Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15038424

by blahman2 • 9 years ago

36 21 9 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

This thread seemed pretty successful - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15033156 . Let's see what the impressions on the other side are.

AnimalMuppet• 9 years ago

Not running the tests before checking code in.

(Disclaimer: I don't actually manage them. I'm kind of a lead, but nothing more.)

quickthrower22• 9 years ago

You simply need a gated check-in.

luckydude4• 9 years ago

Being stupid about compensation was a pattern when I was managing.

Want people to be happy? Give them no benefits, no health care, no 401K, no bonuses, and plow all of that into salary. People would rather have bragging rights about how much they make. Doesn't matter if you point out that they get a bigger package when the employer pays the health care (if the employee pays then they pay with after tax money).

It is mind blowing to realize that people that are way smarter than me are stupid about money. But I've definitely seen that pattern.

I ignored what they wanted and gave them good health care, did 2:1 match into their 401K, and did bonuses so we didn't get double taxed (corporate and personal).

doug1001• 9 years ago

In a decade or so, when they are scanning their investment portfolio and see their fat 401(k) or they are expecting their second child, they'll (quite justifiably) thank you, ex post, but at the moment, they probably just think you're a cheap bastard and/or that you're trying to screw them over somehow.

no good deed goes unpunished--sigh

tunetine• 9 years ago

This might speak to the cost of education. When you're so far in debt, you don't think twice about not putting money into a 401k, health care you don't need, etc because of crippling student loans.

faet• 9 years ago

I have a friend who took a 1099 job over a W2 job because "they offered more money". I tried to explain that because he is now paying a higher payroll tax he's earning less per hour than the other job.

He doesn't get it though. "The other company was offering X. This one is offering 5% more."

He also doesn't have PTO, 401k, or medical insurance.

luckydude4• 9 years ago

Yeah, this is exactly the sort of thing I was talking about. How can you be a brilliant engineer and make this sort of mistake?

I was trying to hire a very senior guy from Sun and we didn't get him because our salary offer was lower than Sun's but the package was better than Sun's. This guy was a distinguished engineer (equal to a director in the management track). We wanted him for VP of engineering, he was smart, good people person, got stuff done. But couldn't add up all the things in a package.

Just weird.

PeachPlum• 9 years ago

That meetings are an open mic comedy venue.

slv77• 9 years ago

Assuming that leaders are promoted to mangement first and then they lead rather than they lead first and then they are promoted to management.

mtmail• 9 years ago

Side-stepping management and complaining to the HR department. The HR department's job is to protect and side with the company. Often enough they will call or email the manager asking "what's going on with employee XY" and sometimes even forward the full complaint email to management. Unless there's serious misconduct (e.g. sexual harassment, fraud) expect little privacy.

jwilliams• 9 years ago

If people you manage are consistently making the same mistakes... I think that reflects back on the manager more than the individuals.

Thinking more broadly - I think a very positive behavior in employees is actively seeking and integrating feedback. Many people have a mindset where feedback comes to them. Being proactive on this front can be be really transformative.

segmondy2• 9 years ago

The one that I've seen and mostly righted is them thinking that the direction of their career is my or the companies responsibilities. It's not, but I still drive them and advocate for them to grow on behalf of the company. I tell them that if they find themselves in a different environment, they might find a company or manager that cares about them and their growth. They must find ways to be self driven and drive their growth and keep learning. Learning only during projects is not enough, one must step ahead of the pack or get left behind.

quickthrower22• 9 years ago

It's also their responsibility to leave for a better opportunity if they can't advance their career at their current job. It's the manager's responsibility to try to retain good talent.

segmondy2• 9 years ago

Absolutely, but most managers and company care only about getting the current job at hand done even st the expense of nurturing and growing their employees

mattbrewsbytes• 9 years ago

This one will be harder since you have had to manage people to get some anecdotes. Its much easier (and fun) to poke fun at management. I used to manage people, doing SW engineering now and enjoying the "freedom".

* Assuming that the I (as a mgr) am in charge of their career. As a manager I can coach you but you have to have some sort of goal other than "be employed". Take some initiative.

* Thinking that pure technical merit of an idea will magically sell it to me (manager) and above.

* Under estimating the effort to get something complete.

* Not talking to people. If you go back n forth a couple times via email or chat and can't resolve something, talk in person. Before you complain to me about another person or team, please have at least talked to them first.

danreed07• 9 years ago

I read a few comments on the other thread. So much of the output fall's on management's shoulder to clarify, motivate, and inspire.

Thinking over my stint at running a few teams, so long as we hired well, there was literally nothing I could complain about, but there were infinitely many more shortcomings I could see in myself.

Ask HN: What mistakes in your experience do the people you manage keep making?

Related Stories