When It's Time To Walk Away

If you are reading this -- you probably are not the type of person to give up easily. Neither am I. You are ambitious and skilled and continue to push forward regardless of what obstacles are in your way. And that makes you successful. But here's the secret, sometimes it's wise to turn your back and walk away. Sure, it's painful to admit defeat but when you are in a "no win" environment it's often the only action that can save you and your sanity.

One of the lessons I have learned working in Silicon Valley for the last 15+ years is that it's ok to walk away. And in many circumstances it's even healthy.

Sometimes the company or product problems are too great or your manager is too straight-jacket insane to work with. It is often wise to move on and pour your energy into something that has a better chance of being satisfying and creating value for more people.

I have recently done this with Aha! (the new way to create brilliant product strategy and roadmaps) and could not be more thrilled as the business is growing like crazy.

However, there have been a number of times in my own career when I identified a big hairy problem and after struggling against it for at least a year, decided it was best to move on. And every time my life has benefited and I have gone on to create more happiness for myself and others. The key is that I identified the problem, spoke clearly about it with those who could help me resolve it, and only decided to give up when it was obvious that they would not help and I would be better off doing something else.

In those instances, giving up meant looking for a new job and moving on. If you are in a long-term dysfunctional environment, continuing to do the same job and putting up with the same crap is disastrous for you and people who depend on you at work and home.

The problem is that when you try to persevere, you are in survival mode and a personal hell. You just don't care about the quality of your work and results anymore. Just walk into the local Post Office or DMV to understand what I mean. 

Now, I want to acknowledge that for some it's easier to walk away than for others. Your level of control depends on your career and financial status and I do not want to overlook that. However, I suggest that no matter your situation -- you do have the power to pursue a different course which in most cases will ultimately lead to a new job that will improve your life.

Let's take a look at how you know the time has come to move on. First, let's start with what creates a happy work environment and job joy. I think that job satisfaction is based on four forms of alignment. The more your job is aligned in each one of these areas -- the happier you are.

                             And here are  you  are not aligned does not mean that you can not become so. It's important to consider how long you have been trying to find alignment and if it's likely that you will get there.

If you have been struggling for over a year in any one of these areas, it might be time to move in a new direction.

Alignment with ambitionAre you working for a company and in a role that is getting you closer to your goal? This is a fundamental question to ask yourself and unfortunately most people never do. Because without a goal it's impossible to know if you are headed in the right direction. I often recommend a "goal first" approach to business planning, but it's also the first place to start as you think about your own direction. If you have never taken the time to write down where you want to be in three, five, and 10 years, now is the time to start. 

Alignment with skillsThe most enjoyable jobs fully tap our exiting skill sets and challenge us to grown new ones. Are you a master of the domain you are currently working in or are you on your way? If the answer is yes, you are probably fairly satisfied with the work you do. If the answer is no you, your confidence has likely been battered and you are constantly looking over your shoulder. Now, if you are out of your element a good boss and training can counteract any suffering and help you regain your mojo.

Alignment with reward expectationsThere are two types of rewards and both are important. Intrinsic rewards are based on the personal fulfillment you get out of a job well done. External rewards include your salary and any other material benefits you receive from your employer. Your reward expectations need to closely match reality for you to be satisfied. If there is a disconnect here for too long, you will grow disenchanted with the work you do or worse. You might not be able to pay your rent or mortgage.

Alignment with bossIt's in vogue right now to suggest that people do not leave their jobs but instead leave their bosses. As you have already read, there are many reasons for leaving a job that have nothing to do with your boss. However, I agree that an unsupportive boss is at the top of the list driving folks to update their resume. I have left bosses who: chased employees around the office, did not allow their staff to speak with other managers, and threatened retribution when someone quit. Does your boss have your best interests in mind?

If you have misalignment in any one of these areas I suggest you admit it to yourself first. Next, have a conversation with your boss or a trusted adviser in the organization who you think can help you.

I want to be clear that you are responsible for trying to overcome the challenge and owe it to yourself and the organization to try and work through it. But, if you can look at yourself in the mirror and are comfortable saying out loud that you tried, you may need to move to plan B. If there really does not appear to be a way out and your misery is increasing, it's ok to admit defeat and walk away.

Do you agree? When do you believe it's not only ok, but healthy to walk away? Add a comment.

Six Signs Your Boss Is a Coward

1. He has others fire his direct reports.

This probably is the most cowardly act of the cowardly boss.

I’ve seen this first hand, and probably so have you. If your boss does this, he likes having the authority of his position, but not the responsibility.

And, he does not deserve you.

2. She will make a decision in private, then fail to protect her people in public if it does not work.

This is the classic behavior of someone who lacks confidence and is afraid of making mistakes.

And, she is someone you cannot trust.

3. He tells each person in private what the person “wants to hear,” which means he’s delivering different messages to each.

This is referred to as “divide and conquer.” Rather than having a consistent message and leading by example, he tries to control everyone around him.

And, he is a truly terrible leader.

4. She will not have face-to-face meetings to resolve conflicts.

This behavior goes hand in hand with delivering different messages to each person. If she gets everyone in the same room to resolve differences, or expose and deal with problems, she can’t divide and and conquer.

And, she has blown her cover.

5. He slips in a negative comment about one of your colleagues in every conversation.

You may think he’s complimenting you by confiding in you. But you can bet he does the same when speaking about you.

And, he is a jerk.

6. She really never says anything personal about herself.

She does not make personal connections with people, putting herself above all else – even the company. She is someone who doesn’t really want you to get to know her.

And, if you think about it, why would you want to?

In my decades as a communications consultant, I have worked directly with, and observed, hundreds people who are bosses. The best are genuine, expose their own weaknesses, deal with controversy directly, and do not sweep issues under the rug so they become larger problems.

The worst are cowards – and the way they go about trying to hide their insecurities have just the opposite effect. You can see their fear a mile away.

Now, the question is: Do you have the strength to leave that cowardly boss and find a new one who is a true brave leader?

Here comes Generation Mobile - Are You Ready For What Comes After Gen Y?

There is naturally a lot of focus right now about the millennials, the so-called Generation Y - Gen Y for shorthand - and the implications for societies and the workplace as these new digitally aware citizens grow to become the leaders of tomorrow.

For those not familiar with the term, Gen Y generally refers to people born roughly between the early 1980s and the early 2000s. You can read some of my thoughts about the impact of Gen Y in a previous post of mine on here.

They are the first generation, certainly at the later end of that date range, to be born into a digital rather than analogue world and to grow up using technology as part of their everyday lives and not just something that is in the workplace.

But what comes after Gen Y and are we ready for them? On a superficial level what do we even call this next generation? The newspaper USA Today and, separately, the Pew Research Centre have been running contests to try and find a name for them other than simply 'Generation Z'. Some of the suggestions include iGeneration, @generation, the Swipe Generation and the Tweennials.

Whatever we end up calling this generation, they are going to have a transformative effect on the world around us as they move into adulthood. Their coming of age is starting to happen now, peaking around 2020. This is a generation that is not only growing up with digital interaction but also with a more mobile-first mindset as those interactions take place on smartphones and tablets.

What made me think about this was an interesting US-based study just published, calledSpeak Up, as part of Project Tomorrow. The study is mainly about the use of mobile technology in education but the results highlight some noteworthy trends among young kids today that will have implications for consumer trends, society, business and government as they grow older.

The study polled 3.4 million students, teachers, administrators and parents about the use of tech in education. Here are some of the most interesting stats from the research that highlight how much mobile is a part of their lives (and bear in mind that these stats relate only to access in school). When the home environment is also factored in I would expect these figures to be even higher.

• 41 per cent of K-2 students (ages 6-7) have access to a tablet.

• Half of students in elementary grades 3–5 (ages 8-11) have access to a smart phone, and 58 per cent have access to a tablet.

• 73 per cent of middle school students (ages 11-14) have access to smart phones, 61 per cent have access to tablets.

• 89 per cent of high school students (ages 14-18) have access to smartphones, yet only 50 per cent have access to a tablet.

The study also reveals some insight into future social media trends with students reporting less regular interaction with traditional social networking sites like Facebook. Meanwhile almost half (44 per cent) of students in grades 6-12 report using social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat and Vine. Nearly a third of high school students report using Twitter.

Given the evolution of social media over the past five years we may well see another start-up turn into a market-dominating giant like Facebook or Twitter but these stats seem to show the primary and middle school students favouring more instant and mobile app friendly social media over the likes of Facebook. If that is true that will have an impact on consumer trends and how brands and marketers will need to target those people.

Back to that contest to name so-called Generation Z - I propose Generation Mobile. Do you agree?

Maahi ve (Cover by Masala Coffee)

Microsoft Rushes to Fix Browser After Attacks; No Fix for XP Users

BOSTON — Microsoft Corp is rushing to fix a bug in its widely used Internet Explorer web browser after a computer security firm disclosed the flaw over the weekend, saying hackers have already exploited it in attacks on some U.S. companies.

PCs running Windows XP will not receive any updates fixing that bug when they are released, however, because Microsoft stopped supporting the 13-year-old operating system earlier this month. Security firms estimate that between 15 and 25 percent of the world's PCs still run Windows XP.

Microsoft disclosed on Saturday its plans to fix the bug in an advisory to its customers posted on its security website, which it said is present in Internet Explorer versions 6 to 11. Those versions dominate desktop browsing, accounting for 55 percent of the PC browser market, according to tech research firm NetMarketShare.

Cybersecurity software maker FireEye Inc said that a sophisticated group of hackers have been exploiting the bug in a campaign dubbed "Operation Clandestine Fox."

FireEye, whose Mandiant division helps companies respond to cyber attacks, declined to name specific victims or identify the group of hackers, saying that an investigation into the matter is still active.

"It's a campaign of targeted attacks seemingly against U.S.-based firms, currently tied to defense and financial sectors," FireEye spokesman Vitor De Souza said via email. "It's unclear what the motives of this attack group are, at this point. It appears to be broad-spectrum intel gathering."

He declined to elaborate, though he said one way to protect against them would be to switch to another browser.

Microsoft said in the advisory that the vulnerability could allow a hacker to take complete control of an affected system, then do things such as viewing changing, or deleting data, installing malicious programs, or creating accounts that would give hackers full user rights.

FireEye and Microsoft have not provided much information about the security flaw or the approach that hackers could use to figure out how to exploit it, said Aviv Raff, chief technology officer of cybersecurity firm Seculert.

Yet other groups of hackers are now racing to learn more about it so they can launch similar attacks before Microsoft prepares a security update, Raff said.

"Microsoft should move fast," he said. "This will snowball."

Still, he cautioned that Windows XP users will not benefit from that update since Microsoft has just halted support for that product.

The software maker said in a statement to Reuters that it advises Windows XP users to upgrade to one of two most recently versions of its operating system, Windows 7 or 8.

50 years of BASIC

BASIC creators John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz.

The mainframe isn't the only technology hitting the ripe old age of 50 this year. On May 1st, the BASIC programming language, first developed by Dartmouth College Professors Thomas Kurtz and John Kemeny, celebrates 50 years.

At the time, computers were highly serial. You loaded punch cards and waited your turn to run the application. That was known as batch processing. As computers matured from vacuum tubes to silicon semiconductors, they became more powerful and gained the ability to run multiple programs at once.

Kemeny wanted a language that would allow people to write their own programs and execute at the same time. Kemeny and a programming student both ran a program at the same time written in Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, and both got their responses back. BASIC was born.

BASIC lived up to its name and was fairly straightforward, making it much easier to program than writing in assembler language or punch cards. It would start on minicomputers like the DEC PDP line. It would be released on the growing number of personal computers in the 1970s.

When the Altair 8800 came out, there were actually two BASIC compilers for it, both inspired by the minicomputer version of the language: Tiny BASIC, a simple version of the language, and Altair BASIC, written by a company called Micro-Soft. You may have heard of them.

Radio Shack's TRS-80, Apple Computer's Apple II, and Commodore's PET 2001 all came with BASIC built into the firmware, and IBM would release a BASIC interpreter for its Personal Computer as well. BASIC would eventually be overshadowed in significance with developers by C and later C++, but it remained a popular first language for many programmers to grasp the concepts of programming.

Microsoft would return to its roots, breathing new life into BASIC in 1991 with the release of Visual Basic, which helped developers write Windows-based BASIC apps that were actually compiled, not just interpreted. Thanks to the power of the VB compiler, it found favor as more than just a teaching tool, and commercial apps were soon being developed with VB. Granted, many if not most were freeware/shareware, but it was more than anyone expected out of BASIC.

BASIC is still alive and kicking. Wikipedia lists 33 different compilers, plus there is True BASIC, the direct successor to Dartmouth BASIC from a company co-owned by Kurtz. There are even a few in the iOS App Store. It doesn't look a thing like the AppleSoft BASIC I was learning 30 years ago, but that's why it survives; BASIC adapted and grew.

Dartmouth will be holding a series of events to mark the anniversary on the campus, but they will also be broadcast on the Internet.

Your Right To Be "Un-Googled" And The Irony Of The Case

There is more than a touch of irony about Mario Costeja Gonzalez’s victory over search giant Google in the European courts, which grants him the “right to be forgotten” in Google search results.

Having successfully fought to have links to news reports of his financial affairs removed from search results, on privacy grounds, his name is unlikely to ever be forgotten now.

This week the European Union Court of Justice found in Costeja Gonzalez’s favor when it ruled that links to irrelevant or out-of-date information about individuals should be removed, on request. He had argued that issues raised in two articles in the newspaper La Vanguardia – and indexed by Google – mentioning that his house had been repossessed due to his social security debts, were out of date and no longer relevant.

His case is timely as support is strong in Europe for a “right to be forgotten”, giving anyone the right to have their personal information removed when it is “inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant”. The court-ruling, which can't be appealed, appears to show that European law supports this right – and Google (as well as a lot of other big data hoarders) could soon find themselves faced with a flood of similar requests.

Apparently, the Spaniard is not worried that his name will now feature far more prominently than it previously did in Google results for many years to come – in fact he has been clear that he is happy to have his name associated with the case. As he told the Guardian newspaper: “I was fighting for the elimination of data that adversely affects people’s honour, dignity and exposes their private lives. Everything that undermines human beings, that’s not freedom of expression.”

Google of course sees things differently – having called the decision “disappointing” – and argued during proceedings that such actions could amount to censorship. The law will not only apply to Google, but to all other search engines including Yahoo and Microsoft's Bing.

The “right to be forgotten” proposals in Europe in many ways reflect the recently passed Californian “eraser” law – requiring tech companies to remove material posted by a minor, if they request it – due to take effect next year.

The landmark case may be settled but of course debate will rage on over the issues at its core for some time yet. And it is unclear at this stage how it might apply to social media companies such as Facebook or Twitter. Does this mean that anyone who doesn’t like something which has been said about them online can demand that it is struck from the record?

At the moment, this seems unlikely – the court was clear in its ruling that publishers will have various defences – including public interest – with which to resist requests for information removal.

I hope therefore that it means criminals or corrupt public officials won’t be able to simply ask for links to news articles about their crimes be deleted simply because they would rather people forgot them. My fear is that there is a grey area in all of this. Some might see it as legitimate that a restaurant ask for bad reviews to be taken down if they are “no longer relevant” following a change of chef? Or a builder ask for his terrible feedback on the local “trusted trader” websites to be consigned to oblivion? The danger is that is could open the door for rogue traders to clean their sheet.

Campaign group Index on Censorship has been forthright with its criticism of the decision – calling it: “Akin to marching into a library and forcing it to pulp books.” For me, it all depends on how this new law (which currently only applies to citizens of the European Union) is implemented in practice. It will surely make life more complicated and expensive for search engine providers.

Whichever side of the fence you’re on, this ruling could have a big impact on anyone involved with storing or publishing data, and I’d love to hear your views. Do you see this as an important step toward more control of your public data or do you see it as censorship? Please share your views...