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Why a Slack Backlash Is Inevitable

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Re: Why a Slack Backlash Is Inevitable

#151

Post by mlthoughts2018 »

staticassertion wrote: post #143
mlthoughts2018 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I manage a team where we have had one member frequently get into issues with Slack. Mostly in the form of drawing into political discussions or lengthy drama, usually not inappropriate by tone or comment, but mostly by relentlessness and distraction. His quality of work output is very high, his teammates rate him highly in reviews, he is kind & respectful in all other forms of communication like code reviews, team me…

I didn't tell you to fire anyone.

Nah, I think you’re wrong. It would require a very revisionist / mental gymnastics interpretations of your original post and it just doesn’t seem reasonable given all your other follow up comments.

You said “just fire the shitty people” in response to a very low stakes topic like misbehavior on a chat program, and then vigorously added response comments all over defending the claim that any type of community gathering of coworkers begets this shitty behavior.

The most reasonable take possible on your initial comment is that you are suggesting a very extreme low bar for firing people rather than helping them improve.

Re: Why a Slack Backlash Is Inevitable

#152

Post by toss1 »

hajile wrote: post #136
toss1 wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What it has to do with Slack and every other social media platform is that (vs. break-room trash-talk) it magnifies the harassment - it's instantly amplified, spread more broadly, and is more durable. It also reduces the dampening influences of people's emotional responses in meatspace. Slack may or may not be better/worse than FB, Twitter, etc. in this regard, but all can definitely magnify divisions in any group of…

As a manager/owner, if your team/company has such toxic people, you're better off losing them. I also wonder if tech ageism isn't at play here. The social rules of high-school and college are nothing like the social rules of the rest of society. In those places, a person can create a group of friends and only interact with them for the most part. In a real job without high turnover, you have to learn to get along wit…

Absolutely - must lose the toxic people as as fast as possible! They will damage the team at a far faster rate than any possibly contribution they can make.

The one good thing in this, is that, although these social media platforms can amplify and spread the toxicity, they can also make it a lot easier to identify & document.

Re: Why a Slack Backlash Is Inevitable

#153

Post by sfgweilr4f »

dleslie wrote: post #43

> “They create problems, high-school-type problems,” one CEO of a midsized firm told me. “People are making fun of co-workers, they’re acting unprofessionally, and it’s technically a company system.” The crux of this is that Slack enables long, heated arguments that normally would be defused by: 1. Being surrounded by your coworkers 2. The frown of your manager 3. The strain on the faces of those around you It basica…

I've found putting people in the same room often helps. Especially when there has been an issue. Generally, just actual discussion and a firm reminder that we're all professional adults on the same team is often enough.

Recent pandemic events notwithstanding...

I'm also a bit gun shy about firing the "problem individual" since I've generally found that particular individual is often the one caught replying and not the instigator. YMMV.

Nuance and context and all that.

The "heads should roll" thing works but make sure its well targeted and for accurate cause.

Re: Why a Slack Backlash Is Inevitable

#155

Post by bfung »

chundicus wrote: post #9

A lot of my CEO and founder friends talk about this"... rephrased: "My CEO and founder friends are upset that their employees use a piece of software to talk about the toxic culture my CEO and founder friends have cultivated"

Agreed. Having been/being a person(s) managers and IC, company culture comes from the head honcho of any subgroup. If the head honcho ignores bad behavior or doesn't tend to it, it's their fault.

Having slack expose those faults in the management chain doesn't mean this is an employee/IC problem. These managers of the company should learn how to manage people better for $$$ they're (we're) getting paid for.

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