4 ms·

Too true, and the larger orgs definitely have that as a concern. And some specific managers who would be better not leading people (aka fired) are a weird case

by pierat 3y ago

Too true, and the larger orgs definitely have that as a concern. And some specific managers who would be better not leading people (aka fired) are a weird case where the in-person interview can kind of discern that. Basically, one has to learn what to ask and how to ask to suss out which team leads are good and which ones aren't. Then again, it's a definite problem where you are in an org can make or break you. However, we have to separate "shitty manager" from "shitty organization forcing managers to enact shitty policies". And this is where I think Glassdoor 1 and 2 star reviews can show policy trends (versus bad manager trends). And of course, you may get a company that avoids most of the reviews in scummy ways. I know that the company I worked for that got bought out had a clause they wanted us to sign that stated "no negative comments about us anywhere". What's funny is this is actually illegal under the NLRB. But to me this was a massive red flag to get the hell out (and I did).

thx-2718 3y ago
Personally in my experience, regardless of the size of the organization (small family business to thousands of employee orgs) if management is toxic, it's because it's tacitly approved from higher ups. Culture starts at the top.
- dimitrios1 3y ago
  Culture is preserved at the top. It starts at the bottom. The problem is too many leaders read an Adam Grant or Simon Sinek book and all of a sudden think they are the latest incarnation of the tech leadership buddha and impose their will on the team.
regentbowerbird 3y ago
What questions should one ask to suss out the good team leads?
- pierat 3y ago
  1. Efforts to conceal in an interview reveal potential toxic areas. NDA issues aside, this is more about concealing and making things look better than they actually are. 2. Ask "What do you like about working here?". If there's pushback or defensiveness, red flag. 3. Ask "If you were in my position, would you take this job?". Would they gladly take this job, or is there hesitation/defiance/pushback? 4. Ask "What does your organization know and believe about psychological safety?" - This is an institutional question about https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety 5. Ask "What are your values and how do you hold people accountable to live them?" (Does the org follow their own guidance, or is it just for show?) 6. Ask "What happens to employees who make mistakes?" - is this a 1 and done? This also pairs with psychological safety. 7. Ask "What happens to employees when they challenge the status quo?" (As an engineer or similar lead technological role, you will be continually pushing tech. How does the company respond to that?) 8. And for you to ask yourself: "Is the interview conversational or scripted?" 9. Was the interview genuine happiness, or faked? Would the people you would work with actually happy what they're doing? 10. How do you feel after the interview? Is there something that felt off? Can you identify it?
  - ARandomerDude 3y ago
    I hope this comment comes across as helpful rather than rude: if you asked me a couple of those questions (especially back-to-back) during an interview, I would not hire you. It isn't that any of those are bad questions per se, but the volume and forwardness of them would be a red-flag that this is a person who likes to show up, make trouble, and not be held accountable for it. Maybe that's not your goal, but remember that in an interview you only have a few minutes to communicate where you're coming from.
    - ethbr0 3y ago
      As a counterpoint, if someone asks these questions in an interview of me, they'd still go to the "Had questions prepared" higher slice of rankings. Prepared questions indicate you have initiative and do your homework. I'm hiring thinkers, not drones. The only turn-off could be in the way they asked the questions and followed up -- aggressive? Not listening to my response closely? Not clarifying if I asked for more information?

by pierat 3y ago

thx-2718 3y ago

Personally in my experience, regardless of the size of the organization (small family business to thousands of employee orgs) if management is toxic, it's because it's tacitly approved from higher ups. Culture starts at the top.

dimitrios1 3y ago
Culture is preserved at the top. It starts at the bottom. The problem is too many leaders read an Adam Grant or Simon Sinek book and all of a sudden think they are the latest incarnation of the tech leadership buddha and impose their will on the team.

regentbowerbird 3y ago

What questions should one ask to suss out the good team leads?

pierat 3y ago
1. Efforts to conceal in an interview reveal potential toxic areas. NDA issues aside, this is more about concealing and making things look better than they actually are. 2. Ask "What do you like about working here?". If there's pushback or defensiveness, red flag. 3. Ask "If you were in my position, would you take this job?". Would they gladly take this job, or is there hesitation/defiance/pushback? 4. Ask "What does your organization know and believe about psychological safety?" - This is an institutional question about https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety 5. Ask "What are your values and how do you hold people accountable to live them?" (Does the org follow their own guidance, or is it just for show?) 6. Ask "What happens to employees who make mistakes?" - is this a 1 and done? This also pairs with psychological safety. 7. Ask "What happens to employees when they challenge the status quo?" (As an engineer or similar lead technological role, you will be continually pushing tech. How does the company respond to that?) 8. And for you to ask yourself: "Is the interview conversational or scripted?" 9. Was the interview genuine happiness, or faked? Would the people you would work with actually happy what they're doing? 10. How do you feel after the interview? Is there something that felt off? Can you identify it?
- ARandomerDude 3y ago
  I hope this comment comes across as helpful rather than rude: if you asked me a couple of those questions (especially back-to-back) during an interview, I would not hire you. It isn't that any of those are bad questions per se, but the volume and forwardness of them would be a red-flag that this is a person who likes to show up, make trouble, and not be held accountable for it. Maybe that's not your goal, but remember that in an interview you only have a few minutes to communicate where you're coming from.
  - ethbr0 3y ago
    As a counterpoint, if someone asks these questions in an interview of me, they'd still go to the "Had questions prepared" higher slice of rankings. Prepared questions indicate you have initiative and do your homework. I'm hiring thinkers, not drones. The only turn-off could be in the way they asked the questions and followed up -- aggressive? Not listening to my response closely? Not clarifying if I asked for more information?