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It was optional, but it was definitely encouraged. A manager a level above my manager would rub his hands together and say things like "really looking forward t

It was optional, but it was definitely encouraged. A manager a level above my manager would rub his hands together and say things like "really looking forward to reading that shipped email!" whenever I told him about what I was working on. They also made it fun. One manager conspiratorially told me were two schools of thought around what made a great shipped email; copious footnotes or funny gifs, and jokingly told me to make sure I had one or the other or even better both. Stripes love their "footnotes" though, which are essentially links to things. Even though everyone had full HTML email, they were almost always formatted in the style of Hacker News[0] comment links. The people at the top can definitely set the communications tone for the rest of the company. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com https://news.ycombinator.com

foldr 8y ago
> A manager a level above my manager would rub his hands together and say things like "really looking forward to reading that shipped email!" whenever I told him about what I was working on. That doesn't sound optional at all. From my point of view, making things fun isn't fun. Watching a comedy routine is fun. Writing one isn't.
- amenod 8y ago
  I agree with you - that said, it all depends on the situation. Good manager will present the same thing as almost mandatory to someone who is more extroverted, and as completely optional and not a big deal to someone who is not. Both of them will feel appreciated and will feel comfortable in the company, which is actually the whole idea. Some people need this kind of exposure, some don't. We just need to appreciate the fact that we are not all the same, and that we all need to have our own way to deal with the socializing rituals.
- megaremote 8y ago
  There are things you have to do for work, such as showcases. You can make them fun, or you can not. Yes, it dos not compare to a comedy routine or watching Airplane. That isn't really the point.
- thwarted 8y ago
  This is so absolutist. You must have a boring life. Sometimes it's about making things fun, sometimes it's about making fun things, and sometimes it's about both. Driving a car is fun. Building a custom hotrod isn't. Going to the museum is fun. Learning to paint isn't. Playing a video game is fun. Writing a video game isn't. Going to a concert is fun. Playing a gig isn't. Eating is fun. Gardening isn't. Oh, wait, none of that is universally true.
  - jodrellblank 8y ago
    Can you say it without the personal attack?
- ianleeclark 8y ago
  Agreed. This reminds me of office space when the waitress's has the appropriately listed amount of flair but is disparaged for not going above and beyond.
sergiotapia 8y ago
Sounds like a cult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtrLKGZZFg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtrLKGZZFg
vkou 8y ago
> It was optional, but it was definitely encouraged. I strongly doubt it was optional, if you wanted a positive career trajectory. This is also the case in most other companies - it's just that different firms have different expectations for how their employees should market their accomplishments.

foldr 8y ago

> A manager a level above my manager would rub his hands together and say things like "really looking forward to reading that shipped email!" whenever I told him about what I was working on. That doesn't sound optional at all. From my point of view, making things fun isn't fun. Watching a comedy routine is fun. Writing one isn't.

amenod 8y ago
I agree with you - that said, it all depends on the situation. Good manager will present the same thing as almost mandatory to someone who is more extroverted, and as completely optional and not a big deal to someone who is not. Both of them will feel appreciated and will feel comfortable in the company, which is actually the whole idea. Some people need this kind of exposure, some don't. We just need to appreciate the fact that we are not all the same, and that we all need to have our own way to deal with the socializing rituals.
megaremote 8y ago
There are things you have to do for work, such as showcases. You can make them fun, or you can not. Yes, it dos not compare to a comedy routine or watching Airplane. That isn't really the point.
thwarted 8y ago
This is so absolutist. You must have a boring life. Sometimes it's about making things fun, sometimes it's about making fun things, and sometimes it's about both. Driving a car is fun. Building a custom hotrod isn't. Going to the museum is fun. Learning to paint isn't. Playing a video game is fun. Writing a video game isn't. Going to a concert is fun. Playing a gig isn't. Eating is fun. Gardening isn't. Oh, wait, none of that is universally true.
- jodrellblank 8y ago
  Can you say it without the personal attack?
ianleeclark 8y ago
Agreed. This reminds me of office space when the waitress's has the appropriately listed amount of flair but is disparaged for not going above and beyond.

sergiotapia 8y ago

Sounds like a cult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtrLKGZZFg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtrLKGZZFg

vkou 8y ago

> It was optional, but it was definitely encouraged. I strongly doubt it was optional, if you wanted a positive career trajectory. This is also the case in most other companies - it's just that different firms have different expectations for how their employees should market their accomplishments.