Articles by Steven Sinofsky
Writing is Thinking - an annotated twitter threadSteven explains how business writing can help companies move faster and communicate strategic choices better than verbal communication.
- Dealing with “shiny objects”: tips for using both sides of your brain
Companies need to balance focusing on existing products while also innovating new products and technologies. This is challenging but important for growth. Individuals within companies also need to exercise both sides of their brain by exploring new technologies while completing their day-to-day responsibilities. Steven recommends that engineers attend conferences outside their expertise, explore new topics on their own, write about their ideas, and maintain a list of interesting technologies to expose themselves to new concepts that can spark innovation within their work. This cross-training of the brain can help them think beyond their specialist role and generate new ideas.
- A Leader’s Guide To Deciding: What, When, and How To Decide
Steven explains how to make sure decision-making frameworks don't get in the way of velocity by making sure that a CEO or executive identifies whether they are an initiator, connector, amplifier, or editor of a decision.
- Performance of Performance Reviews
Steven describes 5 realities around the performance of individuals, teams, and organizations, which all point to the same conclusion: • some• type of performance review system is needed. He then provides ten of the most common attributes that must be considered and balanced when developing a performance review system.
- Functional versus Unit Organizations
Steven explains two of the most common high-level organization structures: Functional: Each functional department covers all business units (e.g. there is one marketing department for all business units). Business Unit: Each business unit has their own functional teams (e.g. their own marketing team).
- Delegating or micromanaging, threading the needle
Steven provides detail on how to delegate, get status updates, and increase the chances of project success without micromanaging.
