The hottest Management Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Blame the Crew

Gordian Knot News • 190 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Construction Regulation
  1. In industries like shipping and nuclear power, there is a tendency to blame the crew or contractors for mistakes rather than holding the owners or regulatory systems accountable.
  2. There is a disparity in performance between building coal plants and nuclear plants, with the nuclear contractor performance often not meeting expectations.
  3. The main difference in performance is attributed to the regulatory system rather than any lack of special technical skills in building nuclear plants.
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What Reid Hoffman Understands About the Human Balancing Act

The Geek Way • 99 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Entrepreneurship Leadership Innovation Organization
  1. Reid Hoffman is regarded as a brilliant entrepreneur and investor who has made significant impacts in Silicon Valley and the tech sector.
  2. Understanding first principles for running an organization can be linked to evolutionary principles, providing insights into human organizational behavior.
  3. The balancing act between being ultrasocial and self-interested is a fundamental principle in human nature and can explain various challenges in the business world.

A Kick in the Teeth

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 29 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Compensation Leadership Organizational Culture Employee Relations
  1. Amazon shocked managers with a pay freeze despite record profits and successful quarters, damaging trust and morale.
  2. The pandemic revealed the dedication of Amazon managers, who now feel undervalued due to frozen pay based on share price fluctuations.
  3. Amazon's leadership actions risk eroding trust and confidence, raising questions about their motives, behaviors, and commitment to mutual benefit.

Living Evil: Unearthed Bodies And Sacrificial Lambs

Richard Lewis • 1906 implied HN points • 17 May 23
💼 Business Ethics Leadership Management Work Environment Corporate culture
  1. Multiple reports of harassment and misconduct by key figures in the esports industry were brought to light, leading to their termination.
  2. New management at Evil Geniuses used past incidents involving employees as excuses to remove them, while also driving out senior employees who challenged their decisions.
  3. The company culture at Evil Geniuses shifted dramatically after the departure of senior staff, leading to a challenging and unbearable work environment.

Living Evil: Covid, Counter-Strike And An Unnecessary Rebranding

Richard Lewis • 1886 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Gaming Management Branding
  1. Evil Geniuses faced challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic with management disregarding safety protocols and putting staff at risk.
  2. The Counter-Strike team's decline was highlighted by poor management decisions and player dissatisfaction.
  3. An unnecessary rebranding at Evil Geniuses led to public ridicule and internal disapproval, showcasing a disconnect between management and staff.

Firing You to Support You Better

The Radar • 39 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
💼 Business Management Employment Corporate culture Ethics Layoffs
  1. Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) can be used positively to help employees improve their performance or negatively to push employees out of a company.
  2. Amazon utilizes PIPs in a controversial way, including forcing 'Type 2 PIPs' on employees to manage them out of the business, regardless of their actual performance.
  3. Misusing tools like PIPs, meant for improvement, can lead to unethical behaviors within organizations and potentially damaging consequences, such as increased layoffs.

Compensation is Communication

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 19 Apr 24
💼 Business Management Organizational Behavior Corporate culture Human Resources Career development
  1. Compensation is a clear signal from an employer to an employee, offering insights into future viability with the company and helping individuals frame expectations and make decisions.
  2. Organizational cultures often hide true intentions behind layers of confusing messaging, especially regarding compensation, which may not necessarily reflect individual performance but rather the company's desire for retention.
  3. Understanding the true meaning behind raises can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their future within a company, recognizing signals of either retention or potential exit based on financial health and performance evaluations.

Can new look Chelsea actually succeed?

Grace on Football • 982 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🎾 Sports Football Finance Management Player analysis Team performance
  1. Chelsea has undergone a significant squad overhaul with new signings and a new manager.
  2. There are concerns about Chelsea's financial compliance with UEFA's rules and the long-term sustainability of the club's investments.
  3. The success of Chelsea's revamped team depends on the performance and development of young players in a stable environment.

Why Companies are Turning on Remote Work [Finance Fridays]

Technology Made Simple • 139 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
💼 Business Remote work Finance Productivity Real Estate Management
  1. The remote work vs in-person debate is becoming more divisive with many companies now choosing to return to in-person work.
  2. Financial reasons such as increased turnover due to layoffs, real estate investments, and management preferences are driving companies to push for in-person work.
  3. Despite the preference for traditional office culture, studies show remote work can be just as productive, inclusive, and even boost creativity and performance.

Best Business Thinker?

Bet On It • 135 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Investing Finance Management
  1. The post discusses the search for the best business thinker who is intellectually responsible and data literate, with a focus on making money through various mediums like lectures, podcasts, or books.
  2. There is an exploration of finding a voice of reason in the realm of business, investing, finance, and other related fields, seeking individuals who can provide intellectual clarity and resist biases.
  3. The post mentions the question of whether there is a 'LessWrong' equivalent in financial mathematics, business, and career development, pointing out the quest for insightful and reasonable resources in these domains.

Are you recently promoted to a Product Manager position? - Here are a few pitfalls to avoid

Ageling on Agile • 216 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Skills Learning Hierarchy Challenges
  1. The role of a product manager is different from roles like project manager, engineer, or business analyst.
  2. Newly promoted product managers should avoid the Dunning-Kruger effect by continuously learning and challenging themselves.
  3. Recognizing the Peter Principle is essential - not everyone is suited to be a product manager, and self-awareness is key.

How I Transitioned from Individual Contributor to Manager -- Twice

The Uncommon Executive • 59 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
💼 Business Management Career growth Professional development
  1. Moving from an individual contributor to a manager role can be challenging, especially in product management where prior management experience is often required.
  2. Key factors for transitioning to a management position include being a high-performer, having influence across the organization, and the presence of a business need for a manager.
  3. Securing sponsorship, networking effectively, and identifying the right mentor or manager to learn from are crucial steps in transitioning to a management role.

A Note: What Is "Management" Anyway?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 92 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Consulting Theory Bureaucracy Market
  1. Management is different from hierarchical command-and-control, bureaucratic obedience, and market haggling. It's about reconciling various interests for the smooth operation of the system.
  2. Peter F. Drucker viewed the manager as a trustee of civilization and envisioned a role that balanced freedom, efficiency, equity, and order.
  3. Management is seen as a profession that aligns the interests of all stakeholders while ensuring the free development of individuals within society.

Re-release: ‘Scrum is an awful project management methodology’

Ageling on Agile • 137 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Product Development Team Collaboration Workplace culture Process Improvement
  1. Consider re-evaluating your project management methodology if it is causing stress and hindering productivity. It is important to adapt and make radical changes when necessary.
  2. Embrace an iterative approach in your product delivery process, especially in unpredictable environments. Small steps, clear goals, and team collaboration can lead to valuable results.
  3. Empower your team by giving them ownership of the backlog, focusing on iteration goals, and encouraging discussions and improvements during demos and retrospectives. Allow flexibility and adaptability in your work processes.

Engineering Managers Should Not Exist

Victor’s Substack • 41 HN points • 26 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Management Software Engineering Project management HR Consulting
  1. Software engineering managers should not exist as they generally take on multiple roles poorly, whereas specialists could excel at each task.
  2. Engineering managers often were mediocre engineers who compensated by picking up non-engineering tasks and ended up in managerial roles.
  3. Best teams often function well without an engineering manager observing their every move, allowing engineers to focus and be more productive.

This is a time publishers ought to be investing and exploring new territory vs. laying people off and hunkering down. So why are so few of the big companies doing that?

How to Glow in the Dark • 550 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
💼 Business Publishing Financials Management Earnings Investments
  1. This is a challenging time for publishers to invest and innovate, yet many big companies are not doing so.
  2. Major publishing companies are facing reduced earnings despite increased sales, leading to layoffs and cost-cutting measures.
  3. The industry's response to financial challenges has mainly involved squeezing employees and authors, rather than focusing on long-term growth and support.