This thread seemed pretty successful - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15033156 . Let's see what the impressions on the other side are.
Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
1–10 of 25 posts
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#2[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#3Not running the tests before checking code in.
(Disclaimer: I don't actually manage them. I'm kind of a lead, but nothing more.)
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#4Being stupid about compensation was a pattern when I was managing.
Want people to be happy? Give them no benefits, no health care, no 401K, no bonuses, and plow all of that into salary. People would rather have bragging rights about how much they make. Doesn't matter if you point out that they get a bigger package when the employer pays the health care (if the employee pays then they pay with after tax money).
It is mind blowing to realize that people that are way smarter than me are stupid about money. But I've definitely seen that pattern.
I ignored what they wanted and gave them good health care, did 2:1 match into their 401K, and did bonuses so we didn't get double taxed (corporate and personal).
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#5That meetings are an open mic comedy venue.
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#6Being stupid about compensation was a pattern when I was managing. Want people to be happy? Give them no benefits, no health care, no 401K, no bonuses, and plow all of that into salary. People would rather have bragging rights about how much they make. Doesn't matter if you point out that they get a bigger package when the employer pays the health care (if the employee pays then they pay with after tax money). It is…
In a decade or so, when they are scanning their investment portfolio and see their fat 401(k) or they are expecting their second child, they'll (quite justifiably) thank you, ex post, but at the moment, they probably just think you're a cheap bastard and/or that you're trying to screw them over somehow.
no good deed goes unpunished--sigh
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#7Assuming that leaders are promoted to mangement first and then they lead rather than they lead first and then they are promoted to management.
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#8[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#9Side-stepping management and complaining to the HR department. The HR department's job is to protect and side with the company. Often enough they will call or email the manager asking "what's going on with employee XY" and sometimes even forward the full complaint email to management. Unless there's serious misconduct (e.g. sexual harassment, fraud) expect little privacy.
Re: Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?
#10Being stupid about compensation was a pattern when I was managing. Want people to be happy? Give them no benefits, no health care, no 401K, no bonuses, and plow all of that into salary. People would rather have bragging rights about how much they make. Doesn't matter if you point out that they get a bigger package when the employer pays the health care (if the employee pays then they pay with after tax money). It is…
I have a friend who took a 1099 job over a W2 job because "they offered more money". I tried to explain that because he is now paying a higher payroll tax he's earning less per hour than the other job.
He doesn't get it though. "The other company was offering X. This one is offering 5% more."
He also doesn't have PTO, 401k, or medical insurance.