Start Wearing Purple (or Cultures are Created)

Hilarious.  An office manager throws a party for her boss.  When they investigate where the money came from, they find a pattern.  She has been embezzling for years.  

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/birthday-party-leads-embezzlement-charges-fla-woman-152912452.html

One bad apple right?   I have to wonder if there was a culture of cutting corners  or stretching the truth ... just a little ... at this office.    Your not fooling anyone, just cut it out.   Always pick truth and light.   Every choice you make, influences the culture you have: in your family, in your team, in your church, in yourself.   Plant what you want and enjoy the fruit.

This is particularly true with kids.   I am amazed that any parent would want to teach a child to lie, just to save a few bucks on a movie or dinner.

That being said, my real purpose of this blog post was to share this awesome video.   Crazy huh?!?  Must be time to start wearing purple!

-G

Nice Job Intel (or How Data Drives Change)

This article is about the quest to find data from 'top' IT Companies (top 10 on revenue and top 10 in hip factor).  Only three provided details (Intel, Dell, Ingram Micro) with Intel having the best quote:

Diversity in Silicon Valley

"Intel believes that transparency with our data is the best way to have a genuine dialogue," Intel chief diversity officer Rosalind Hudnell told CNNMoney last week. "We are tech companies and data drives our business; we need to get beyond our fears that the numbers are a poor reflection on our individual organizations and work together to address the issue collectively. "

This is one of the best quotes I've read in a long time.   There is no Orwellian "Newspeak" or half baked apologies.   I expect they had the confidence that if their diversity numbers were poor, they were not much different then their competitors.

If the folks I work with at Intel are a representative, this is very consistent with the culture.  They are smart, reasonable and forcused on the right solution.

I am impressed Intel.

-G

Productivity and The Myth of Faster

I work with a lot of very smart people.   I also work with a lot of very fun people.   And there are even a few that are both.   John Camelon is one. 

He replies to many of my instant messages, especially those that are after normal business hours,  with "Ginny this is a NOW Business."  This is a good reminder of keeping both the short term need and the long term goals in mind.  (or at least that is how I choose to interpret it.  Who knows, maybe that is Canadian for "Leave me alone please")

This article reminds me of some of the work habits that make John productive and effective.  
SXSW: Here's Why You're Not Productive

1. "What are three things you could do in a single day that would make you feel awesome?"  
2. "Email in the morning is how to time-travel to 2pm"
3. "... ask yourself: What is it that I do again?"  (or aspire to do)  And by the way, if the answer is email or instant message, you might be getting it wrong.

I am particularly poor at setting aside the time.   I am optimistic and curious by nature.  Both of these lead to too little time and too many rabbit holes.

-G

Does Sheryl Sandberg aggravate my Stereotype Threat?

I have to wonder if thinking about Stereotype threat makes it worse?   As with all good 12 step programs, admitting you have a problem is the first step to dealing with it.   However, am I now hyper aware of being a women in an IT Industry?   Does Ms Sandberg's encouragement to "Lean In", just make it all seem too difficult?  That I am not in fact empowered to change the story line?

I am very fortunate at IBM to work for and with smart, confident women.   Dibbe Edwards, Wendy Toh, and Jeanette Deupree .    I am also tickled and proud to work for another Ginni,  Ginni Rometty.  But mostly, I am privelged to have a husband that reminds me that it is not women but everyone who should be treated as an individual.

1. Invite others to the table.  Assume the most and assume the best in everyone. 
2. Recognize, acknowledge and then overcome my own stereotypes as I work with people. 
3. Thank my husband for all the days he gets dinner on the table!

-G

Vanilla Server but with Sprinkles

My son is into Minecraft.  And by into, I mean it finds its way "into" every conversation we have.  I wish I could care but it is so so difficult to muster interest.

After spending an hour with his friend at the gym, they had a great new plan for a Minecraft server.   I have little memory of the description given, except that it is going to be "Vanilla", as apposed to Chocolate.  I went on to explain to Jonathan what the term "Vanilla" meant.   He went on to explain that he is really going to build a "Vanilla server with some sprinkles (ie mods)". 

 I really like this idea.  Take what comes out of the box, make it cooler and enjoy!

You tell'em Neil

As a "Mocha Mom" through good fortune and adoption, I feel particularly blessed to live in that age of the first black president.   But in our family, the real hero is Neil deGrasse Tyson.   The three of us watched him on the Daily Show last night. 

My son is a geek at heart.  His strengths in language and his struggle in math sometimes hide this fact.   But he is a new type of geek, very much in the personality of Neil deGrasse Tyson: full of passion, full of curiosity and so extroverted he either exhausts or captivates people (or both).

It is long over due.   I need to get him writing code.  

The joy of Mediocrity and Ugly Children

In some stumbling to read more about Agile Development, I came across a very enjoyable article called "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Mediocre People" by James Altucher.   Good advice for nice, average folk like me. 

http://therumpus.net/2013/02/the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-mediocre-people/ 

It was good, until it got the this line ...

The best ideas are when you take two older ideas that have nothing to do with each other, make them have sex with each other, and then build a business around the ugly bastard child that results.

Perfect!  He goes on to use the examples of Facebook (internet and stalking) and Twitter (internet and SMS).   I want to start noticing and championing the little ugly bastard innovations in others.

-G

 

Continuous Delivery - EclipseCon 2013

The technical heart and soul of Rational Team Concert, Kai-Uwe Maetzel, will be speaking at EclipseCon on March 26 at 16:15 in CityView Ballroom 2.

http://www.eclipsecon.org/2013/sessions/no-stone-unturned-journey-getting-one-release-year-continuous-delivery

I have heard Kai talk about Continuous Delivery and always enjoy his insights.   More importantly I have been able to work with him over the past year as he has done the heavy lifting needed for this transformation.  If I was at EclipseCon, this would be on the top of my must attend list.    

For those who will not be at EclipseCon (like me) or those who like to read the back of the book first (unlike me), check out this wiki site:
https://jazz.net/wiki/bin/view/Main/RTCContinuousDeliveryPlanning

-G

Irish Celebration

I am completely infatuated with Ben Haggerty (AKA Macklemore of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. ) While they are known for Thrift Shop, the rest of their album is much deeper and more enjoyable.  

However he really taps into my inner irish girl with the song Irish Celebration.

I am looking forward to running to this on March 17 "... because you can't take it with you! "

-G