martes, 12 de abril de 2011

Effective Management: Which are the most valued traits in my boss

Recently, I read an article about Google's efforts inside to determine what makes a good manager. I was struck to find out that technical expertise did not rank among the top attributes of a good manager. Given my technical background, this remark sounded counter intuitive. Reflecting upon the article and remembering my former bosses, I changed my mind and agreed with it.

The most successful managers I had were not the techiest but instead the ones who: (1) gained an excellent understanding by just asking a few good questions, (2) those who related to the team, (3) and supported the professional development of the people they had in charge.

At least those are the main traits for me. Let me hear what do you have to say

miércoles, 9 de marzo de 2011

Standarizing Spanish Coffee and Beer

Two of the most common drinks in Spain: beer and coffee, present one of the most frequently confused terminology. In different Spanish cities, the same word will mean different things. This article discusses these frustrating differences.

First, starting with the basic: coffee with milk has a different meaning in Barcelona than in Seville. In Barcelona it is served in a coffee cup but in Seville it is served in a tall transparent glass. Transparency seems to be crucial because that's how the experienced drinker can distinguish the amount of milk with the coffee. A variant of the macciato, "el cortado", is also interpreted differently in the country's capital. In Madrid I ordered one and it looked like the coffee and milk served in Barcelona. In Pamplona and Barcelona it is served in glass a little bit taller than a shot glass -- if they don't, it is because the bar tender considers you a "guiri" so make sure to demand one like the locals do!

If things are difficult to manage with coffee, imagine the beer problems. One of my summer favorites is a refreshing drink called "clara": half-lemon half-beer that it is easy to order in Barcelona. However, if you order "clara" in perfect Spanish in Pamplona, the bar tender will not understand. You would have to order "lemon and beer" in order to be understood. A "tubo" is half a pint in Madrid and a "caña" is half a pint in Barcelona. [expandir]. I may sound like an expert but I always have problems ordering a real "cerveza" because it gets confused with the small size "caña". I have to emphasize, "yes, the big one" -- and wonder if the bar tender understood. My wife who is from Spain, always makes fun of my nervousness on the matter.

Yes, I have to publicly admit my uncertainties when ordering drinks in Spain even though I speak fluent Spanish and I have lived in Barcelona for over 8 years. The next time the government decides on standardizing shoe sizes, I'll promote the drinks standard.


miércoles, 23 de febrero de 2011

Innovation through Personal Projects

Working in an industry were innovation is key, I believe we should always find ways to foster new ideas. My suggestion is to apply the idea of Google in this company and allow employees to dedicate 20% of their time to a personal project. This blog entry analyzes how this initiative could benefit the company.

Sponsoring this competition will add excitement to the idea. On one side, we can classify the projects in different market segments. On the other side, we can invite our clients in those segments to be judges of the projects. For me this is an excellent way to showcase talent and do some branding. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity to increase sales.

As cheap as it sounds the prizes could be items that the company currently owns. For example, free days of vacation, more the RAM, an extra monitor, or free data roaming for your smartphone. Please no ipads, they are a cliche.

I believe this idea will encourage everybody to come up with new developments. But let me know what do you think.

Any takers?