Comments for Mind (and) Your Business http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin People - Leadership - Minds - Opensource Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:39:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 Comment on Why Do we Work? by anonymous http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-11 anonymous Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:24:37 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-11 I would agree with sachin that the "inner belief" or perhaps the "passion of association with a certain cause" is of utmost importance. To some extent it shapes up "how you do things" irrespective of the external factors like money or management. When the "how you do things" part gets affected by the external factors the "passion" gets stifled and gets suffocated within. Unless an equivalent passionate playground is available stellar performances are not possible in the same arena. It is unwise to think that only innovators/developers are the passionate people. I would agree with sachin that the “inner belief” or perhaps the “passion of association with a certain cause” is of utmost importance. To some extent it shapes up “how you do things” irrespective of the external factors like money or management. When the “how you do things” part gets affected by the external factors the “passion” gets stifled and gets suffocated within. Unless an equivalent passionate playground is available stellar performances are not possible in the same arena. It is unwise to think that only innovators/developers are the passionate people.

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by Anonymous http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-10 Anonymous Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:38:48 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-10 @sachin "My point is when you work at company like RH, are you working like any other professional? or do we work as much more than professional and get committed to the larger cause (beyound your professional duties such as selling and making numbers)?" Is that completely true ? I mean even for a company like RHT there would be a large chunk of organizational practices which are "traditional or old school" For example, I would imagine, HR practices or incentives would not be different. What would be required to be different is the Sales & Marketing bits which uptake from Engineering to demonstrate value to the potential buyer. This of course would mean that while the "Open Source Culture" might be important to all, it would impact developers in Red Hat more than any other team. There are a significant number of companies doing Open Source and contributing back to it. In the operating system space RHT might be doing it more, but there are spaces like Open Source consulting or even Open Source product companies where one can be attached to the "culture of collaboration" yet not be feeling divorced from the rich vein of innovation. I don't quite agree with the logic that you need to be committed to a cause to turn in a stellar performance. Although, it might be true that buying into the vision does help you when you are down and end up doubting whether you can. @sachin “My point is when you work at company like RH, are you working like any other professional? or do we work as much more than professional and get committed to the larger cause (beyound your professional duties such as selling and making numbers)?”

Is that completely true ? I mean even for a company like RHT there would be a large chunk of organizational practices which are “traditional or old school” For example, I would imagine, HR practices or incentives would not be different. What would be required to be different is the Sales & Marketing bits which uptake from Engineering to demonstrate value to the potential buyer. This of course would mean that while the “Open Source Culture” might be important to all, it would impact developers in Red Hat more than any other team. There are a significant number of companies doing Open Source and contributing back to it. In the operating system space RHT might be doing it more, but there are spaces like Open Source consulting or even Open Source product companies where one can be attached to the “culture of collaboration” yet not be feeling divorced from the rich vein of innovation.

I don’t quite agree with the logic that you need to be committed to a cause to turn in a stellar performance. Although, it might be true that buying into the vision does help you when you are down and end up doubting whether you can.

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by sachin http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-9 sachin Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:59:07 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-9 My point is when you work at company like RH, are you working like any other professional? or do we work as much more than professional and get committed to the larger cause (beyound your professional duties such as selling and making numbers)? And when that happens - professional excellence + committment to deeper cause, your reason of working is not just an orginsation or people. Your motivation is derived not from people around you. So the down side of this, when you think of leaving, you have to think of what are you leaving - the people, the organisation or the cause / principles / beliefs Today, unfortunately, leaving RH is akin to leaving the cause of opensource, at least for the sales and marketing professionals because there are not many attractive organisations around the same cause, with same beliefs. My point is when you work at company like RH, are you working like any other professional? or do we work as much more than professional and get committed to the larger cause (beyound your professional duties such as selling and making numbers)?

And when that happens - professional excellence + committment to deeper cause, your reason of working is not just an orginsation or people. Your motivation is derived not from people around you.

So the down side of this, when you think of leaving, you have to think of what are you leaving - the people, the organisation or the cause / principles / beliefs

Today, unfortunately, leaving RH is akin to leaving the cause of opensource, at least for the sales and marketing professionals because there are not many attractive organisations around the same cause, with same beliefs.

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by Sankarshan http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-8 Sankarshan Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:36:08 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-8 Aren't http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hairy_Audacious_Goal the task of the management ? Breaking down a BHAG into individual level "SMART" (oh !! the acronyms) goals is a joint effort between manager and associate. What I was getting at is, is it human nature to set the bar for individual performance (when setting it oneself) low ? Or, do folks do that when they observe that such behavior has incentives ? Setting high personal standards and using self discipline to achieve them are in a way a means to be self satisfied in terms of "What have I done ?" - but does all this in any way link back to your post ? Aren’t http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hairy_Audacious_Goal the task of the management ? Breaking down a BHAG into individual level “SMART” (oh !! the acronyms) goals is a joint effort between manager and associate. What I was getting at is, is it human nature to set the bar for individual performance (when setting it oneself) low ? Or, do folks do that when they observe that such behavior has incentives ? Setting high personal standards and using self discipline to achieve them are in a way a means to be self satisfied in terms of “What have I done ?” - but does all this in any way link back to your post ?

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by sachin http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-7 sachin Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:23:04 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-7 The first two reasons - being challenged and being recognised are the reasons for a good professional to stay on or move on. The point is how to make yourself feel challenged? Whom do you think is responsible for creating these challenges? This is where the belief in a larger cause, the committment to further the social cause makes a person get going. If you leave the cause of creating those challenges in the hands of external factors such as managers and your friends then you can not go beyond a point. The first two reasons - being challenged and being recognised are the reasons for a good professional to stay on or move on. The point is how to make yourself feel challenged? Whom do you think is responsible for creating these challenges? This is where the belief in a larger cause, the committment to further the social cause makes a person get going.

If you leave the cause of creating those challenges in the hands of external factors such as managers and your friends then you can not go beyond a point.

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by Sankarshan http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-6 Sankarshan Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:07:58 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-6 I always thought that the reason to stay would be determined by "does this challenge me enough" which generally gets the addendum of "am I being adequately recognized and appreciated for what I bring to the table" - once either or both of the factors tend wane, one generally takes a look at moving on. In that event, familiarity and friendliness ensures that you have a vibrant group amongst which you can extend and challenge your own self. Or, http://sankarshan.randomink.org/blog/2007/03/23/anecdotal-im-converations/ is what I am pointing to :) I always thought that the reason to stay would be determined by “does this challenge me enough” which generally gets the addendum of “am I being adequately recognized and appreciated for what I bring to the table” - once either or both of the factors tend wane, one generally takes a look at moving on. In that event, familiarity and friendliness ensures that you have a vibrant group amongst which you can extend and challenge your own self. Or, http://sankarshan.randomink.org/blog/2007/03/23/anecdotal-im-converations/ is what I am pointing to :)

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by sachin http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-5 sachin Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:50:35 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-5 Many times, during the inital phase of career, you hang around because you have made friends. (I have seen this happening with many people) And when friends move along, you start wondering what am I doing. Thus your reason for working at that place is not determined by your inner factors but external factors. We keep drifting along because of such external reasons. Is this good? Many times, during the inital phase of career, you hang around because you have made friends. (I have seen this happening with many people) And when friends move along, you start wondering what am I doing. Thus your reason for working at that place is not determined by your inner factors but external factors.

We keep drifting along because of such external reasons.

Is this good?

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by Sankarshan http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-4 Sankarshan Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:22:01 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-4 You say "Is it because we like the people around" - does it matter if the folks you like (or, should it be liked ?) moved on ? One of the better things is that folks with whom one gels act as sounding boards for ideas and decisions on a constant basis. Or, was there some deeper meaning which is going to be a part of another blog ? You say “Is it because we like the people around” - does it matter if the folks you like (or, should it be liked ?) moved on ? One of the better things is that folks with whom one gels act as sounding boards for ideas and decisions on a constant basis. Or, was there some deeper meaning which is going to be a part of another blog ?

]]> Comment on Why Do we Work? by Random Thoughts » Blog Archive » GlimmerMan http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-3 Random Thoughts » Blog Archive » GlimmerMan Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:07:14 +0000 http://blogs.randomink.org/sachin/2007/11/21/why-do-we-work/#comment-3 [...] I know had a very interesting thing to say. We sure do live in interesting times [...] […] I know had a very interesting thing to say. We sure do live in interesting times […]

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