There will always be grievances with performance evaluations, no matter how reasonable and fair the system is constructed. The fundamental reason behind this is because the company's resources (money, promotions) are limited. Not everyone can be awarded top marks. No matter how renowned and prominent the company is, there are bound to be people who … Continue reading 3 Misconceptions About Performance Evaluations: I Thought I Did Well. Where Did it Go Wrong?
Tag: Startup
Taking the Blame With a Smile – Positioning and the Courage to be Disliked
It’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to satisfy everyone when running a business. Even Apple, despite its position as the company with the highest market value, faces criticism for a variety of reasons. There are always bound to be people who are just waiting for you to slip up, people that just try to drag … Continue reading Taking the Blame With a Smile – Positioning and the Courage to be Disliked
Making it Work – Killing the Snake Through Divergent R&R
Netscape has a policy for dealing with problems known as "killing snakes". The policy boils down to this: if a problem presents itself, in other words, if you spot a "snake", you should use every means at your disposal to eliminate it. There’s no need for you to hang around the snake, report the snake, … Continue reading Making it Work – Killing the Snake Through Divergent R&R
Business, People, and the Moment of Truth
The most challenging aspect of running a business is the human aspect. Fully understanding an individual, regardless of the level of intimacy, can be extremely difficult. More often than not, people conceal their true intentions and desires behind a facade of social acceptability. They choose to maintain a courteous demeanor and adhere to conventional customs … Continue reading Business, People, and the Moment of Truth
Analysis on the Effects of Riding It Out in Business
I’m of the opinion that sticking with one field and riding out the challenges is more important than constantly switching back and forth between industries to find the "perfect" fit. When you first start in any industry, it's only natural to feel like a fish out of water. You lack connections, knowledge, job applicants, and … Continue reading Analysis on the Effects of Riding It Out in Business
Dopamine and Taking Care of Your Mental Health – Will Taking Drugs for the Rest of Your Life Make You Happy?
I've pondered over the meaning of happiness for the longest time. One approach I’ve taken is that happiness is closely tied to the secretion of dopamine in the brain. According to the brilliant minds of Wikipedia, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and motivation, allowing humans to thrive. But does maximizing the … Continue reading Dopamine and Taking Care of Your Mental Health – Will Taking Drugs for the Rest of Your Life Make You Happy?
Business Strategy – Proven Business Models, New Businesses, and Courage
Businesses generally fall under two categories: those that follow a proven business model and those that create a new one. Each has its own set of advantages and challenges, and neither is inherently better than the other. The first category involves rapid and/or skilled execution of a proven business model. This approach offers the benefits … Continue reading Business Strategy – Proven Business Models, New Businesses, and Courage
How a Team Leader Secures Downtime – Trivial Words Can End Up Attracting More Work
Once you reach the position of team leader, you become extremely busy. As you get caught up in the flow of things, you find yourself getting swamped with more work, unable to get off work on time, and end up working through the weekend. This in turn wears your body down and exhausts your mental … Continue reading How a Team Leader Secures Downtime – Trivial Words Can End Up Attracting More Work
Do I Need to Learn How to Code to Create a Startup?
I had the opportunity to speak with a group of students as a favor to a professor I was friends with. One of the most asked questions was, “Do I need to learn how to code to create a startup?” As is the case with most similar questions, there is no set answer. Generally speaking, … Continue reading Do I Need to Learn How to Code to Create a Startup?
The Basics of Work – Understanding Human Nature: Rapid Feedback Prevents Wasting Time
The most challenging aspect of ‘work’ is that it doesn’t matter whether “I” do a good job or not. What matters is that the job is satisfactory in the eyes of the “other party”. When we say, “other party”, It could be anyone, ranging from customers to investors, or even your direct supervisor. It includes … Continue reading The Basics of Work – Understanding Human Nature: Rapid Feedback Prevents Wasting Time