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DISCLAIMER: This is my personal blog. The blatherings here aren't (necessarily) the views of the current company I work for, companies I've previously blessed with my presence, my loving parents, the Illuminati, or anyone other than me, me, me!

How not to win over colleagues

So last week I was eating lunch at Google as I do every so often for business (meeting up with my AdWords rep) or pleasure (hanging with friends). And, as usual, I had a delicious, delightful lunch.

A few minutes later, I arrived at my afternoon consulting gig around the corner, all smiles. I had e-mailed my colleagues there that I'd be in a bit later than usual on a Friday... "around 2:30 after some errands and lunch" and here I was, happily waltzing in to work about 2pm.

My colleagues, though, looked at me funny.

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- Blathered by Adam on Sunday, April 10, 2005 at 13:24 Permalink
- Filed under Workplace • Google
- Commented on by 2 folks so far. Visit the full entry page and join in!

Hmm… I wonder if there’s any correlation here?

[...] [Cisco] paid $650,000 to book the rock legend, according to Web logger Robert Scoble. Cisco spokeswoman Abbey Smith would not discuss how much the company spent but said the expense was justified.

"We wanted to recognize and thank our employees," she said. "They have not received raises for the last four years."

- From a CNET article, detailing companies' holiday parties this year.

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- Blathered by Adam on Monday, December 20, 2004 at 1:56 Permalink
- Filed under Society • Workplace
- Commented on by no one yet. Bummer. Check out the full entry page to leave a comment or trackback!

The RIGHT way to author privacy policies

You'd think that companies would "get it" by now. Most don't.

Privacy policies aren't rocket-science, but they're absolutely critical to the long-term success of a company. Without earned trust and strong communications, firms have little hope of surviving, and thank goodness!

So without further ado, here is my free advice to companies wanting to create or update a privacy policy:

A privacy policy must do all of the following:
- INFORM: Let visitors know, in accessible language, how the site collects and manages data acquired
- REASSURE: Offer confident and truthful promises about the safeguarding and respect of this data
- PERSUADE: Successfully invite visitors to fully utilize the site's functions, and to provide honest data and feedback without fear
- PROTECT: Guard the company itself against basic legal or public relations challenges that may arise from improper or incomplete disclosures

Ideally, every company should offer both a comprehensive privacy policy (though preferably not in 'legalese' -- whip those lawyers into speaking English, please) and also a concise one paragraph summary of what they will and won't do with their customers' data.

And then -- though I shouldn't have to say this -- they need stick by their promises... and they'll then be rewarded with greater loyalty and fewer lawsuits

- Blathered by Adam on Monday, May 3, 2004 at 17:31 Permalink
- Filed under Business and consumers • Society • Law • Workplace • Tips
- Commented on by no one yet. Bummer. Check out the full entry page to leave a comment or trackback!

Party like it’s 1999

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Google Dance 2003, and experienced wonderous but surreal feelings of deja vu.

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- Blathered by Adam on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 at 17:27 Permalink
- Filed under Geekery • Society • Workplace • Google
- Commented on by 4 folks so far. Visit the full entry page and join in!

Efficiency through trust

Jason Kottke recently wrote about an interesting phenomena -- A Manhattan donut-cart guy who trusts his customers to make their own change.

The result? Twice the throughput, perhaps even twice the business, and undoubtedly more money for the Donut Guy.

While just one tiny example, of course, this nonetheless struck me as interesting from business and societal points of view. And yeah, it's just plain cool!

- Blathered by Adam on Monday, July 21, 2003 at 13:57 Permalink
- Filed under Society • Workplace
- Commented on by one person so far. Visit the full entry page and join in!

A truly sick policy

Sick for more than seven days per year? At the ironically-named Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, ill employees have a very direct choice: After seven previous absences, come in sick or be fired.

This policy is so transparently stupid, I'm almost embarrassed to blog about it. But kindly allow me to offer a few thoughts anyway.

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- Blathered by Adam on Monday, July 14, 2003 at 18:22 Permalink
- Filed under Society • Workplace
- Commented on by no one yet. Bummer. Check out the full entry page to leave a comment or trackback!

On selfishness, obsolescence, and jubilant consumers

Several organizations are throwing up (their arms) in wild fear of their job sectors going the way of the dodo.

For instance, unless you've been living in a cave for the last few months, you probably already know about the new federal program which will block around 80% of telemarketing calls for those who sign up on the free national Do Not Call list.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is livid. They cry that their revenues will plummet... and -- surprise! -- they plan to sue the government.

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- Blathered by Adam on Tuesday, July 1, 2003 at 13:28 Permalink
- Filed under Business and consumers • Marketing and advertising • Society • Workplace
- Commented on by 2 folks so far. Visit the full entry page and join in!

Courtesy in HR

My parents raised me well. They taught me to say "please" and "thank you" and all that good stuff.

I wish some Human Resources folks had been raised by my parents.

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- Blathered by Adam on Sunday, March 9, 2003 at 2:21 Permalink
- Filed under Workplace
- Commented on by no one yet. Bummer. Check out the full entry page to leave a comment or trackback!

Short People Got… No Reason to Live

So this afternoon, against my better judgement, I got drawn into an online discussion about racism. I added my two cents (bringing up the McWhorter Interview I mentioned in my blog here), and then also added my concerns about and frustrations with heightism.

As shown on this Web site, short folks are not only the butt of jokes in songs, movies, and general conversation, but are also systematically discriminated against at work (hired and also promoted less often than taller people), as well as in the social and dating spheres. Not just anecdotally (though I have plenty of personal experience in this area), but statistically and scientifically.

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- Blathered by Adam on Thursday, January 16, 2003 at 17:52 Permalink
- Filed under Personal • Society • Law • People and relationships • Workplace
- Commented on by 69 folks so far. Visit the full entry page and join in!

The Free (and stupid) Market

This evening I read about yet another large company, Cingular Wireless, discontinuing some basic perks for employees.

No more coffee.
No asprin to help with the caffeine withdrawal headaches.
And no more company paid-for snacks of any kind.

Total company-wide savings: Supposedly just over $1 million.

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- Blathered by Adam on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 at 22:54 Permalink
- Filed under Society • Workplace
- Commented on by one person so far. Visit the full entry page and join in!

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