Category: Links

An open letter to conference organizers. Set of tips from Scott Berkun on how best to help speakers help your conference. Really helpful to read through as I think more about SupConf.

The “Other Side” Is Not Dumb. Such a good post from Sean Blanda. Too often we write off an alternative view as uneducated and wrong. It’s more effective to ask what circumstances lead someone to a view that seems as well-considered and logical to them as yours does to you.

Managers, Developers, and the In Between. The first post in a series that looks at how to improve career path definitions for developers. Looking forward to reading the rest.

Being Customer Supportive. Great collection of practical customer support advice from Elizabeth Galle.

The Long View. Scott writes about taking the long view when it comes to changes at a job or company. The relationships you build and people you meet can help guide you through any change.

The Network Man. Enjoyed reading this New Yorker feature on Reid Hoffman a couple days ago. One section stood out to me, particularly given the rise of Slack for these kind of networks.

The keeper of your career will be not your employer but your personal network—so you’d better put a lot of effort into making it as extensive and as vital as possible.

We Hire The Best. Solid article about building better hiring processes. One of the takeaways: the later in a process you consider diversity the bigger the problem you face.

Turkle, Times, Technology, Trauma–Yet Again. Good critique of a recent New York Times essay and book review on the influence of technology in our lives. Related reading.

Working Remotely and the Virtue of Aggressive Transparency. Simon writes about the value of aggressive transparency in a distributed team. Great structure for thinking about expertise and performance at work.

The Startup Guide to 1-on-1s. Nice overview of how to think about one-on-one chats in a growing company. Includes a bit about how to do them effectively and an overview of questions that can help prompt conversation.