Biblio
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(2000). Samba Unleashed.
(2000). Special Edition: Using Samba.
(2000). Taming Java Threads.
(2000). Abolishing Performance Appraisals: Why They Backfire and What to Do Instead.
In the introduction to the book, subtitled "Letting Go of a Hopeless Ritual", the authors include the following quotation: "The world will not be saved by old minds with new programs. If the world is saved, it will be saved by new minds—with no programs."
The authors argue that appraisal ratings produce "unintended consequences—the insidious, destructive, and counterproductive effects of giving people ratings about their work performance. Whether accurate or not, people are psychologically affected by ratings. And except for people rated at the highest end of the scale, the impact is usually negative and consequently counterproductive to the cause of improving performance." (p. 69)
The authors argue that appraisal ratings produce "unintended consequences—the insidious, destructive, and counterproductive effects of giving people ratings about their work performance. Whether accurate or not, people are psychologically affected by ratings. And except for people rated at the highest end of the scale, the impact is usually negative and consequently counterproductive to the cause of improving performance." (p. 69)
(2000). Americans with disabilities : exploring implications of the law for individuals and institutions.
"The key mediating concept here is self-respect. Suppose we agree with Rawls that self-respect is a vital primary good, something of great importance that any rational person is presumed to want. Now, given actual human psychology, self-respect is—to a considerable degree—dependent on other people's affirmation of one's own worth. And in modern advanced societies, employment, earnings, and professional success are, for better or worse, positively correlated with social assessments of an individual's value. Further, beyond the reactions of other people, work and career identifications form significant parts of some people's conceptions of themselves and their own worth; hence these identifications may contribute directly to the creation and sustenance of self-respect, and their absence will frequently have the opposite effect." (p. 179)
(2000). Andy Grove to CDU: Why Are You Looking at Me?.
Fast Company. Abstract
"This false notion suggests that you get better outcomes by eliminating the weaker member of a group. That is supported by another Darwinian misreading: Only the strong survive, and the outcome will be better if you have people of first-rate strength. These assumptions have become the foundation of growth, progress, and capitalism: stronger, better, more. But they are not part of Darwinism. Darwin's insight was that competition can lead to all sorts of new ecological niches. If predators are devouring animals (like you) during the day, you might become nocturnal. If predators are becoming stronger or larger, you could become smaller, more mobile, or less visible. There is nothing vengeful or vindictive about Darwinian theory. Invoking Darwin to justify cutthroat behaviors is wrong."
(2000). Applications in Human Resource Management: Cases, Exercises, and Skill Building.
"This article (in Business Week) identified a number of family-oriented policies and programs followed by 24 leading companies. Among the most significant of these were modifications in the company culture, executive development to enhance 'sensitivity', child care, sick care, women on the board, career development policies, family-leave policies, maternity leave with partial pay, modified work and family benefits, flexible benefits, hiring a 'pluralistic' workforce, job sharing, mentoring programs, and part-time professional and/or executive positions...
In response to employee criticism and the potential for negative publicity, the board of trustees made a decision to establish a 'Task Force on the Work / Family Interface.'" (p. 87)
In response to employee criticism and the potential for negative publicity, the board of trustees made a decision to establish a 'Task Force on the Work / Family Interface.'" (p. 87)
(2000). Breaking the Watch: The Meanings of Retirement in America.
"For most individuals, the formal and public recognition of retirement is commonly marred by the pale content of the official rites mean to dramatize it. These ceremonies tend to be formulaic, predictable, and cliched...
The private and informal ceremonies created for retirees prove to be more fulfilling because of their style, their substance, their process, and their audience. They allow people to leave work on a good note, and give them a sense of control over this transition." (p. 54)
The private and informal ceremonies created for retirees prove to be more fulfilling because of their style, their substance, their process, and their audience. They allow people to leave work on a good note, and give them a sense of control over this transition." (p. 54)
(2000). The bully at work: what you can do to stop the hurt and reclaim your dignity on the job.
"Groupthink is George Orwell's term from 19841, the dark futuristic novel. Psychologists borrowed the term to describe a group incapable of critically assessing the pros and cons of a decision. Because the group members feel so tightly connected, so cohesive, they prefer to see only one side of an issue. They are easily led by a forceful leader and busy themselves by falling in line behind the boss and kissing up to stay in good favor. They become a mindless, overprotective clique when assembled as a group, putting the political goal of squashing dissent above all other matters."2
- 1. (1949). 1984.
- 2. According to the Wikipedia entry on groupthink, it wasn't Orwell, but rather William H. Whyte, Jr., who coined the term, as he writes in 1952:
"Groupthink being a coinage — and, admittedly, a loaded one — a working definition is in order. We are not talking about mere instinctive conformity — it is, after all, a perennial failing of mankind. What we are talking about is a rationalized conformity — an open, articulate philosophy which holds that group values are not only expedient but right and good as well."
Wikipedia: groupthink
(2000). Claw Your Way to the Top: How to Become the Head of a Major Corporation in Roughly a Week.
"So the trick, with subordinates, is to keep them happy, productive, hopeful, and—above all—subordinate." (p. 36)
(2000). The Cluetrain Manifesto : The End of Business As Usual.
"Conversations are where intellectual capital gets generated. But business environments based on command-and-control are usually characterized by intimidation, coercion, and threats of reprisal. In contrast, genuine conversation flourishes only in an atmosphere of free and open exchange." (p. 15)
(2000). Digital Capital : Harnessing the Power of Business Webs.
"Corruption thrives in a culture of secrecy." (p. 182)
(2000). Emotional Intelligence at Work.
"What is so curious about setbacks is that they undermine motivation, yet it is precisely motivation that is needed to overcome the setback." (p. 104)
(2000). Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success.
"Why are people so hesitant to change? I believe that some, like Audubon, believe they are supposed to pursue a particular course of action for some reason—even though it doesn't suit their gifts and talents. And when they are not working in areas of strength, they do poorly." (p. 91)
(2000). Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything.
"Our idea of boredom—ennui, tedium, monotony, lassitude, mental doldrums—has been a modern invention. The word boredom barely existed even a century ago." (p. 270)
(2000). The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense at Work.
"The majority of illnesses and disorders that develop in the workplace have emotional stress and their direct or indirect cause." (p. 125)
(2000). Imagine : what America could be in the 21st century : visions of a better future from leading American thinkers.
"People want it all. They feel, quite understandably, that is is their birthright. They want the fast life of converging technology, global roaming, rising opportunities, adrenaline-pumping challenges, and life at Web speed—and they want to spend time with their families and friends, meditate, keep fit, relax, and play. It's not about work/life balance; it's about the complete integration of work and life, a holistic, seamless fit between these two and every other aspect of life. The new-story leader encourages employees to engage their creative juices while they are walking along a beach, or to shop for groceries online while they are at work and not be self-conscious—indeed, to be unaware of the difference. Life is whole, not seperated into two solitudes called 'work' and 'life'. " (p. 129)
(2000). Life Strategies : Doing What Works, Doing What Matters.
"Remember, I said earlier the number-one need in all people is acceptance. The number-one fear in all people is rejection." (p. 100)
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