A late January batch of links
Since the previous set of links went out, our paying subscribers have received additional columns, first about how we can help create more equanimity when it comes to opportunities and then some practical tips to enable your manager to think differently about you. We’ve seen a minor uptick, too, in published letters, with hopes for more like them on the horizon. This coming weekend’s newsletter for paying subscribers will move away from career development and focus more squarely on personal development. I’m proud of what it contains - and promotes.
Here, below, is a round of links that intrigued me this week and got me thinking about the core principles of this newsletter: professional development, community building, and self care. I hope you’ll have a spin through them and discover some stories that resonate.
Location-based pay is being challenged by growth of remote work. I laughed out loud listening to this portion of the report: “He and his fiancee are finally able to save toward buying a home, they’ve been able to travel more and Boatright finally has the funds and space to devote to a new hobby — making puppets.” Hey, everyone’s got their thing. He’s found his calling.
Work Culture Makes Individual Workers Feel Like a Problem.
Computer Scientist Explains One Concept in 5 Levels of Difficulty. This was by far my favorite find of the month. I intend to lift this form in an upcoming newsletter and to adapt it to explain on five different levels what I do for a living. It’s going to be a fun column to type up this spring. What a great activity for anyone to try out with their respective areas of knowledge.
How to win the startup war for software engineers? Advertise your salaries.
Making a career change with Drew Overcash. Too many career podcasts are speaking these days in hypotheticals. Here’s one that lays out plainly how to shift careers while still maintaining your center of self.
“The gig economy helped everyone,” argues TaskRabbit’s CEO. On a couple of occasions, she namedrops taskers she’s spoken to and knows about. That stands out for me each time a CEO can point to people using the platform. It matters, and it represents good leadership.
The key to working from anywhere? Some office time.
Everyone Wants to Be an Entrepreneur. I thought this was an interesting point:
Entrepreneurial activity tends to signal optimism in the American economy. A burst of new startups can also lead to a burst of big companies down the road. “We never know which ones are going to turn out to be the ones that have incredible economic impact, employment impact, and innovation impact,” says Thornhill. “It’s a numbers game: The more seeds you plant, the more flowers that might bloom.”
Covid crushed company culture—but something better will take its place.
How hustle culture got America addicted to work. I liked that she weaved in her own experiences, which is probably where this story idea emanated from. In a different generation of journalism, this was a no-no. Today, it' makes the story stronger.
You Can Redraw Work Boundaries This Year—and Make Them Stick.
20VC: 23andMe's Anne Wojcicki on How To Approach Trust in Business and Personal Relationships, Leadership Lessons from Sheryl Sandberg and Reflections on How The Best Founders Manage Their Boards. She’s prepared for this interview with the right examples and also with the right recognition that she isn’t assumed to have all the answers all the time.
This Startup Is Building a Better Way for Businesses to Work With Lawyers. Here's How.