Welcome to My Blog

How To Look Happy (when you aren’t)

All's well that ends well.

Setting Expectations for Vendor Resources

A few tips to make sure you get the right resources from your vendor for Time & Materials contracts.

Catch Someone

Catching someone doing something well that they enjoy doing—often without even getting paid to do it—is the kismet of a good manager.

All Games Get Boring

’ve become more and more intrigued with gaming theory lately, particularly how it applies to motivating people. I don’t know all of the complex math and psychology behind gaming theory (yet), but as a very basic metaphor for motivation, I get it. It’s never a great idea to be your employee’s psychotherapist (even if you […]

Who Knows?

The manager of one of our stores slacked off this summer. We’re not sure why. It could have been personal issues, disinterest in the job, dislike of the people who work for him, or their dislike of him. Who knows? Whatever, he lost focus. Schedules and time sheets went unfinished and merchandise never got unpacked. […]

I Smooshed a Squirrel

I smooshed a squirrel while moving the BBQ grill yesterday. I didn’t know he was hiding under there when I started to move it. But then I heard him squeal. I guess he fell out of the oak tree above it and, waiting to clear his head before re-ascending, was hiding, traumatized. It was traumatic […]

Jump the Net. I’m Ready.

There’s an approach for giving feedback out there that says you should only talk about what you feel and observe, and not assume or imply the other person’s intentions. A tennis metaphor is used: “Don’t jump the net,” meaning, when giving feedback, say what you see, not what you think the other person’s motivation was. […]

I don’t come to you with my problems, do I?

Introducing himself to Bob Dylan at a party, Peter Grant extended his hand and said, “Hi. I’m Peter Grant, manager of Led Zeppelin.”

Dylan looked at him and said, “I don’t come to you with my problems, do I?” then turned and walked away.

This famous anecdote says a lot about Dylan’s dyspeptic personality (Dylan was our Kanye, but with a sense of humor), but it indicates more, and better, I think, about why Peter Grant was a great manager.

Peter Grant

Grant was a former South London wrestler who became one of the most powerful men in the music industry. The formidable 6 foot, 5 inch, ‘Genghis Khan of Rock’ struck fear into the hearts of anyone foolish enough to try to rip off one of his bands.

Across a long career, Grant managed the Yardbirds, Bad Company, Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, and the Animals, but his reputation was cemented in rock history with Led Zeppelin.

There were many rough edges to this ex-wrestler (who once beat up a security guard who mistakenly cuffed his son), including years of drug abuse and depression when John Bonham (Led Zeppelin’s drummer) died of alcohol abuse.

But, for now, let’s focus on Grant’s positive attributes, the ones we’d like to see in all our managers.

When Do You Know It’s Time to Let an Employee Go?

I’d like to give you a 100 point checklist that will absolutely assure you that you are doing the right thing when you let someone go, but it doesn’t exist.

The Problem with Team-Based Development

Good small product teams become pros in their area of expertise, as they should. But they can also start to think they are the experts in the whole solution, from end to end, not just the one part they are focused on.