Thought-provoking Things Worth Sharing - Issue #122
Welcome to 2024.
And just like that, we are back from the holidays and on the regular weekly publishing schedule. That was fast. As you’ll see in a blog post below, I don’t have much to say about my reflections on 2023. For much of the year, it just sucked. But not all of it was horrible.
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. 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.
As proof, as I do every year, I shared my favorite photos from 2023 on my photo blog. (Including the one above.)
I don’t talk about the photo blog here a lot. I try to stay on topic for the most part. But, if you’re interested in seeing little bits of fun and beauty daily, I hope you can find it there. And let me know if you want to see more of that sprinkled in here, too.
Careers and the Workplace
Did We See Holiday Layoffs Because the Vibes Are Off?
In my opinion, there may have been some examples of what Professor Lin describes in prior years, but we didn't immediately see dozens of LinkedIn posts about people getting laid off and looking for work. It's become much less stigmatized to admit it. I think in the tech industry, it's now a right of passage. Have you really worked in tech if you've never been laid off? So, not only were those mid-December layoffs news, we were all aware of them. That might not have been the case in prior years.
Let’s be honest about being busy:
Training and Development
Free resources are always good - 25 Free Books to Master SQL, Python, Data Science, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing.
The Most Important Thing For Your Career
I was recently having a somewhat related conversation with some fellow technology workers. We agreed that the best character trait you can have in this profession is shown when you approach a problem like this: "I don't know this right now, but I will go figure it out." Often, that is how we learn around here and how things get done. Someone figures it out.
The flip side of this is also true. The most generous thing you can do is teach someone something you already know.
Mental Health in the Workplace
Will your workplace make an effort to address mental health in the workplace in 2024? Here are some links to consider:
Reviews Elsewhere - The 5 Resets by Dr. Aditi Nerurkar
The list of five may not surprise anyone, but as you look at what you want to prioritize in the new year, these five things might be helpful, especially finding quiet time and breaks from all the noise in life to focus on what matters to you the most.
Also, let’s talk more about stress:
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
Something to think about - How Technology is Hijacking Your Mind — from a Former Insider.
The attempt will occur. There’s no question about that part of it - How Cybercriminals Will Sway 2024 US Elections Or Try To.
M365 Admins and Security folks should look at this - CISA Finalizes Microsoft 365 Secure Configuration Baselines.
Speaking of Microsoft, this week’s M365 newsletter is free for everyone -
A Practical Guide to Good Password Hygiene - Pass it around, and tell your friends.
There is a difference - “ESI Protocol” v. “Discovery Plan”
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.