Do you experiment at work?
One easy way to break down all of this innovation stuff is to talk about experiments. What changes to…
Category: Management
Was your MBA worth it?
The Personal MBA folks have released a update to their reading list, the core of their program for people…
Learning from The Wire
I’m a big fan of the TV Show The Wire. They managed to capture something true about how systems…
Is innovation overrated?
Over on Harvard Business, I wrote a short piece claiming innovation is over-rated . It has caused a bit…
Why project managers get no respect
There is not a child who dreams of being a project manager. Maybe a firefighter, a rock star or…
How to learn from from the Boston Celtics
Here’s an interesting e-mail I received recently: Dear Scott, I know you played and love basketball. What are your…
The irony of creative change
Making a good part of my living as a public speaker means many conversations with potential clients about their…
Innovation by firing people
If the goal is to get a stagnant project to be more creative or productive, the best move is…
Asshole driven development: revisited
With the recent post on the problem with consultants, I wanted to point out the impressive inventory of failed…
Should managers be funny?
As I’ve grown older my tolerance for humorless people has declined – but does everyone feel this way? What…
The Lefferts’ law of management
My friend Rob Lefferts, VP at Microsoft, offers this gem of advice: It is your fault. I call this…
Fresh thoughts on the Microsoft/Yahoo merger
This is exactly the kind of topic I avoid here, but since the deal hasn’t been shot dead (at…
How Apple got everything right
The recent Wired article on Apple’s management practices is interesting for the wrong reasons. The article makes several points…
Why are people ignoring you?
Found this list in an old notebook – I have no idea what exactly prompted the list. Guess I…
Wanted: Software war stories for an O’Reilly book
Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene, authors of Head first PMP and Head first C++, are working on a new…
Stop Saying Innovation – Here’s Why
[Update: an edited version of this post was published at The Economist] I’m confident in this advice: Stop using the word…
Ask Berkun (Friday mailbag)
I get lots of questions and suggestions for things to write about during the week. And while the forums…
The best innovation paper you’ve never read
It’s rare to find a short, well written paper than nails a subject popular books get wrong. If you…
Should you ban blackberries at meetings?
I’m volunteering to go to the front lines in Todd Wilken’s war against blackberries in meetings. Lifehacker and the…
The saddest cubicle in the world
Wired magazine recently held a contest to see who had the most pathetic looking cubicle workspace. The winner, photo…