The hottest Management Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

The Parable of the Startup

Rethinking Software • 149 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Equity Management Workplace culture
  1. The founder promised each employee a share of ownership to create a feeling of equality. This made everyone feel included and valued in the startup.
  2. Everyone received the same amount of shares regardless of how long they had been there. This caused some confusion and frustration among long-term employees who expected more.
  3. In the end, the founder showed that he also valued his contribution by only taking one share like everyone else. This helped unite the team under a common goal and ownership spirit.

The Manager’s Iceberg

The Engineering Leader • 159 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Human Resources Organizational Behavior Team Dynamics
  1. Managers do a lot of work behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed. This includes tasks like coaching, resolving conflicts, and setting goals that are crucial for team success.
  2. Being a manager means putting the team's needs first and supporting them to succeed. It can be tough because their work might not get immediate recognition.
  3. It's important to be patient with your manager and understand they have many responsibilities. Asking how you can help them can strengthen your working relationship.

[P] HSY: Succession Alternatives

Nongaap Investing • 5 implied HN points • 18 Jan 25
💼 Business Investing Finance Corporate Management Strategy
  1. Hershey is considering different options for leadership succession. It's important for companies to have a plan for who will lead them in the future.
  2. The article shares insights on evaluating these succession options at Hershey. Understanding different leadership paths can help the company maintain stability.
  3. Having a clear succession plan can also help reassure investors and employees. It's crucial for the company's ongoing success and growth.
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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.

How to Share Bad News with a Newsroom (and How Not to)

Second Rough Draft • 157 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💼 Business Communication Transparency Management Companies
  1. Be transparent when sharing bad news with your newsroom - journalists are professional skeptics and value honesty.
  2. If you have multiple problems, address them separately to avoid confusion and speculation among your team.
  3. Establish a culture of transparency in your newsroom to minimize surprises and build trust with your team.

Exciting Announcement: New Paid Subscription for The Art of Doing Technical Program Management Newsletter

Building Rome(s) • 1 implied HN point • 06 Feb 25
💼 Business Management Professional development Subscription Models Career growth Technical Skills
  1. There's a new paid subscription for a newsletter about Technical Program Management that costs $8 a month or $80 a year. This could help you grow in your career.
  2. Paid subscribers will get special content like focused guides, deep dives from experienced professionals, and tools to boost their skills.
  3. Even if you don't subscribe, free content will still be available, but you'll miss out on the deeper insights and exclusive resources that come with a paid subscription.

Participatory Capitalism

Rethinking Software • 99 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
💼 Business Economics Management Entrepreneurship Corporate Governance Workplace culture
  1. Many workers struggle to make ends meet while business owners and entrepreneurs often gain wealth and freedom. This gap shows that capitalism isn't working equally for everyone.
  2. Imagine creating small business environments within big companies where employees can act like owners. This could help employees gain wealth without facing the full risks of starting their own businesses.
  3. We should focus on supporting companies that empower their workers and create employee-owners. A better capitalism means more people directly benefiting from their work.

Doing Fast & Slow

Venture Prose • 279 implied HN points • 07 May 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Work-life balance Achievement Execution
  1. Set a pace of execution that matches ambition and expectations to avoid subpar efforts and performance from your team.
  2. Find a balance between being fast and slow in your thinking and actions, while being intentional about setting expectations and goals.
  3. Work-life balance is like a rope that tightens and loosens, finding equilibrium between being super busy and not, rather than aiming for a perfect balance.

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.

Letter #90: Andrew Pastor (2021)

A Letter a Day • 275 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
💼 Business Investing Company analysis Leadership Innovation Management
  1. Good investment ideas can come from unexpected sources, like a round of golf or a casual conversation.
  2. Successful investments often share common traits that aren't found through traditional stock screens.
  3. Applying specific filters, such as assessing risk and uncertainty, evaluating management decisions, and understanding company culture, can help in identifying valuable investment opportunities.

Lululemon

Business Breakdowns • 275 implied HN points • 23 May 23
💼 Business Retail E-commerce Strategy Management Risk
  1. Lululemon dominates luxury athleisure market with loyal customers and high-quality products.
  2. The company has strong revenue segments, with high margins in direct-to-consumer sales.
  3. Industry trends and growth opportunities in menswear and international markets support Lululemon's continued success.

Revenge of the Nerds

The Better Letter • 196 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🎾 Sports Analytics Baseball Innovation Management Statistics
  1. Baseball's analytics revolution owes its existence to a smart security guard creating statistical analysis accessible and interesting.
  2. The success of 'Moneyball' accelerated the statistical disruption in baseball and led to the widespread use of advanced statistical measures in MLB.
  3. The Bill James approach transformed baseball analysis to be more objective, relevant, and useful, impacting team strategies and decision-making.

5 Things I learn in my Engineering Manager Journey

Better Engineers • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jul 24
💼 Business Leadership Productivity Management Efficiency Strategies
  1. The Pareto Principle says that 20% of your tasks create 80% of your results. Focus on those key tasks to be more efficient.
  2. The 2-Minute Rule encourages you to do any task that takes two minutes or less right away. This helps prevent small tasks from piling up.
  3. Using a method like Kanban helps manage your tasks visually. It allows you to see what you need to do, what you're working on, and what’s done.

Letter #73: Jon Pollock (2015)

A Letter a Day • 255 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
💼 Business Investing Activism Technology Management Strategy
  1. Jon Pollock discusses how activism fits into Elliott Management's overall investment strategy by seeking to positively shape investment outcomes and drive returns.
  2. Elliott Management excels in activism in the Technology sector due to the complex nature of the industry and the potential for unlocking value through operational improvements.
  3. Elliott Management's success in attaining board representation without launching proxy fights is attributed to strong relationships with institutional shareholders and the identification of situations where change is needed.

The Cultural Characteristics of Fast-Paced, High-Performance Teams

Voohy Leadership Insights • 2 HN points • 15 Sep 24
💼 Business Teamwork Leadership Innovation Management Performance
  1. Teams work best when all members collaborate to solve problems together. It's important for everyone to see problems as shared challenges.
  2. Recognizing and valuing each team member's contributions helps build trust and improves teamwork. This makes it easier to work through complex tasks.
  3. Diverse skills within a team can lead to great ideas, but can also cause confusion. Leaders should encourage collaboration and shared problem-solving to bridge these gaps.

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

Ageling on Agile • 139 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.

Insights from Peter Drucker's Iconic Book "The Effective Executive"

The Digital Leader Newsletter -- By John Rossman • 235 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
💼 Business Management Leadership Decision-making Communication Innovation
  1. Being an effective executive is about managing yourself, not just others.
  2. Key practices for effective leadership include focusing on opportunities, not just problems, and running productive meetings.
  3. Decision-making involves understanding principles, making opinion-based choices, and following through with effective communication.

stuck in the moat

Dan Davies - "Back of Mind" • 235 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💼 Business Economics Management Productivity Competition Monopoly
  1. The concept of a 'moat' in business, popularized by Warren Buffet, has been misunderstood and misapplied by many.
  2. The original idea behind a 'moat' was to protect a business's unique advantage, not simply to create barriers through legal means.
  3. The focus on 'moats' led to a shift in management attention towards maintaining profits through artificial means rather than product improvement.

The Measurement Trap

Fish Food for Thought • 32 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
💼 Business Management Marketing Strategy Leadership Productivity
  1. Relying too much on numbers for management can blind you to important factors. It’s essential to recognize that not everything that matters can be measured.
  2. Nike's recent struggles show how chasing measurable goals can hurt a company's core values. Ignoring brand loyalty and innovation for data-driven decisions can lead to serious problems.
  3. Good leaders need to balance what they measure with understanding the unmeasurable parts of their organization, like team morale and creativity. The best insights often lie outside the numbers.