Most people hate being told what to do.
It seems like an obvious statement, yet companies still drive most of their company culture initiatives from the top down. There’s a better way.
Read MoreAuthor: debbie-madden
Lean Coffee at Stride
The concept of Lean Coffee originated in Seattle in 2009. The concept is kind of like Open Space: a group of people gather and have a structured, yet agenda-less meeting. The outcome: ideation that truly originates from the employees.
At Stride, we’ve adopted and adapted the concept of Lean Coffee. The idea was born out of our desire to get together in frequent intervals for short, effective discussions. We knew we didn’t want the time to be PowerPoint driven, and we also didn’t want it to be all about one, or a handful of people doing all the talking. What we were seeking was a way for any individual in the entire company to be heard. Here’s a peek into Lean Coffee at Stride:
8:45–9:00am Arrival and Breakfast
Read MoreIBM Forces Workers To Colocate — Here’s Why
Thousands are moving back to offices in the name of productivity.
IBM has called some remote workers back to the office. This is no small decision. Approximately 20 percent of its US employees were remote.
Ed Lovely, VP of IBM transformation tells The Wall Street Journal that “Togetherness breeds production.” Lovely goes on to state “We found that the most productive time was when people sit together.”
Read MoreCo-located Outsourcing: The Newest Trend In Tech Outsourcing
Steve Lohr wrote a great piece for the New York Times today, called “Hot Spot for Tech Outsourcing: The United States”
“As brands pour energy and money into their websites and mobile apps, more of them are deciding that there is value in having developers in the same time zone,” Lohr writes.
Read MoreWomen Entrepreneurs Are Not Victims of Our Choices
A rebuttal to Gimlet’s Startup podcast on running both a family and a business
I’m a huge fan of Gimlet and love their new Brooklyn-based podcast Startup.
Yet, as a female tech entrepreneur (I’m the founder and CEO of Stride, a tech startup that’s self funded that my team and I have grown to 60 people in 3 years while I’ve battled cancer and raised 2 kids), a mother, and a New Yorker, I take serious issue with Season 5, Episode 4 — Running a Family and a Business.
Read MoreEqual Pay Isn’t Just Lip Service — It’s What You Do When No One’s Looking
Twice in my career, I’ve left jobs because of gender discrimination resulting in unequal pay. One time I quit. The other time I got fired.
The time I quit, I was part of a gender balanced leadership team. It was amazing. We had a high level of trust and truly enjoyed building a team together. After being part of this team for four years, I learned that a male peer of mine in another department had been making more than me for the past four years, despite the fact that he was running a team of 2 and I was running a team of 65. I also discovered that another male peer of mine was promoted above me in both pay and title, despite having consistently poorer performance reviews than I had had over the years. I was confused. I felt betrayed and lied to. I did go to HR, who did try to help, but no real change came from it. So, I packed my bags and said my goodbyes.
Read MoreDear Travis Kalanick: Here’s What You Must Demand From Uber’s New COO
Travis,
I hear you are seeking a COO, a peer who can partner with you to write the next chapter in Uber’s journey. I applaud this. Uber’s culture is broken and you need help to fix it.
Read MoreTo Uber: Many in Tech Have Gotten Harassment Against Women in the Workplace Right for Decades
I am a huge fan of the New York Times, but today’s article, “Uber Case Could Be A Watershed for Women in Tech,” really pissed me off.
Yes, it is absolutely true that many forms of harassment against women in the workplace have been going on forever, and yes it is true that sometimes, the individuals responsible for said harassment go unpunished. And it is also true that there are many bro-grammer cultures that can’t seem to figure out how to treat all employees fair and equally.
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