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Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

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Re: Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

#121

Post by grandalf »

tptacek wrote: post #79
grandalf wrote: post #74

They are conspiring to replace an existing employee. That says enough. If the organization were "healthy" they would be upfront with the existing manager and allow him/her to gracefully exit. That they won't do this suggests that there is a lot of mistrust going on, or possibly optics with the investors around turnover -- not sure which is worse. By taking the role, you will be viewed as having taken sides with the p…

This is twice in a week where me and 'grandalf are in enthusiastic agreement. Something strange is going on.

:) Maybe it's the water as I now live in the Chicago area.

Re: Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

#122

Post by grandalf »

collyw wrote: post #115
grandalf wrote: post #74

They are conspiring to replace an existing employee. That says enough. If the organization were "healthy" they would be upfront with the existing manager and allow him/her to gracefully exit. That they won't do this suggests that there is a lot of mistrust going on, or possibly optics with the investors around turnover -- not sure which is worse. By taking the role, you will be viewed as having taken sides with the p…

How would you deal with someone who wasn't performing well, but not badly enough to sack? (Like a previous manager of mine).

That's a tough one. Ideally there would be a role that would be more appropriate. Some people end up in a manager role but would be better suited for a different role with elevated status but perhaps not leading a team.

Manager roles often have pretty vaguely defined success metrics, and people manage (and prefer to be managed) in quite different ways, so perhaps someone like you describe would perform better in a role with a much more narrowly defined criterion for success.

Re: Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

#123

Post by pravula »

HelloNurse wrote: post #118
TurboHaskal wrote: post #110

Monitors. Are developers being issued several ones, and of above average quality? Do people need to stack object oriented design books to place their monitors at a comfortable level? Are they using old, low resolution, low refresh rate, 15" TFT monitors? Is there disparity between monitor quality among employees?

Due to underpowered graphics adapters, many laptops allow only one external screen, even if they have two or three video connectors. Multiple monitors are typically an option only with fixed computers, which might or might not be a good sign.

Most laptop docking stations have built in video cards. Macbooks can drive 2 monitors easy.

Re: Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

#124

Post by gmarx »

jarsin wrote: post #32
gmarx wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is often used this way similar to the word "unprofessional". But, in the context of a manager of a muti-continent team could be quite legit and easy to define in more detail

Yes it can be legitimate but it's my belief that true "Communication" issues are not that difficult to address. Such as, the team is all over the place you need to do daily standups to get everyone on the same page. Once the actual issue is defined if the person then does not take simple steps to improve "communication" then at that point they are more in the category of insubordinate, incompetent etc.

I disagree. I have encountered many managers whose main problem was expecting that people could read their minds and/or valuing ambiguity so they could change their minds frequently. One of them referred to this as a positive, the ability to "operate in the grey zone". I call it the "I don't know WTF I'm doing zone". The poor communication makes it seem like the fault lies in the subordinates

Re: Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

#125

Post by tptacek »

grandalf wrote: post #121
tptacek wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is twice in a week where me and 'grandalf are in enthusiastic agreement. Something strange is going on.

:) Maybe it's the water as I now live in the Chicago area.

Neato. Hope you like it! You should let me buy you a drink sometime and punch me in the nose for my HN transgressions.

Re: Ask HN: Interview tomorrow – How to learn whether an org is “healthy”?

#126

Post by grandalf »

tptacek wrote: post #125
grandalf wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

:) Maybe it's the water as I now live in the Chicago area.

Neato. Hope you like it! You should let me buy you a drink sometime and punch me in the nose for my HN transgressions.

I'll be in touch!
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