The Cranky Middle Manager Show #35 Leading Geeks with Paul Glen
The Cranky Middle Manager Show #035
This week’s show is for Geeks and those who love them, manage them or just want to be less terrified of them. our guest is Paul Glen, author of the book, Leading Geeks.
Show Notes
0:00 Welcome to geeks everywhere! This particular episode is a love letter to a group that takes a fair share of abuse on this show. Still, if you think you have an issue managing the creative geeks on your team, imagine trying to project manage Michelangelo while he was working on the Sistine Chapel. Well, that’s what poor Donato Bramante had to do. Not terribly well as it turns out, he never even made it into the movie.
3:20 The quote of the week is from Pantanjali, a third century Yogi. Geeks and Yogis, who says this show isn’t eclectic? Heck, even our TPN promo this week celebrates Geek culture.
5:10 Welcome Paul Glen. I ask him if the term Geek is even one we should be using. Is it an insult, a badge of honor or just a description? Oh, and I try not to be offended when he assumes I’m an IT guy.
9:25 Why is managing Geeks different. Part of it is the culture, part of it is the work they do. Have you ever thought about your IT folks as creative artists? Oh, and failure is ALWAYS an option.
13:35 Power games are completely useless in managing Geeks. Have a good day.
17:30 When “sucking less” is a badge of honor.
20:25 Welcome to the “Knowledge Inversion”…. when your workers know more than you do- learn to embrace it or prepare for a long day at work.
22:30 What are the things we should be doing to grow and help candidates move to management?
- Don’t pay attention to education
- Don’t use technical skills as a yardstick
-Can they communicate, both in writing and verbally?
- Do they have emotional flexibility-Can you behave as needed, not as you feel?
- Are they comfortable with ambiguity?
Resources:
Tom Davenport’s “Thinking for a Living”
Organizing Genius by Warren Bennis
Edgar Schein’s “Organizational Culture and Leadership”
That’s it for this week. If you have an idea for a show, please EMAIL ME. We have several shows coming up that are based on suggestions from our audience and God love ya for turning me on to these folks. Also, post to the blog, link to us from your own websites and blogs and, as always, don’t let the weasels get ya down.
August 30th, 2009 at 4:00 am
[...] 14:58 Why do so many superstars make lousy managers and why do companies insist on trying to make them fit that role? We mention Donato Bramante trying to manage Michelangelo. You can learn more back in Episode 35 if you’re so inclined. [...]