Category: culture

We just don’t care

FabrizioLeave a comment

Is Faceapp sending your picture and personal data to a shady Russian firm that will use them against your will for illecit purposes?

Two considerations about the question that has dominated the internet in the past weeks.

Number 1, the level of mistrust towards tech companies is continuosly growing. And for good reasons. Faceapp is not alone in telling users that the company owns everything that is uploaded on their servers. After recent scandals, people are sceptical and ask good questions about what is done with the data they share within apps and other online services. It’s absolutely legitimate, and it’s fair.

Number 2, even if the question is asked, we are no longer very good at waiting for an answer, or demanding that the answer is in line with what we would consider a proper use of our pictures and data. If others are sharing how they will look like when they will be old, so should we. The rest is background noise, because the truth is we do not really care. It’s absolutely natural, tech companies know that, and they leverage the power of cheap and convenient.

Until we pick fair on everything else, in every situation, even when it’s expensive and difficult, we can’t expect others to be fair with us.

Culture with examples

Fabrizio8 Comments

More often than not, company culture is idealized.

A group of managers sit down and write about their ideal company. And of course, everybody wants an honest working environment where feedback is given regularly, it does not matter if they have never delivered honest feedback once in their careers, and the very idea of doing that scares them.

Next time you are having a conversation about culture, think back at what you and your colleagues have done so far. Certainly write down your ideals, but then challenge the group to identify and narrativize some concrete example that embody the ideals.

If finding those is not a problem, you are on the right track. Own the examples and spread them internally and externally, as they will resonate with people far better than words that have been inflated.

If finding examples is proving difficult, that’s the first symptom that your attempt with culture will fail. You can either proceed with a culture change (changing the way things are done), or try to find ideals that better reflect what is really happening (and for which you have good examples).

When asking for help

FabrizioLeave a comment

If you ask for help, the worst thing that could happen is that the person or the group you are asking to will not be receptive and you will not get any help. Your situation does not really get any worse.

It’s the same as having money to invest with only the potential gain to risk. Worst case scenario, you walk with your initial sum.

We often avoid asking for help for the fear of being judged, of letting others know we do not know, of feeling inferior and not being able to give back. And yet the benefit is so vast we should not think twice.

Also, it’s a powerful way to build networks.

Don’t make it difficult

FabrizioLeave a comment

When adding complexity to a customer experience, we should ask if we do so to deliver more value or to put a patch on some insecurity of our organization.

Having customers queueing on the phone just means we are not sure we will be able to handle their questions.

Sneaking an hidden price in the service just means we are not sure people would pay for it.

Asking a question that does not change the transaction in any way when the customer is at the counter and ready to buy just means we are not sure we have enough information.

Pushing ads when the customer is seeking content just means we are not sure the customer would pay for the content alone.

Needs and wants are often fairly simple and straightforward, and it is worth the effort to attempt to meet them on the same field. On the other hand, fears and doubts are often quite layered and complex, and it is delusional to believe we can push them to the customers by keeping their experiences worth living.

Side effects

FabrizioLeave a comment

At some point, we need to start asking ourselves what type of effect our work has on the world.

We can’t continue to celebrate a new way to keep customers glued to the screen, a new technology that allows whoever to spread a message with the face and voice of a celebrity, a new creative ad from a company who is indirectly promoting obesity, a tweak in the algorithm that dumbs down your social media timeline.

Perhaps these are innovation, perhaps they are groundbreaking in their fields, perhaps there’s creativity and execution to be rewarded in these and other pieces of modern work. And perhaps, the very same thing could be used for good.

Yet, we should worry about how things are received and interpreted by the public, how the things we have helped developing and bringing to life are impacting millions of individuals, whether that is intended or not. We need to factor in side effects when talking about the work we want to do, otherwise our story is but a chapter featured in a book that others will complete.