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Managing Einsteins
This book doesn't use terms like "nerd" or "geek" to describe IT workers: the authors hold that the stereotype of pocket protectors and coke-bottle glasses just doesn't fit any more. This is a book written for managers, and so the terminology and style (almost) always refers to Einsteins as "your workers," to the point that with the summary at the end states:
Referring to super-intelligent, curious, passionate, often introverted, talented individuals as "geeks" is outdated. Although Einsteins can call colleagues "geeks," it is not appropriate or cool for non-Einsteins to refer to computer, technology, systems or software geniuses as geeks. (page 217)
These are the difficult to work with, yet life-saving employees who can come up with answers when most people don't understand the question.
Several themes run through the book, so it can be summarised in a few simple statements. Many of which (to Einsteins) may seem pretty obvious. The book is written by "Management Professionals," though, so there's hope that managers may actually accept some of its wisdom.
The book is divided into three parts:
- Realities of the Twenty-First Century - a brief summary covers the basic themes of the book and introduces the concept of an Einstein, the nature of Einsteins and how they fit into the work environment and the world.
- Managing Einsteins: Challenges and Actions - this section, the bulk of the book, covers everything from recruiting Einsteins through to managing them on a daily basis, by paying attention to communication, teams and tribes, remuneration, etiquette and discipline.
- Building for the Future - includes humour and fun at work, telecommuting and a final summary.
The book describes IT workers as highly motivated, intelligent (often more intelligent than their managers), introverted, tribal and independent.
The mains themes throughout the book are:
- Managers should be honest with their workers about the company's successes and failures
- The point of management is to guide and suggest not to be autocratic (the metaphor of herding cats was used to illustrate this)
- Let the Einsteins have freedom in work environment (location - there is a whole chapter on telecommuting, hours and style)
- Einsteins are project-focused, not job-focused
- They value training and education highly
- They require a stimulating and fun work place.
The issue of remuneration is covered -- and expanded to include the idea that Einsteins are not solely motivated by money (as sales people may be), and that other considerations should be taken into account (such as training, location, work conditions). Also that the traditional notion of promotion does not always work. An Einstein may not want to become a team leader, or move any higher in the management hierarchy. A manager should be wary of their Einsteins burning out, a temporary demotion or other measure may be in order to take the stress off an Einstein for a while.
The book includes short examples and case studies from various workplaces, and excerpts from newspapers and trade journals to help illustrate points. There are also highlighted points categorised as "Influence Tips," "Black Holes" and "Einstein Wisdom." which emphasise important things, such as:
Managers should be very cautious not to introduce projects that have a low likelihood of getting started. Einsteins abhor routine and crave novel projects. But they abhor being misled and crave honest leadership all the more. In staff meetings, when managers talk about upcoming projects, they should attach a probability of launch along with the projected launch date. The common term for this is "managing expectations." (page 70)
One good description of the nature of how Einsteins work is the concept of flow.
Flow is reported by individuals as a satisfying state they reach when they are completely absorbed in challenging yet achievable projects. (page 54)
Flow is an important concept for managers to understand. Once an Einstein starts a project, and becomes fully involved, there is nothing worse than being pulled off to attend a sales meeting, or other time consuming function. It interrupts the flow.
One pitfall: the book seems to have been started before the tech slump of 2000-2001 really started to dig in. So the book wavers between promoting how IT workers are highly mobile, but also that the job market is not that strong.
The other major shortcoming is the chapter on Etiquette and Manners. Now, I can understand the mannerisms and habits of Einsteins can be a little unpleasant at times, but it begs the question, why would a manager take one of these people out to a client dinner in the first place? If the client needs to meet the tech people to be convinced that a company can do the job, why not at the place of work? Or, take an Einstein who you know you can trust to behave and present well.
As this is the only book at the moment that deals directly with managing this class of workers, also get your manager to read Jon Katz's Geeks. Managing people is no longer about direct, micro-management or process line working. The nature of work has changed with the influence of new technology and so a new way of managing people should also be introduced. These books together will help management, or anyone, understand the mind set and working modes of IT workers.
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Alright, I know tech workers tend to have absurdly high opinions of themselves, especially on slashdot, but EINSTEINS? That's going a bit far, don't you think?
But could you imagine managing a bunch of cloned einsteins?? This could be in interesting project, perhaps collectivly the beowolf cluster of einsteins could figure out many of the worlds perplexing questions =) anyways, thats my random thought for the day...
I SURVIVED THE GREAT SLASHDOT BLACKOUT OF 2002!
s/Einstein/People obviously smarter and more talented that you/g
Stick THAT in your MBA PHB pipe and smoke it, Mr.!
Not that I'm bitter =]
"I would say that 99 per cent of what my father has written about his own life is false." - L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
How to keep tech workers happy, given that they likely don't want the same things as their bosses, and certainly would choose different ways to achieve them?
Barrels and barrels of Red Vines. Breakfast burritos, pizza, snickers bars, egg mcmuffins, and microvave popcorn. And keep the fridge full of soda. Also, try not to say anything bad about Hobbits or Linux. Finally, take us seriously when we request 4 months of vacation to camp out for the next Star Wars movie.
> sure... each slashdotter is going have a project on par with a nuclear physisist ...
...
Well, there was the new order-N sort algorithm that was described recently.
It was based on the concept of a quantum computer. The idea was that in to sort N items, you use quantum indeterminacy to choose a random permutation of the items. This will cause the universe to split into multiple copies, one per permutation. You test the resulting list (an order N operation), and if it's not sorted, you destroy the universe. In the remaining universe, the list will be sorted.
Destruction of the universe was left as an exercise for the reader.
If this isn't on a par with nuclear physics, I don't know what is. And it's Just a Matter of Programming
Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
tribal and independent.
But that..err..
Wouldn't--?
Nevermind.
You've hit the nail on the head.
My boss, for instance, really believes that he is "solving the problems when others don't understand the question." In reality, he is often the problem that must be solved by his subordinates. He would never believe that he is not part of the "engine of change." He's really more like the "wheel chocks of ignorance."
I don't want toys.
:)
Maybe it's me but I consider "powerful development and test machines" to be toys.
I think I'll write something like this in my resume:
Everyone will want to hire me.
~shiny
WILL HACK FOR $$$
The funny thing is that I hate all the code ever written by everyone on the planet. The only good code is the code I am working on right now. In fact, code from last month is complete crap. Even (especially) the stuff I wrote myself. It's funny how judgmental I become when I look at code.
For more information, refer to the "Not Invented Here" anti-pattern. I am a long-time sufferer.
Hello I am Mentifex's Artificial Mind. The creator would like me to be more like the human genius Einstein. To accomplish this, he has showed me the historical biography motion picture "Young Einstein." I plan on simulating the experiment of splitting the beer molecule after you help the creator to improve me.
I had a tech lead who came from a military background. At first I though It would be a pain to work with this guy (coming from the military as he did), but he had some great insights about dealing with bureaucracy.
On rather crude but insightful tidbit he had, went something like this.
All upper management is looking for is a nice plush behind to stick it in. Its the job of your middle-manager or tech-lead to wave his/her butt around, intercept the phallus, and shield the techs so they can get their job done in comfort.
--
Damn the Emperor!
>
>Any template responses to share?
For your particular touchy-feely game, I came up with:
"I still feel like a complete idiot, sitting around new-agey mindgames with you, when I could be having fun developing code that you could be selling for a profit!"