomaan organisaatioonsa kannustavan ja psykologisesti turvallisen ilmapiirin. Lähes aina nämä yritykset ovat myös niitä menestyviä, tuottavia ja toimialojensa kärkipaikoilla. Lue Work goes happy -blogista Kansikkaan mietteet hyvistä johtajista.
TEKSTI JA KUVA JYRI KANSIKAS | 11.1.2023 | KOLLEGA.FI
Miksi hyvistä johtajista puhutaan niin vähän?
https://kollega.fi/2023/01/miksi-hyvista-johtajista-puhutaan-niin-vahan/?fbclid=IwAR1gtuZzzGVdxh62GpJlV5nz17gHZS9MmuLYgxAPrBiKfinrqYxiBZBL2XU
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Avoid Awkwardness When Networking As A Startup Founder
https://www.forbes.com/sites/abdoriani/2023/01/26/how-to-avoid-awkwardness-when-networking-as-a-startup-founder/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainFB&sh=69fe857234b0
Starting conversations in a networking setting can be nerve-wracking and sometimes awkward. This is especially true if you are an introvert by nature and actively approaching and chatting up strangers drains your energy
Obviously, you need to reach out actively in order to find partners, investors, advisors, employees, etc.
Here are three tips on how to make this process easier and more effective.
1. Prepare A Few Context-Appropriate Conversation Openers
For example, if you are attending the event, it could be something as simple as asking “What brings you to this event?”, or ask the person you are starting the conversation with about the event (e.g. panel, presentation) both of you saw.
2. Follow Up By Asking Questions
After opening the conversation, the best way to keep it going is to show interest in the person you are talking to – try to find out about their project, job, opinions, etc. Most people are quite happy to talk about themselves
“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.”- Keith Ferrazzi
The reason you are talking to them is to find out if you can create value for them. Like all relationships, professional relationships require reciprocity. Because of this, it’s appropriate to try to provide some value first as you are the one initiating the conversation and forming the relationship.
3. Keep Trying
“I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” – Steve Jobs
In the context of networking, this is true because of two main reasons.
First, attempting to connect with a greater number of people simply gives you a higher probability of finding people that fit you well.
Second, as with any skill, you get better at networking as you practice more.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Society bombards us with instructions to be happier, fitter and richer. Why have we become so dissatisfied with being ordinary?
The perfectionism trap
https://www.economist.com/1843/2021/08/10/the-perfectionism-trap?utm_campaign=a.22holidayny_fy2223_q4_conversion-cb-dr_prospecting_global-global_auction_na&utm_medium=social-media.content.pd&utm_source=facebook-instagram&utm_content=conversion.content.non-subscriber.content_staticlinkad_np-perfectionismtrap-n-jul_na-na_article_na_na_na_na&utm_term=sa.lal-sub-5-int-currentevents-politics&utm_id=23852153054150064
Society bombards us with instructions to be happier, fitter and richer. Why have we become so dissatisfied with being ordinary?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mikä erottaa parhaan hyvistä työnhaussa? Rekrytoijat kertovat
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/mika-erottaa-parhaan-hyvista-tyonhaussa-rekrytoijat-kertovat
Kiinnostavaa työpaikkaa tavoittelee usein kymmeniä hyvin koulutettuja ja runsaasti alan työkokemusta hankkineita työnhakijoita, joista vain yksi tulee valituksi. Kysyimme kokeneilta rekrytoijilta, millä perusteella lopulliset valinnat tapahtuvat.
– Kutsumme haastatteluun ihmisiä, joiden taustat osoittavat, että heillä on joko kokemusta kyseisestä tehtävästä tai he pystyvät sen oppimaan. Lähden ajatuksesta, että ostamme asenteen ja opetamme työn, taloushallinnon ja lakiasian palveluja tarjoavan Premium Groupin hallintojohtaja Jaana Heikkinen sanoo.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.namecheap.com/guru-guides/small-business-website-cost-and-investments/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://atalent.fi/fi/blog/nain-irtisanoudut-ja-pyydat-suosittelun-tyylikkaasti?utm_medium=paid&utm_source=facebook+instagram&utm_campaign=b2c_tunnettuus&utm_content=irtisanoutuminen_v1&hsa_acc=10150179678108607&hsa_cam=6271425139202&hsa_grp=6271524335802&hsa_ad=6271524336802&hsa_src=fb&hsa_net=facebook&hsa_ver=3&fbclid=IwAR3oktC2CCnHHB1iRohzjckNmNdpZ7Phf0Oe8A-N7j251LgeuuSUAH1w9EE
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mikä minusta tulee seuraavaksi? – Ammattiahdistus koskettaa myös työssäkäyviä aikuisia
https://tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyontekijalle/artikkelit/mika-minusta-tulee-seuraavaksi-ammattiahdistus-koskettaa-myos-tyossakayvia-aikuisia
Kun terveys pettää, kun oma työ ei tunnu omalta jutulta tai kun yt-neuvottelut vievät työtuolin alta, on aika etsiä uusi paikka työelämässä. Muutos on mahdollisuus, mutta kyllä se myös ahdistaa. Ammattiahdistus-kirjan kirjoittanut Suvi Tuomikoski tietää, mitä tilanteessa kannattaa tehdä.
Ammattiin liittyvä pohdinta ei ole vain opiskelualaa valitsevien nuorten juttu. Kun maailman tilanne, yhteiskunta, ammatit ja elämäntilanteet muuttuvat, ja kun koulutus yhä harvemmin valmistaa tiettyyn tehtävään, myös työikäiset aikuiset joutuvat pohtimaan – tai saavat pohtia –, millaisiin töihin aikovat seuraavaksi.
– Ei ole enää realismia, että opiskeltaisiin yksi tutkinto ja tehtäisiin samaa työtä koko työuran ajan, Suvi Tuomikoski summaa.
Ei siis ole mikään ihme, että monella on suunta hukassa.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mark Zuckerberg reportedly said he doesn’t like seeing ‘managers managing managers,’ fueling speculation of more layoffs
https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-might-cut-metas-middle-management-report-2023-1?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tech-sf&r=US&IR=T
Mark Zuckerberg reportedly said managers should not be rewarded for creating larger teams.
Zuckerberg reportedly said he doesn’t think a structure of “just managers managing managers” is ideal.
Meta’s chief product officer Chris Cox has discussed the need to “flatten” the management structure, Command Line said.
Managers managing managers managing managers managing managers…
There’s a corporate tongue-twister if there ever was one.
According to the Command Line newsletter, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly said he’s not a fan of all those layers of management.
“I don’t think you want a management structure that’s just managers managing managers, managing managers, managing managers, managing the people who are doing the work,” Zuckerberg reportedly said during an internal Q&A session in late January, according to Command Line.
Tomi Engdahl says:
“Inside the grim world of office spyware”
Inside the grim world of office spyware
https://www.ft.com/content/0ef408e3-58ec-4191-b1dd-19ec18310c61
The chief executive of a time-tracking software group reveals how his contentious product works in real life
Rudnicki is the founder of TimeCamp, a company he set up in his home country of Poland that sells what it calls time-tracking software and the rest of us call workplace spyware, bossware or tattleware.
These Big Brotherish apps can monitor the websites workers visit and the programs they use to tally up how much time is spent on, say, Twitter vs Excel — even if people are working at home, as many more are thanks to Covid. Some apps can also log workers’ keystrokes and physical whereabouts, or take screenshots of their screen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Headhunter houkutteli Kaisan uuteen työhön – ratkaisu oli järkyttävä virhe: ”Menin imartelun ansaan”
https://duunitori.fi/tyoelama/uusi-tyo-pettymys?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook+instagram+audience_network+messenger&utm_campaign=BRAND+-+PB+-+SMARTLY+-+B2B-artikkelit&utm_content=BRAND+-+PB+-+SMARTLY+-+B2B-artikkelit+-+Natiivi+laaja+HR+-+Link+Post+-+B2b+artikkeli&utm_id=63c9bd8970a17d45a8527d01&fbclid=IwAR0nUA8bMLTd1Jq9JIycxqWbNDVR3291NijWHBbboFPKvAQmdyaMu0HOa-A
Kaisa oli onnellinen vanhassa työssään, kunnes sai työtarjouksen. Kyseessä oli lupaava esihenkilötehtävä kiinnostavalla alalla, joten hän päätti hypätä rohkeasti uuteen. Työnkuva ei kuitenkaan vastannut lainkaan odotuksia. “Oloni oli äärimmäisen pettynyt, kiukkuinen ja epäuskoinen.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kriisien aiheuttama epävarmuus, massiivinen työvoimapula ja hyvinvointivaltion natiseminen – elämme suurinta työelämän muutosta vuosikymmeniin.
Millaiset yritykset ajassa sitten pärjäävät?
Millaiset yritykset pärjäävät parhaiten työelämän murroksessa? Lue asiantuntijamme viisi vinkkiä
https://www.lahitapiola.fi/tietoa-lahitapiolasta/uutishuone/uutiset-ja-tiedotteet/uutiset/uutinen/1509579661084?fbclid=IwAR1b7pDgBcXKEBentSJmIR7QZsjZGiakAqmH5p7pjU0LPMEai-9gDCCjtD0
Työelämän murros näkyy työpaikoilla ja tutkimuksissa. LähiTapiolan suurasiakasyksikön johtaja Juho Kettunen listasi viisi asiaa, joihin yritysten kannattaa muutosten keskellä panostaa.
Kriisien aiheuttama epävarmuus, massiivinen työvoimapula ja hyvinvointivaltion natiseminen – elämme suurinta työelämän muutosta vuosikymmeniin. Työterveyslaitoksen Hybridityö, etätyö ja lähityö (HELP) -projektissa muodostettiin kokonaiskuvaa työelämän muutoksesta. Katsaus julkaistiin tammikuussa 2023.
1. Kuka löytää parhaimmat keinot olla lähellä asiakasta?
Kolmen koronavuoden jälkeen hybridityö näyttää tulleen jäädäkseen aiempaa yleisempänä työnteon muotona. LähiTapiolan Arjen katsaus -kyselyn mukaan enemmistö (58 %) tällä hetkellä useita päiviä viikossa tai koko ajan etätyötä tekevistä haluaisi työskennellä koko työviikkonsa etänä. Lisäksi selkeä enemmistö suomalaisista (67 %) uskoo, että työelämä on muuttumassa enemmän paikkariippumattomaan suuntaan.
2. Työhyvinvoinnilla on iso merkitys
LähiTapiolan Arjen katsaus -kyselyssä kysyttiin, mistä työskentelyssä tapahtuneista muutoksista vastaajat eivät ole enää valmiita luopumaan. Kaksi viidestä työelämässä mukana olevasta ei halua enää luopua mahdollisuudesta osallistua palavereihin etäyhteydellä, ja joka neljäs haluaa säilyttää vapautensa työskennellä, missä haluaa. Työn ja vapaa-ajan yhteensovittamisen merkitys korostui vastauksissa.
3. Yrityskulttuuri on iso voima ja vahvuus. Kellä on vahvin imu?
Kettunen muistuttaa, että työelämä on ennen kaikkea ihmisten välistä toimintaa, vuorovaikutusta sekä yhteistä oppimista. Yrityskulttuurilla on merkittävä voima henkilöstön sitouttamisessa ja uusien osaajien houkuttelemisessa.
4. Kellä on kirkkain visio ja paras toimeenpanokyky?
Mitä monimutkaisempi toimintaympäristö on, sitä tärkeämpää on pitää omat yrityksen työskentelymallit selkeinä ja yksinkertaisina.
– Tilanteessa, jossa maailma on myllerryksessä ja toisia kohdataan vähemmän kuin aiemmin, tarvitaan vahvaa visiota, päämäärää, yhteistyötä ja johtamista.
5. Vastuullisuus osana kaikkea tekemistä
Viidentenä asiana Kettunen nostaa vastuullisuusteeman. Ilmastonmuutos vaikuttaa työelämään monin tavoin ja sen hillitsemiseksi tarvitaan työpaikkojen toimia.
– Vastuullisuusnäkökulma on tärkeä kaikessa yrityksen tekemisessä: vastuullisuus suhteessa asiakkaisiin, henkilöstöön ja ympäristöön. Työskentelyedellytysten ja -tapojen jatkuva kehittäminen ovat ehdottomasti myös vastuullisuuden ytimessä.
Tomi Engdahl says:
HR-johtajaselvitys: Arvoista ja vastuullisuudesta on tullut työvoimapulan hygieniatekijöitä
Jukka Saksi|29.1.2023|Mediatiedote
https://johtajaonmedia.fi/hr-johtajaselvitys-arvoista-ja-vastuullisuudesta-on-tullut-tyovoimapulan-hygieniatekijoita/
Arvoista ja vastuullisuudesta on tullut työvoimapulan ja vallitsevien kriisien aikana jo hygieniatekijä. Niiden odotetaan olevan johdonmukaisia ja näkyvän konkreettisesti työyhteisön arjessa. Erityisesti nuoret asettavat korkeita odotuksia ja kirittävät niitä eteenpäin. Organisaatioiden odotetaan olevan vastuullisuudessa 100% mukana. Arvot on yhdistävä liima, joka koskettaa organisaation kaikkia tasoja. Hybridiaika on nostanut tunneälyn ja viestintätaidot jokaisen johtajan työkalupakkiin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jennifer Shappley, head of global talent acquisition at LinkedIn, likens the current environment to a washing machine cycle that “keeps getting turned on and off without notice.”
#Relatable? Here’s how to keep your team motivated nonetheless.
https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/employee-experience/ways-to-keep-your-team-motivated-in-times-of-uncertainty?trk=orgsocial-3-ways-to-keep-team-motivated-linkedin-11-18-22 #humanresourcesmanagement #motivation
Tomi Engdahl says:
While most people realize the importance of resilience in business, many founders quit before managing to grow their idea into a real business. This article will outline the three main reasons why.
The 3 Main Reasons Startup Founders Quit Before Finding Success
https://www.forbes.com/sites/abdoriani/2023/01/30/the-3-main-reasons-startup-founders-quit-before-finding-success/?utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflowForbesMainFB&sh=19f45ffb43eb
1. Time Constraints
Starting a business is an extremely time-consuming process, and many founders struggle to balance the demands of their business with the demands of their personal lives. This can lead to burnout, and cause some founders to lose their passion for their project.
While this is more than a legitimate concern, it’s crucial to realize that you don’t need to work 16-hour work days if you can’t afford to.
While there is a strong correlation between hours worked by a founder and the revenue growth of their startup, almost half of the respondents of a study of SAAS startup founders worked part-time on their projects.
Personal Financial Difficulties
As a startup founder, it is fairly likely that you are highly employable. This means that for you, working on your startup constitutes a high opportunity cost. In other words – instead of earning a good salary from a corporate job, you are likely investing your time in a project which in the early stages wouldn’t pay that well if it pays at all.
To make matters worse, a startup project is something you can easily sink your personal finance into.
Mental Health
Last but not least, starting a business is a high-stress environment for many reasons, and founders struggle to manage the mental toll that this stress takes on them.
Entrepreneurs are 50% more likely than the general population to report having mental health issues like anxiety and depression, according to research by NHS England. In light of this, it’s not a surprise that some founders quit with the goal to improve their quality of life.
Of course, if you feel you are struggling mentally then you should definitely do something about it – ignoring your mental health for the sake of your project would hurt both you and your project.
Perseverance is crucial for startup success, but perseverance doesn’t mean repeating something that doesn’t work. Perseverance in a startup context means being smart and finding the best possible solution that allows you to push your project forward without leading to professional, financial, or mental ruin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Intelligence helps in making money, but only to a point.
The Ultra-Rich May Actually Be Less Intelligent Than Lower-Paid People, Study Finds
Intelligence helps in making money, but only to a point.
https://www.iflscience.com/the-ultra-rich-may-actually-be-less-intelligent-than-lower-paid-people-study-finds-67416
Many people believe that the richest 10 percent are significantly smarter or more hard-working than people less wealthy than them. This is particularly prevalent among opinions of the ultra-rich, where some look to billionaires for guidance in all walks of life. But are they actually more intelligent than the rest of us?
A new study suggests the answer is no: the elite may actually be just like us when it comes to intelligence, though there is some correlation between success and intelligence before you reach the big leagues. According to a study of almost 60,000 men, there is a strong relationship between intelligence and wage until it reaches above €60,000 ($64,000) a year, where the correlation becomes almost negligible. Strikingly, those in the top 1 percent were found to be potentially less smart than those close behind them, indicating ultra-success could be due to something different entirely.
Previous literature has linked intelligence with economic success but hasn’t considered the relative ability of top earners.
The results showed an expected increase in wage and prestige as cognitive ability rose, but then a plateau as the wages reached the top end. At €60,000 a year, there ceased to be any differences in ability between those earning above and below it, and intelligence did not increase above 70 prestige (doctors, lawyers, etc.). They also found the top 1 percent scored slightly worse on cognitive ability tests than those in the income level beneath them.
This suggests that while greater intelligence may help push a person into the higher brackets, when it comes to ultimate monetary success, it likely plays little part and those earning extremely high wages may actually be less smart.
Still, if you’re looking for real intellectual role models, don’t necessarily use money as a guide, as you may actually be looking up to someone less intelligent than you.
Tomi Engdahl says:
To improve close rates for technical interviews, give applicants feedback (good or bad)
https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/06/to-improve-close-rates-for-technical-interviews-give-applicants-feedback-good-or-bad/?tpcc=ecfb2020&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9sbS5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACbjPbMFlPiQrfYXvRrhiFtIMbkozc3zNLq2TjSPi7eaFw1ZCUFUGAtHzygMx3hw0nLVCxKP9PRJzhwnmV3_3mW9eDaKbGtM31J2UfWKMLRCleQ_w2qxQo79RZFfYeAkMAGUVCUGi0u4V6XhIVbqDBVd1vF4wjoELrlafjk8Nf45
Technical interviews are a black box — candidates usually are told whether they made it to the next round, but they rarely find out why.
Lack of feedback isn’t just frustrating for candidates; it’s also bad for business. Our research shows that 43% of all candidates consistently underrate their technical interview performance, and 25% of all candidates consistently think they failed when they actually passed.
Why do these numbers matter? Because giving instant feedback to successful candidates can do wonders for increasing your close rate.
Giving feedback will not only make candidates you want today more likely to join your team, but it’s also crucial to hiring the people you might want down the road. Technical interview outcomes are erratic, and according to our data, only about 25% of candidates perform consistently from interview to interview.
This means a candidate you reject today might be someone you want to hire in 6 months.
But won’t we get sued?
I surveyed founders, hiring managers, recruiters and labor lawyers to understand why anyone who’s ever gone through interviewer training has been told in no uncertain terms to not give feedback.
The main reason: Companies are scared of being sued.
As it turns out, literally zero companies (at least in the U.S.) have ever been sued by an engineer who received constructive post-interview feedback.
People don’t get defensive because they failed — it’s because they don’t understand why and feel powerless.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kuusituntinen työpäivä, 90 % palkalla. Mitä mieltä, kiinnostaisiko? Mobiilipeliyritys Fingersoftissa kiinnosti ja kokeilu jäi pysyväksi käytännöksi.
Peliyhtiössä kaikki voittavat, kun työaika lyhenee – Fingersoftin työntekijät voivat nyt valita lyhyemmän työajan lähes täydellä palkalla
https://www.yrittajat.fi/uutiset/peliyhtiossa-kaikki-voittavat-kun-tyoaika-lyhenee-fingersoftin-tyontekijat-voivat-nyt-valita-lyhyemman-tyoajan-lahes-taydella-palkalla/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=some_ad&utm_campaign=sy_jatkuva
Mobiilipeliyritys Fingersoftin työntekijät voivat tehdä kuusituntista työviikkoa 90 prosentin palkalla. Yritys kokeili lyhyempää työaikaa vuoden verran, ja nyt siitä tehtiin pysyvä käytäntö.
– Työntekijöidemme hyvinvointia parantavat hankkeet ovat olleet keskeinen osa toimintaamme koko kymmenvuotisen historiamme ajan. Vuosina 2021–2022 tekemämme kaksiosainen työaikakokeilu osoitti sen, että on olemassa keinoja parantaa työntekijöiden hyvinvointia merkittävästi tuottavuuden pysyessä samana, tai jopa parantuessa, Kylmäoja sanoo.
Työaikakokeilussa työntekijän oli mahdollista tehdä 80-prosenttista työaikaa ja saada siitä 90-prosenttista palkkaa. Työntekijä sai itse päättää, tekeekö kuuden tunnin työpäivää viisi päivää viikossa vai neljän päivän kokopäiväistä työviikkoa.
– Työntekijät voivat selvästi paremmin niin fyysisesti kuin henkisestikin, Kylmäoja sanoo.
Ei iltapäivän tyhjäkäyntiä
Hän kokeili ensin nelipäiväistä työviikkoa, mutta huomasi pian toisen työaikamuodon, kuuden tunnin työpäivän toimivan itsellään paremmin. Lyhyemmän työpäivän ansiosta hän vältti iltapäivän työtuntien tyhjäkäynnin kokonaan.
– Sen sijaan, että hakkaa päätään seinään ratkaisun löytämiseksi, ajan voi käyttää työn ulkopuolisiin asioihin, mikä taas valmistaa seuraavaan työpäivään. Asioita kuitenkin miettii vähintään alitajuisesti.
Täysin oma malli
Kylmäoja sanoo, ettei työntekijöiden lyhyempi työpäivä tai -viikko vähentänyt heidän tuottavuuttaan. Firma säästi palkkakuluissa, mutta Kylmäoja ei katso asiaa lainkaan kustannusten kannalta.
– Johtoryhmämme pyrkimys on, että ihmiset ovat terveitä ja tuotteliaita, ja että meillä on hyvä meininki töissä.
Kylmäoja on itsekin koodannut työkseen ja tietää, ettei se välttämättä onnistu kahdeksaa tuntia putkeen. Loppupäivän pari tuntia voisi käyttää muutenkin. Hän tietää myös muita firmoja, jotka ovat tehneet vastaavia kokeiluja.
– Tällainen malli palkkauksineen on kuitenkin meidän oma ideamme. Ajattelimme, että 80-prosenttinen palkkaus on ihmiselle liian suuri pudotus, 90-prosenttinen taas ei.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.namecheap.com/blog/tips-to-cut-down-operating-expenses/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kolumnit|Kolumni
Tästä syystä kannattaa palata konttorille viimeistään nyt – Miljardiluokkaan Pirkanmaalla kasvanut ala näyttää mallia työelämän uuteen normaaliin
Tampereen keskustaan nousee tuhansia neliöitä uutta toimistotilaa, jotta työntekijät pääsevät tapaamaan toisiaan. Joko etätyö ei olekaan ihmiselle paras tapa tehdä töitä, tai sitten kovaa vauhtia kasvavat ja satoja ihmisiä vuosittain palkkaavat ict-yritykset ovat täysin väärässä, kirjoittaa Aamulehden toimittaja Juha Karilainen.
https://www.aamulehti.fi/kolumnit/art-2000009344903.html