A late March batch of links
Since the most recent batch of links went out, paying subscribers received an interview with a community builder, followed by a meditation on mistakes. This coming weekend, they’ll receive an assessment on the prayer of Yizkor.
Below, you’ll find a batch of links that comprise the themes of this newsletter, which are career development, community building, and self care.
I Don’t Want Anyone to Read My Diaries. Yet I Can’t Burn Them.
Whether we encounter our own long-ago words, or our children do, or our grandchildren, or a world of rapt strangers, perhaps it is in this dialogue of one — unpolished, raw, without discipline — that we offer testimony into the void. That we say, this is me. I was human. And so are you.
‘People are really angry’: A vibe shift around layoffs is happening across the workforce.
Five years of the WFH experiment: is it working? I’ve been largely disappointed, even disheartened, by the discourse around the future of work. Much of it is limited in scope, predictable by way of talking points. This article is better than most in outlining what has happened and what is left to conquer ahead.
The Unintended Consequences of Trump’s Firing Spree.
Did diversity ever work ... at work? Good discussion about how the loudness of DEI aggravation is stronger than the reach of what DEI has achieved. What’s clear is that the attack on DEI from the Right has taken hold, as the guest outlines on this podcast episode.
My boss has an obvious 'favourite' - work feels pointless and toxic.
Leading a Movement Away from Psychiatric Medication.
Ms. Delano said she would call 911 if a member overdosed on pills, but, short of that, she doesn’t weigh in on treatment choices. She noted that many members come to withdrawal groups precisely because they feel they have been harmed by the medical system.
Why do companies make terrible decisions? With Dan Davies.
Job Seekers Hit Wall of Salary Deflation. This sounds right to me: “Workers who negotiated their salaries during the pandemic when the sector drove big pay increases, especially at high-growth tech firms, aren’t likely to find a new job for more money than they are already making.” Be happy you got what you did for as long as you were overpaid compared to the market. It’s going to be lateral from here this year.
A Book to Make You Less Afraid of Workplace Conflict.
Why we’re getting the expensive problem of employee burnout — and how to fix it — all wrong. Yeah, I’m not sure this is how it all works: “Pohlman offers a vivid example: Imagine having a tough day at work and opening a social feed to see that you were recognized by a coworker for a project you worked very hard on. “These are reminders that your work has real impact and meaning, and that a single moment of appreciation can completely turn your day around,” she said.” Would people really want that feedback done performatively? HR sometimes prefers what’s best for them, not for employees. Tell people you appreciate them in a real way.
Will long commutes push away your top talent?
From unemployed to tons of job offers.
What is your unique superpower? Are you an operations powerhouse who can build systems from scratch? A marketing genius who can scale a brand? A product strategist who sees around corners? The more specific you get, the easier it becomes to position yourself as an essential hire.
7 Useful Pieces Of Money Advice From People Who Started Their Own Business.
The shift to a more oral culture is not all bad. Love this: “Writing can help you work out what you think, but it can also push you into a corner that isn’t really your own, or can give the appearance of conviction when in fact you are still uncertain.”