The hottest Management Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY’S TOBACCO HISTORY PART VII - CONWOOD: A REMARKABLE COMPANY

Reflections on "Going Down Tobacco Road" and Investing • 452 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Finance Marketing Sales Operations
  1. Conwood was a unique and successful company acquired by Reynolds American in 2006.
  2. The management at Conwood had a dedicated leadership team that contributed to its success.
  3. Conwood's unique culture and focus on product quality and cost control made it a profitable venture.

The misguided yearning for a better plan

Wednesday Wisdom • 104 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Management Execution Education Engineering Incentives
  1. Having a better plan isn't the solution; it's all about how well you execute the plan you have. Good results come from good execution, not just a fancy plan.
  2. Many people look for secret techniques to improve, but the truth is that everyone knows what to do. The problem is usually that they just aren't doing it well.
  3. Instead of searching high and low for a better plan, focus on improving how you do what you're already doing. Making small changes in execution can lead to big improvements.

TBM 314: Using Enabling Constraints for Situational Awareness

The Beautiful Mess • 396 implied HN points • 07 Oct 24
💼 Business Management Growth Efficiency Strategy Leadership
  1. Rapid growth can lead to chaos and mistakes in organizations. It often happens when teams are expanded quickly without proper planning.
  2. Using enabling constraints can help manage the mess during fast changes. They act like simple rules to keep teams focused and aware of potential issues.
  3. It's important to regularly check on how things are going, especially when many people are involved in projects. This helps catch problems before they become serious.
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What Healthy Boards Look Like

DruGroup • 159 implied HN points • 07 May 24
💼 Business Governance Management Strategy Decision-making Policy
  1. Healthy boards focus on governance, avoiding micromanagement. They concentrate on big-picture decisions rather than getting caught up in daily operations.
  2. Good boards prioritize setting strategic direction over just directing actions. They work on long-term goals instead of getting bogged down in immediate tasks.
  3. Instead of panicking during crises, successful boards take time to think things through. They focus on understanding the situation for lasting solutions rather than quick fixes.

Are You Doing Product Management or Bullshit Management?

Untrapping Product Teams • 687 implied HN points • 10 May 23
💼 Business Management Product Decision-making Stakeholders
  1. Companies often misunderstand the role of product management, focusing more on pleasing stakeholders than solving end-users' problems.
  2. Bullshit management happens when product managers get stuck in tasks unrelated to actual product management, like gathering requirements from stakeholders or attending numerous meetings.
  3. To escape bullshit management, focus on evidence-based decision-making, empower teams to make decisions, prioritize learning over planning, and resist anti-patterns that hinder product management success.

Moats: How to Build a Scalable Business Competitors Can't Copy

Nail It and Scale It • 59 implied HN points • 08 Jul 24
💼 Business Strategy Marketing Entrepreneurship Economics Management
  1. A business moat is a special advantage that helps a company stand out and protect itself from competitors. Just like a moat around a castle keeps invaders out, a strong business moat helps companies earn big profits over time.
  2. There are different types of moats, like network effects where the value increases as more people use a service, and cost advantages that make switching harder for customers. Companies like Uber and Walmart have used these techniques smartly.
  3. Building a solid brand and having strong cultural values can also create powerful moats. For example, Patagonia builds loyalty by promoting environmentalism, making it harder for customers to switch to other brands.

A survey of CTOs: how flat should your organization be?

Respectful Leadership • 54 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
💼 Business Leadership Organization Management Startups Technology
  1. A flat organization isn't always the best setup. Some structure is needed as a company grows to help manage teams effectively.
  2. Having the right number of managers is important. Too few can lead to problems, while a good balance helps ensure teams are supported and guided properly.
  3. Leaders should focus on being leaders, not just doing tasks. Their main role is to manage and support their teams, not pull all-nighters coding.

TBM 269: Three Organizational Design Principles

The Beautiful Mess • 1057 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
💼 Business Organizational Design Collaboration Leadership Management Complexity
  1. Hierarchical Collaboration Parity is crucial for success in organizations - leaders need to collaborate as much as front-line team members.
  2. Alignment and Work Style Gaps need to be addressed to improve team effectiveness.
  3. Organizations must confront deep-seated tensions, or 'Elephants in the Room', to prevent adverse outcomes and stress on teams.

Acceleration over Position

Deeply Nested • 83 implied HN points • 17 Oct 24
💼 Business Startups Management Technology Strategy Innovation
  1. Focus on improving your team's acceleration instead of just hitting short-term goals. This will help you achieve better long-term outcomes.
  2. Hiring more people won't solve issues caused by technical debt or poor processes. Instead, it can actually make problems worse.
  3. Identify and address real obstacles to progress, like code complexity or support issues, so you can change direction effectively and make real progress.

PE Slapping VC

Venture Prose • 579 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
💼 Business Investment Finance Startups Entrepreneurship Management
  1. Private equity-backed companies prioritize cash flow over growth, teaching venture capitalists an important lesson for sustained success.
  2. Some growth-stage companies, profitable and mature, outshine venture-backed companies in terms of financial yield without the need for external fundraising.
  3. Venture-backed founders can benefit from connecting with founders of different companies to understand the importance of capital deployment yield and reduce stress levels.

Engineering management in the next unicorn app

Leading Developers • 65 implied HN points • 05 Nov 24
💼 Business Startup Management Leadership Remote work Product Development
  1. A great remote team relies on hiring independent and motivated people. This way, there's less need for management and everyone takes ownership of their work.
  2. Launching a product takes time and patience. It's important to experiment and iterate rather than rushing to get features out.
  3. Growing a startup doesn't mean you have to hire a lot of new people right away. Instead, focus on what the market needs before expanding your team.

✅ Setting the agenda for 2024

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 339 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Public Relations Management Economy AI Ethics
  1. The public relations industry needs to keep improving its relationship with management in 2024. Focusing on diversity, training, and better measurement is key.
  2. 2024 will be a big year for elections around the world, which could impact democracy and the economy. It's important to pay attention to these events.
  3. Many teenagers in Britain feel addicted to social media, which raises concerns about mental health. More accountability from tech companies is being requested.

Flex your color

Wednesday Wisdom • 66 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
💼 Business Leadership Management Personal Development Team Dynamics Psychology
  1. Understanding different personality types can help improve teamwork. People have different working styles, and recognizing these can enhance collaboration.
  2. The True Colors personality model categorizes people into four colors based on their traits. Each color represents different strengths and weaknesses, which can help individuals understand themselves and others better.
  3. Being aware of your default behavior allows you to adapt to different situations. Flexing your personality traits based on the needs of the moment can lead to better leadership and decision-making.

Unintended Consequences

Fish Food for Thought • 21 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Metrics Incentives Strategy
  1. Making changes based on certain metrics can lead to unexpected problems. For example, Wells Fargo's sales goals pushed employees to open fake accounts.
  2. Good intentions behind laws and incentives can sometimes backfire. The Cobra Effect shows how trying to control a cobra population led to more snakes instead.
  3. It's important to regularly rethink our goals and how we measure success. Metrics can guide us, but we must also consider their potential downsides and the bigger picture.

Links to Consider, 11/4/2024

In My Tribe • 227 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Economics Labor Market Management Industrial Policy
  1. The job market is changing due to AI taking over routine office tasks. However, more complex management roles might still require human skills.
  2. Some believe that good foreign policy relies more on talking than on action. Words can sometimes seem like solutions even when they aren't.
  3. Recent manufacturing job growth is happening in places less affected by international trade issues. Many manufacturing jobs are still not unionized, which means fewer protections for workers.

Founder Mode: Elevating Individual Contributors

Rethinking Software • 249 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Work Culture Entrepreneurship Organizational Behavior
  1. Founder mode empowers individual contributors by reducing management interference. It allows them to work freely, focusing on their tasks without being micromanaged.
  2. Good founders support and trust their teams instead of controlling them. They believe in hiring smart people and letting them decide how to do their jobs.
  3. Too many managers can create a bloated, inefficient system. Founder mode prevents this by maintaining a lean structure where everyone can contribute effectively.

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 • 559 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.

My Journey into Personal Computer Software Development in 1983

Farrs’s Substack • 125 HN points • 20 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming Management Bug Fixing
  1. Personal Computers were gaining popularity in 1983, despite being considered toys by some programmers, and had promising applications developed for them.
  2. Taking a risk to work in Personal Computer Software Development led to a successful job offer and opportunity to solve a challenging memory limitation issue.
  3. Facing skepticism and disrespect at the company, the individual showcased exceptional bug-solving abilities, but ultimately chose to leave due to being labeled unfairly.

Ferrari's Unique Business Model Leads To Record Financial Performance

Huddle Up • 43 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
💼 Business Finance Marketing Strategy Operations Management
  1. Ferrari has a special business model that helps it perform really well financially. This unique approach sets it apart from other car brands.
  2. The company focuses on making limited-edition cars, which keeps them exclusive and desirable. This strategy boosts their appeal and profits.
  3. Ferrari's success is also linked to its strong brand image and connection to racing. People love the thrill of Formula 1, which enhances the brand's prestige.