Managers classify their direct reports in various ways; there are several well-known approaches. Used respectfully, classification is a good thing for employees, managers, and the
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People
Leadership in a Time of Pandemic
My great privilege in life is no longer needing to run the day-to-day operations of any organization. After many years of being ultimately responsible for
Adding a Socially Responsible Fund to Atomic’s 401(k)
In 2019, several Atoms asked about adding a socially responsible investment fund offering to our 401(k) retirement plan. I took on the task of investigating
Encouraging Professional Growth with the “Career Development Manager”
Atomic’s most valuable resource is our people (whom we call Atoms). It’s our goal to provide them with meaningful work, pay a fair salary, live
Sacrificing Robustness for Expediency – A Story about Fragility
“A plan that’s too dependent on any one person is too fragile.” Derek Sivers Pairs of people working together make a project or situation more
Inheriting a Team Successfully by Managing for Growth
As leaders within organizations, we rarely get to start our own team from scratch. We receive teams as they were formed. Often, we have limited
Bringing your whole self to work
Do your employees bring their whole selves to work? Can they? Can you? If not, you’re in a lose-lose-lose situation. The first loss is the
Jazz and the software company – A choreography of chaos and order
The longer I’m in leadership, the more I become aware of a simple, but harrowing fact: The best leaders in business improvise. A lot. In
A milestone reached in Atomic’s goal to employ more women
We’re approaching a significant milestone in our company initiative to employ more women. When our last Accelerator member joins in mid-July, 25% of Atoms will
Firing people: feelings, perspectives, and practical advice
This is a summary of what I’ve learned about firing people. I’ve had to do that difficult, unpleasant, but occasionally absolutely necessary task 12 times,