Being Woke is Good Business

Nothing entirely focuses on the mind, like unemployment. The fear of losing your job and the threat to the security of your family forces people to pay attention. The current four years have tied people into existential knots. COVID-19, insurrection against a free and fair election, the return of inflation, and business leaders forcing people back into office are enough to rub a person's nerves into a raw nub. I feel it and see similar behaviors in many professionals around me. If that is not enough to worry about, Forbes magazine published an article earlier this month, and I feel compelled to talk about it. 

The term "woke" has become a loaded term in public discourse. For many, it represents a social movement to be respectful to others and the many variations we encounter. To those with a more right-wing perspective, it is a threat to the values of western civilization. Suppose you genuinely want to understand the history and controversy around the debate. In that case, I strongly recommend Lewis Walter and his video about the subject on his YouTube channel "Then and Now."I look at the controversy, and I scratch my head in puzzlement. As Elvis Costello sang over forty years ago, "What so wrong about peace, love, and understanding."

Forbes magazine pointed out that middle managers at corporations are embracing woke culture to advance in their careers and that there needs to be more study on the subject. There should be more research on the subject, but we should be okay with this trend. 

According to Florida General Counsel Ryan Newman, the meaning of woke is "…the  belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them." This quotation seems like an accurate definition, so middle managers are trying to combat injustice in the office one cubical at a time. You will know why if you have spent time in the professional world. The diversity of the workforce is changing, and it is becoming a lighter share of brown. More people from Latin America, the Indian Subcontinent, Korea, China, and the Middle East are joining the workforce. Not only are they recent immigrants but first-generation college graduates who overcame tremendous obstacles to become professionals. I feel a deep kinship with them because while I am a white cisgender straight guy, I was also a first-generation college graduate who became a professional person. I have made it my mission to help others avoid the mistakes I have made in my career. 

This kind of diversity is a net benefit for the business. The economy is global, so we need to understand the needs of various people. Can food be sold in Muslim countries because it respects halal dietary restrictions? Green is associated with infidelity and black with darkness in ethnic Chinese communities, so it might be a good idea not to market those car colors in those countries. Finally, software engineers often ignore women because they make up a significant minority. In each of these scenarios having people from a different backgrounds would improve the chance of customer success. It is just smart money to have a diverse workforce. 

Companies realized that sexual harassment could be a huge financial and public relations risk after the confirmation hearing of Justice Clarance Thomas. These early efforts also included training on racial, sexual, religious, and generational categories. Over the last thirty years, this movement has been part of being a working professional. Naturally, managers are learning that treating people with dignity and respect is becoming a growing trend. 

A more diverse workforce means better delivery of customer value. Being able to lead this kind of workforce is not an optional skill, so we should embrace this trend. I have met plenty of mediocre people in business. Along the way, I have also encountered some toxic and intolerant people. Making the office more "woke" will help remove these people from the work environment. If we want a more sustainable, sane, and satisfying work environment, this is a trend we can all get behind. 

Until next time. 

Some Thoughts About the Great Flattening

Returning to work is a powerful emotional experience. My friends and colleagues were glad to see me, and a pile of work awaited me upon my return. The time away gave me a deep feeling of gratitude. Of course, I had to kick some rust off, but it did not take long to gain my bearings and return to the usual flow of work. My body had other plans, and I had to rest as the healing process continued. It was a strange week in business news. The late reports about technology layoffs pointed out that discharges disproportionally targeted managers at companies. News also surfaced that Meta was attempting to “flatten” its organization. I have spoken about management and leadership on this blog, and I need to share more. 

I always disliked the term manager. In my experience, leadership at any level is more significant than official management titles. It implies an act of authority over others which is short of leadership and greater than building customer value. Serving in a management role also includes plenty of responsibility with none of the corresponding authority. It creates awful paradoxes where people are being pushed and pulled in two different directions, first by executives above and then by the people they serve below. It explains why recent surveys of middle managers show that 43% suffer from burnout. 

It also does not help that many executive suites have the characteristics of the VIP room at an exclusive nightclub. Many executives come from similar MBA programs and have yet to spend time working with customers or employees. When this happens, tunnel vision takes over, prioritizing what the executive team wants versus what the customers might be demanding. It is all fun and games when interest rates are low and business is good, but increasing interest rates and venture capitalists looking for the next big thing trigger over-reactions. The recent tech layoff is an example of these over-reactions. 

So with executive leadership looking out for themselves during difficult economic times, middle managers and front-line employees bear the burden. Naturally, those left behind in the aftermath of layoffs must take on the duties of those who are gone. It is a significant problem in the technology industry because work outstrips the number of competent people to complete that work. It explains why Meta is attempting to flatten by forcing its managers to code with their teams. 

To an executive, this seems logical, but it is fraught with peril. First, programming is a creative skill like music or dance. It is rare for a choreographer or conductor to return to the performing company because they often need help to physically perform the skills. Next, asking technology managers to code and perform their typical management duties means they must improve their skills. Requiring a manager to code means less time for meetings, performance appraisals, and transmitting messages from executive leadership. Executives might say those functions are unimportant but will be when raises and vacations are late for line employees. Finally, managers are connective tissue within the organization because much of the work is too specialized for executive leadership. Someone needs to make sure the network engineers keep the network running. A good accountant must keep accounts payable up to date. Human resources people understand the law and can prevent both strikes and lawsuits. Without this specialized knowledge, most modern businesses would collapse like a house of cards. 

I lived through two downturns in my career. It is not pretty. However, the executives who try to flatten organizations often discover that they need the managers and specialists they depend on to run the organization. You should expect sanity to return to corporate offices in twenty-four to thirty-six months. Let's all tough it out in the meantime.

Until next time. 

Reflecting on Time Off

The last week has been a departure for me. Instead of working and concentrating on my numerous pursuits, I spent most of my time sleeping and relearning how to eat again. The rough moments felt mighty low. Fortunately, they did not last long. Many people have difficulty being alone, and I am no exception. I prefer focusing on things I can control. When your body is recovering from major surgery, you must depend on a team of doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and family members to help you get through the days. This vulnerability and dependency are new to me, and I consider it as I return to work. 

As a society, we train professionals and business people to be suspicious and skeptical of others. People are always looking for a better deal and an advantage over others. It hurts trust, which is the central lubricant of the business world. Without trust, the gears of the global economy would grind to a halt. Work is also so extensive and complex that hundreds of skilled professionals must work on systems to make a change or come up with innovations. Combining this reality with office politics, egos, and incompetence and creating things in the global economy feels like a torturous death march. The author Lewis Carol said, “That between light and darkness lies the shadow.” It is clear to me that I have made my living within this shadow realm. 

As an agile coach and leader, it has made me reaccess how I look at this shadowy realm of dysfunction and frustration. First, I cannot change things that are outside my control. I can control my emotions and guide my teams to do the right things, but if the organization does not want to change, I cannot force it. Next, if the recent layoffs in the tech industry prove anything, work is a place to make a living instead of being a surrogate for a family. If I die, it is clear that my family will mourn my death and lower me into the ground. A company will post a job opening the next day. I will bring a sense of craft and professionalism to my job but will never become emotionally reinvested again. Experience has also shown me the people you can trust and depend on are rare. When you find those people, it is your responsibility to cultivate and empower them so you can do your job better.

This kind of understanding comes with experience and plenty of failures, but it guides me forward. Being an agile professional means dealing with the world as it is and aspiring to make it better. Sometimes, I question my dedication and commitment to those goals. In my small way, I have made the world better, so I carry on. It is ambitious to change the world a bit at a time. Hopefully, my legacy will alter the future for the better. 

Until next time.