Before we get into the links and things, I wanted to make a little announcement. With the Memorial Day holiday approaching and the unofficial start of Summer (I live in Louisiana, and it’s already been in the 90s for a couple of weeks, but we’ll keep with that tradition of this weekend being the unofficial start of Summer.), I’m going to take a bit of a breather from the newsletter.
It's not a complete holiday. I’ll still be around all Summer but will cut back on my weekly schedule.
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. For each issue, I’ll share information about careers and workplace culture, mental health in the workplace, talent development, and important information about privacy, security, and legal tech.
You can find out all about me here - Mike McBride Online.
I’m switching to sending this newsletter every other week for the Summer. A bit more time in my schedule would be a welcome relief, and frankly, as we get into Summer, there aren’t as many things I want to write about. I spend more time online looking for interesting articles or new technology that isn’t AI while trying to limit my time online as we go through an election cycle in the US.
I hope to deliver a better newsletter if I take some extra time to get creative and offer up truly thought-provoking ideas instead of rushing to find content to add every week.
Like most things I do online, it’s an experiment. I plan to go back to sending this weekly around Labor Day, but we’ll see how it goes. I might surprise you if something important comes up during an off week. I might start sending longer emails every other week. I might find a better format or process that makes it easier to get back to publishing every week.
Most of all, I want to give myself more time to be present in the moment this Summer, online and offline. I need to create some space to do that. This is my attempt to create it.
If you’re in the US, enjoy your three-day weekend, and I’ll be back in two weeks with many thought-provoking things!
Careers and the Workplace
Linked - What Companies Get Wrong About Skills-Based Hiring
Most hiring managers have a short-term problem. They have work that needs to be done and not enough bodies to do that work. The easiest thing to do is hire another body just like the ones they have working for them. Many of them may understand the benefits of having a diverse team regarding broader life experiences with different voices and ideas, but that's a long-term benefit. It's not solving their short-term problem. Hiring another member of the team is a short-term solution.
Working from home isn't going away, even if some CEOs wish it would. - I genuinely don’t get it. Remote work lets you hire the best people regardless of your location. Why would you want that to go away?
Also, use AI, maybe? - How To Improve Your LinkedIn Profile Using Free AI Tools
This is also for introverts: Networking for Introverts: Turning Quiet Strengths into Networking Success.
Training and Development
Linked - How to Make L&D Easier for Managers.
This should be obvious, but I suspect it isn't.
Managers play a vital role in fostering a culture of continuous learning within their teams.
Believe it or not, it can be done - How to Mentor in a Remote Workplace (Tips and Benefits)
If you’re in training, this list of resources—Learning Experience Design Resources—might be worth bookmarking.
Mental Health in the Workplace
I know that being remote helps my mental health by giving me more freedom and flexibility with my time. - How flexible working helps my mental health & well-being.
First, I didn’t know there was controversy over imposter or impostor syndrome. Whichever side of that you fall on, it’s something many of us have dealt with, and Maribel’s story is for us. - Triumphing Over Impostor Syndrome: My Odyssey to Unwavering Confidence.
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
I told someone the other day that my nightmare is rolling out an AI tool internally without any data cleanup, only to have it give poor answers. I agree with this headline - Data Governance at the Heart of Effective AI Programs.
Microsoft Copilot+ Recall feature 'privacy nightmare' - UK regulators took less than 24 hours to ask to speak to Microsoft about this new feature. I look at this the same way I look at a lot of AI lately. Is it helpful sometimes, or is it a privacy nightmare?
Will AI bring unseen productivity levels, or will it set the planet on fire with all the energy it needs and leave millions unemployed?
Yes. It’s possible to be both.
I’m not sure if Recall is creepier than Team Copilot. It’s more invasive, but will it try and facilitate your meeting conversation for you and generally take part in your meetings? - Microsoft to launch Team Copilot to offer teams and groups some generative AI assistance.
Again, it could be both helpful and weirdly uncomfortable.
How many companies that provide hosting or build platforms for other people to communicate can't afford to defend themselves every time someone posts something that results in litigation? Many will be forced to shut down due to the risk. Many will be targeted specifically in the hope that they will have to shut down.
When that happens, more and more voices will be silenced online. Only the rich can afford to build their platforms and keep lawyers around to defend themselves. Google and Meta will be OK. The rest of us will no longer have any outlets for ourselves. Our opportunities to communicate online with each other will be limited to what Big Tech says we can do.
It's hard not to assume that is the goal, though.
That’s all, folks. If you found something interesting in this week’s newsletter, please share it with your friends. It’s the best way to help support the effort I put in each week to share this with you.