The hottest Corporate culture Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

Japan Reality Check #4: In praise of the Salaryman CEO

Japan Optimist • 176 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
💼 Business Leadership Corporate culture Performance Profitability
  1. Japanese Salaryman CEOs have shown extraordinary resilience and competence in delivering corporate economic value and profitability.
  2. Data shows that Japanese Salaryman CEOs have outperformed Wall Street Superstar CEOs in terms of profit increase without relying on rising sales.
  3. While Japanese Salaryman CEOs have significantly increased profits, their compensation has only risen modestly, maintaining a close link between performance and pay.

The Propaganda Paradox

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Leadership Communication Corporate culture Employee Relations Organizational dynamics
  1. Companies can fall into the trap of using internal propaganda to influence their employees, but this often backfires, eroding trust and confidence.
  2. Staged interactions and lack of authenticity in leader propaganda can make employees disengage and lose confidence in leadership.
  3. Highlighting frontline workers' stories can build unity and purpose within a team and should be prioritized over showcasing senior executives in internal communications.

Compromise is the only way to make hybrid stick

Make Work Better • 157 implied HN points • 05 May 23
💼 Business Workplace dynamics Remote work Corporate culture AI Impact
  1. Compromise is essential to make hybrid work successfully in organizations.
  2. Stricter office time policies are being implemented by some organizations to foster teamwork and connectedness among employees.
  3. Younger workers may be facing challenges with remote work, such as lack of feedback and understanding workplace norms.

How To Lose Customers & Alienate People

Build To Scale • 59 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Customer Relations Investment Corporate culture
  1. Talk to customers and employees, but don't bother listening. Just talk about your vision and plans without engaging in meaningful conversations.
  2. Don't shy away from bad news and blame it on employees. Overreact publicly, especially to junior staff, to discourage them from sharing any negative news.
  3. Focus on competitors, raise money, surround yourself with yes-men, disregard customer needs, and prioritize optics over actual performance if you want to lose touch with your business and alienate people.
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The End of ESG?

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 98 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
💼 Business Investing Corporate culture Global Economy
  1. BlackRock's Larry Fink disowns the term ESG due to its weaponization by different political sides, showing a shift in the discourse in the financial system.
  2. Investors are becoming more critical of woke ideologies impacting businesses, as seen in stock losses by companies embracing certain ideologies.
  3. The potential rebranding of ESG indicates a shift in focus but doesn't eliminate the underlying goals of corporate influence and control.

Jack Welch's Theory of Leadership: A Model for Failure in the 21st Century

The Geek Way • 1 HN point • 01 Apr 24
💼 Business Leadership Corporate culture Management Success Change Management
  1. Encouraging vulnerability in the workplace can lead to malingering, which can harm cooperation within a team.
  2. Model 1 leadership norms, like taking charge and minimizing losing, may not be suitable for running a modern company that requires adaptation to change.
  3. Defensiveness in Model 1 leadership can hinder innovation and prevent companies from thriving in a rapidly changing business landscape.

The Company Wants You Back in the Office – RESIST!

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 39 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
💼 Business Workplace dynamics Remote work Corporate culture Labor Market
  1. Many employees prefer working from home for the flexibility it offers in their lives and are hesitant to return to the office for multiple days per week.
  2. Companies are facing challenges convincing workers to return to the office due to changing preferences and economic factors like labor shortages.
  3. Employees have some leverage to resist returning to the office and should consider continuing to work from home to maintain their independence and strength.

Why you are frustrated by your organisation

Optimally Irrational • 13 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
💼 Business Management Corporate culture Ethics Workplace dynamics Incentives
  1. Beneath the overly positive facade of organizations, there's often a reality of dysfunction and disillusionment.
  2. The principal-agent problem highlights the conflict of interests between individuals and the organization's goals, leading to misaligned incentives.
  3. Managers can prioritize personal gains, reputation, and short-term benefits over the organization's success, perpetuating issues like hyperactivity and micromanagement.

How to be an effective leader [StoryTime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
💼 Business Leadership Technology Management Decision-making Corporate culture
  1. The article discusses insights from senior leaders in tech about decision-making skills and leadership abilities.
  2. It mentions the importance of learning about experiences, processes, and common motifs from successful leaders.
  3. The post is beneficial for developers aiming for career growth, managers seeking to enhance their skills, and those interested in high-level team dynamics.

Reflections on Workplace Infantilisation

The 21st Century Proletarian • 19 implied HN points • 22 Aug 22
🎭️ Culture Workplace dynamics Corporate culture Employee Satisfaction Neoliberalism Solidarity
  1. Modern workplaces are increasingly resembling playgrounds for adults, with fun activities and colorful environments to create a more enjoyable work atmosphere.
  2. The infantilization of office culture can lead to employees feeling disempowered, lacking genuine workplace satisfaction, and being discouraged from advocating for their own interests.
  3. The Stepford employee dynamic, cultivated by companies treating workers like children, can suppress autonomous thinking, hinder collective organizing for better conditions, and foster a culture where employees rely on the company to dictate appropriate behavior.

Signs of a Climate-Conscience Company

Save Our Happy Place • 5 implied HN points • 30 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Business Sustainability Workplace Corporate culture
  1. Look for company initiatives, climate enablement, and metrics during onboarding to see if a company cares about the planet.
  2. Consider benefits that encourage sustainable living as a sign of a climate-conscience company.
  3. Check if a company measures and shares metrics like carbon footprint, water footprint, and waste footprint to gauge their commitment to the planet.

Inside Pinduoduo: A Glimpse into the High-Pressure Management and Temptations of a Chinese E-commerce Giant

China Story • 2 HN points • 27 Apr 23
💼 Business Corporate culture Management Tech industry Employee Relations Ethics
  1. Interviewers at Pinduoduo weed out those who speak out to maintain a silent workforce.
  2. Pinduoduo uses high salaries to tempt and drive discourse among employees.
  3. Pinduoduo tightly controls employees to prevent leaks, including strict social interaction rules and non-compete agreements.

You probably work at a big company because you thought you should: Why I'll never work at a FAANG or big company again

Data Science Daily • 2 HN points • 04 Mar 23
💼 Business Workplace dynamics Career Choices Corporate culture
  1. Consider where you live and work based on constraints like availability, budget, and awareness.
  2. Big companies might offer prestige, but small companies can provide faster decision-making and more impactful work.
  3. Working at a small company can be more fulfilling than at a large corporation, with less bureaucracy and more client focus.

3 - unobvious - things I learned serving entrepreneurs

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 30 Aug 13
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Corporate culture
  1. Establishing leadership is crucial for building a strong team and pitching investors successfully.
  2. Encouraging personal initiatives in the workplace fosters innovation and helps identify diverse talents and skills within the team.
  3. Maintaining corporate culture and cohesion is essential for the longevity and success of a company, preventing decline and promoting teamwork.

On Corporate America

The Unabashed Observer • 0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 24
💼 Business Corporate culture Management Ownership Financial Decisions Career development
  1. American capitalism creates immense wealth, leading to ongoing conversations about wealth distribution and creation.
  2. Large companies exhibit organizational similarities despite diverse industries, driven by the alignment of incentives for owners, managers, and workers.
  3. Understanding the structure of large corporations can help individuals navigate their own career growth within such systems.

"Here's a Different Idea"

The Radar • 0 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
💼 Business Leadership Workplace dynamics Corporate culture Employee engagement Decision-making
  1. Agency is powerful - When people have ownership in decisions, they are more motivated to prove them right.
  2. Persuasion is effective - Giving individuals a choice empowers them, leading to better outcomes and increased effort.
  3. Data-driven decisions - Using data and evidence in leadership makes decisions more rational and invites respect, fostering loyalty and team camaraderie.