Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. I write this weekly newsletter so subscribers can see some of the things I’m writing and sharing without depending on social media algorithms to show them to you. Each week 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.
A little time away was nice. With my current job situation being what it is, the vacation was scaled back quite a bit from the original plan, but as we road-tripped around Arkansas and Louisiana we learned some things:
The water straight out of the springs in Hot Springs is, in fact, HOT! (140 degrees might not sound too hot, but it is. I dipped a finger in, and damn if I didn’t immediately pull that finger right back out of the spring.)
When someone on Tiktok tells you about lesser-known waterfalls, check the details on how you get there before you commit. Beat-up dirt roads without cell service may await you. That’s information you might need before you’re there, especially when it looks like a storm is coming and you need to find the quickest way out of the park.
Fort Smith used to have a marker with information on the Trail of Tears. In 2019 it flooded. The government is “considering” rebuilding it. (Effing rebuild it!)
The Treasury Department inside the Arkansas Statehouse is open to the public. They’ll let you visit the vault and hold the money. I had $600,000 in my hands. It’s heavier than you’d think. The guide said it was 21 pounds. Afterward, I did some math and figured that Fredo had 70 lbs of cash on that flight to Havana. (IYKYK)
Just down the road from there in Little Rock, you can learn about Central High School and the details they don’t really want you to learn about in school.
There is a supply chain and labor problem in this part of the country. Restaurants closed when distributors don’t show up, others run out of core products, others run half-full due to a lack of staff, etc. It was pretty constant, and it’s not going away. There is no simple solution, despite what the politicians will tell us. It was not helped by some extreme heat and weather events, which are also not going away.
It’s a complicated world. That much becomes obvious when you get out and look around.
But, this week, we’re back. I’m a year older, but the newsletter continues!
Careers and the Workplace
I'm not sure why it's news that employees after layoffs aren't engaged, but it is.
According to their sources though, Microsoft employees are increasingly looking to get out, but should we be surprised?
Linked - What does productivity mean? Bosses aren’t really sure
I sense there are a lot of managers in those industries who have it confused. I also think it might be a good idea to ask a boss what productivity measurement they use when making claims about how much more productive we'd all be in the office. If they can't make a clear case showing the gains in output, it's possible they do not understand how to measure productivity and have always been using placeholders like time in the office.
That's not good management.
Want to Stand Out? Just Put in Some Effort
Training and Development
Linked - Investing in middle managers pays off—literally
Great managers are developed by great managers. If you look around your workplace and don't see great management, senior leaders might want to look at learning how to be great managers and leading by example.
The value is immense, never stop learning - The Value of Continuous Learning: Strategies for Lifelong Skill Development
Mental Health in the Workplace
One more resource left over from Pride Month - How Employers Can Promote Gender Acceptance in the Workplace
Are you capable of simply doing nothing and resting?
Social media gets a lot of blame for the increase in youth mental health problems, but is it really to blame? - Child depression rates are skyrocketing - but social media isn’t to blame. Here’s why
The Surprising Power of Simply Asking Coworkers How They’re Doing
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
How much of what we see online will be AI-generated junk? Seems like a lot of it might already be exactly that and we are definitely in for a very different online experience. - AI is killing the old web, and the new web struggles to be born
Also on AI:
AI is Making eDiscovery and Forensics More Important Than Ever
AI-Generated Images Will Make 2024 US Presidential Elections a 'Mess'
Inside the AI Factory: the humans that make tech seem human - Oh look AI is creating jobs. Terrible, crappy, and mind-numbing ones.
Is your car a privacy nightmare? - Self-Driving Cars Are Surveillance Cameras on Wheels
Remember, emojis are communication and as such, discoverable. - "A Saskatchewan court has ruled that sending someone a thumbs-up emoji could indicate a contractual agreement."
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.