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Ask HN: What books do you wish your manager would read?

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Re: Ask HN: What books do you wish your manager would read?

#51

Post by brnstz »

talkingquickly wrote: post #42
brnstz wrote: post #40

* Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5 Software engineering in particular attracts some extreme personalities. There are elements of narcissism, OCD, borderline, avoidance, etc. in every organization, even if it would not necessarily warrant a diagnosis. People have irrational motivations. This is often ignored in the rational business of software.

Do you know of any more accessible books which might give people a feel for what they might encounter? DSM-5 is pretty heavy going for someone outside of the field but agree that some awareness of it could be really valuable.

Good question. I don't know of any books, though they're probably out there. You could look at the table of contents and google most of the diagnoses and find more readable stuff online.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you wish your manager would read?

#52

Post by kill_dang »

a3n wrote: post #43
kill_dang wrote: post #36

Atlas Shrugged, but he's not the 'reading books' type of guy. Atlas Shrugged's Taggart Transcontinental is the company I wish I could work for. I hate the nitpicking and bad attitude that I currently deal with. I took this job to write code and make money, why do I have to go to all these stupid meetings, read these stupid e-mails, use Slack, answer this stupid desk-phone etc? 'Going to work' is what is killing my wo…

> I took this job to write code and make money, why do I have to go to all these stupid meetings, read these stupid e-mails, use Slack, answer this stupid desk-phone etc? I call that work about work. Most of it's needless. They say it's to help us get better results, etc, but I think it's really about adding meaning to their work life. Or just to their life.

If I had enough time to just get shit done without hearing from my managers, I have no clue what my manager(s) would do all day, every day.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you wish your manager would read?

#54

Post by beeboop »

minikites wrote: post #50
mrfusion wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Care to explain? I didn't really get anything like that from the book.

It's been a while since I've re-read it so I might not have the finer points correct, but one of the main lessons is how the authors approach to motorcycle tweaking differs from the couple he is traveling with. He has a old bike that needs a mixture adjustment as they change altitude and he enjoys the act of figuring out how to make the engine run just right. In contrast, the couple he is traveling with has a new bik…

I haven't read the book, but I found this summary: https://lettersfromtheporch.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/what-yo...

You are close, but I think the message is more nuanced than you state (as you guessed). What the book seems to be contrasting is the "romantic" view of something (the emotions it generates) and the classical view (the logic and order of something). This applies to a lot of things in life (cooking, music, programming etc) and the book uses the examples of motorcycles. One person doesn't mind tinkering with his motorcycle because it's part of the "experience" and he finds an emotional appeal to it. The other person only sees the motorcycle as a means to a different experience (traveling) and only cares that it works for their purpose.

The summmary says, "Only by finding the middle ground that accepts both views can a person deal with the frustration and dissatisfaction of everyday life."

I am not sure how finding the middle ground would make me more satisfied with life. I understand cooking has very romantic feelings for some people, but to me it's a chore. I don't have the same experiences, background, and emotional wiring as someone who enjoys cooking, and I don't think I ever will. Understanding that other people like it doesn't make me like it anymore. I guess maybe the point of the book is to try to view things romantically, and giving that view a chance.

Re: Ask HN: What books do you wish your manager would read?

#55

Post by GFischer »

jbob2000 wrote: post #6

It would be great if my manager read anything at all. Having been through a few managers; the good ones read, the bad ones don't read. It doesn't matter what they read, the last good one I had pretty much only read WW2 novels. That being said, I think Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is an important read for anyone in technology. It changed how I approach and appreciate technology.

I second that observation. I wish the manager at my day job read ANYTHING, at the very least some informercial-laden industry publication.

In my case, I'd like him to read Fred Brooks' "The Mythical Man-Month", to make him understand how a programming system costs a lot more than a simple module.

Summary: http://javatroopers.com/Mythical_Man_Month.html

In second place, I'd place "Peopleware", so he'd understand the importance of communications, and how the current office arrangement is losing the company a lot of money:

Summary: http://javatroopers.com/Peopleware.html

Amazon link to both:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Mythical-Man-Month-Engineering-Ann...

http://www.amazon.com/Peopleware-Productive-Projects-Second-...

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