Most Wired - The William W. Backus Hospital

Most Wired - The William W. Backus Hospital

On being a good (or better) boss

Heaven knows, I try to be a good boss. I try to be a good writer, too, but often I don't hit the mark.

This story in today's NYTimes Biz section about Google's study of what makes good bosses is nothing less than inspiring.

“Have a clear vision and strategy for the team.”

“Help your employees with career development.”

“Don’t be a sissy: Be productive and results-oriented.”

The list goes on, reading like a whiteboard gag from an episode of “The Office.”

A new "Newsweek"

Damn. My subscription to Newsweek is due to expire next week, and for more than a few months I've thought that it's time to give it up (pun intended).

I've been getting both Time and Newsweek since college, but the latter has one through so many permutations in the past two years that it's gotten annoying. Which personality will arrive this week? The one with mostly columnists? ... The one that takes a "longer view" on world events?

Now comes Tina Brown, fresh from The Daily Beast, as new editor and has me thinking I'll re-up for another year. The first issue under her editorship is both entertaining and thoughtful. I liked what Brown did many years ago at The New Yorker (not a universally held opinion) and I think she may have a thing or two to try with this mag.

Good luck, Tina. You came in the nick of time for this reader...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

OK, come up with your own healthcare fix

From today's New York Times editorial:

President Obama had a splendid idea this week. He challenged governors who oppose his health care reforms, most of whom are Republicans, to come up with a better alternative. He has agreed to move up the date at which states can offer their own solutions and thus opt out of requirements that they oppose, like the mandate that everyone buy health insurance and that most employers provide it.

So far, all I have heard from those who oppose "Obamacare" (as it's been branded; although I don't think that's such a bad nickname) is how this will break the bank and corrupt our society. What should be done differently? Not so much volume.

This is the way to proceed. Our healthcare system is broken. It's not even a "system" at all, but a bunch of disconnected pieces that don't work well together. Something must be done. So, if not Obamacare ... what?

One business leader on 'self-awareness'

My favorite newspaper is The New York Times. Of course, my favorite issue of the week is Sunday. There are sections of the Sunday Times that can be savored all week long -- or longer if I don't stay on top of things (last week's magazine section is still in the "I'll-get-to-it-soon" reading pile). But I've just realized that my favorite sections of the Sunday Times are Sunday Business and Week In Review.

And my favorite part of those is the "Corner Office" column on page 2 of Business.

Each week, a CEO or top-level biz exec answers a series of very straightforward questions about leadership: What was it like the first time as a manager? What questions do you ask in an interview? How do you hire?

The questions are mundane and similar week to week, but the answers surprise and delight. They make me marvel at how similar -- and how different -- top-level managers think and act.

A line today that struck me, in answer to a question about what skills Laura Ching, co-founder and Chief Merchandising Officer of TinyPrints.com looks for:

"... I also want to get a sense of [the person's] emotional I.Q. Self-awareness is really big for me. When it comes to the review period, I'll evaluate you, and you'll evaluate yourself. Some people are right on in terms of their performance -- or even better, their worst critic -- and I think it says a lot about their maturity and their insightfulness and wanting to get better."

What are your 'entitlements'?

I am among those who think the President's budget proposal is a bit cynical. It leaves tough decisions to the GOP. I even agree with Obama's critics who accuse him of "kicking the can down the road," as he famously commented in one of his books.

I think it would be fine to touch the "third rail" of politics. I think it's logical to raise the age of retirement; it was set when the average life expectancy was about 67. The average American (even given our best efforts to kill ourselves with lousy diets and lack of exercise, and counter this with high-priced healthcare ... a story for another day) now lives to be 79.

But let's look at the meaning of "entitlement." When does war become an entitlement? Is healthcare a right or a privilege? (I maintain it's a right, but that all rights require equal parts of personal responsibility.) What about education -- is it a right or an entitlement that I believe my kids should receive an education that prepares them for a successful 21st-century future, IF they work hard to succeed?

Calm down. Free speech is alive and well.

A conservative friend had a post Facebook that made me think ... after it made me slightly annoyed. "Gee. Juan Williams gets canned from NPR. So much for free speech."

Looks to me as if free speech is alive and well. You see, Mr. Williams landed a $2-million-a-year job on Fox News not 24 hours after his firing from NPR. (Don't know what his radio salary was, but I'm guessing it somewhat south of that.)

Second, my friend (and many, many others) shared his opinion. He was tamer than many.

Third, I am sharing mine.

Fourth, I can still listen to NPR, or Fox, or buy The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal (which I do), any time I want. And they can print and air what ever they want.

Only the government can deny free speech. If the government moves to shut down Fox News, even I will howl. Were that to happen, my true liberal colleagues will join me in protest, I am sure. I love the First Amendment, and I believe it even stops the government from squelching speech that I find reprehensible. (The KKK and the pastor whose flock taunted a soldier's funeral come immediately to mind.)

But I also know that individuals and businesses have a right to hire people, pay them, and terminate their employment. That's not violating anyone's rights to speech, and Fox News knows that very well. (I suspect my conservative pal does, too.)

Truth is, I think NPR blew it here; they really overreacted. The better option was to give Mr. Williams a suspension without pay, then let him quit in a huff and snag the $2M job anyway.

But HR blunders (even very public ones, like this) aren't exactly the demise of free speech.