I Hate People...But It's Nothing Personal

Hating is Beautiful in Silicon Valley

Breaking myths is a time honored way to inspire hate, as the international communications consultant Elisabetta Ghisini (and head of Verba International) just discovered when she blogged about our book for the top Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera. Elisabetta wrote that I Hate People! (or Io Odio La Gente, the title of our Italian edition), “is also a social phenomenon, it demystifies the myth of teamwork and shreds to pieces the perception that working as a group is more productive.”

This was not well received by certain Italians. Ghisini (author of Communicating the American Way) added fuel to the fire when she called our concept of the Soloist, “a revolutionary concept where power is no longer measured by the number of people working for you.”

This earned her hate from certain Italian readers of her blog who frowned on her casting doubt on the cult of American teamwork. What makes this ironic is that she has told me repeatedly that Italians admire Soloists and are naturally skeptical about bloated teams. But Italians also revere Silicon Valley and view it as the Hollywood of high tech. By suggesting that the Valley was no longer infatuated with hierarchy and massive head counts she had pierced the myth.

Of course there’s a deeper irony. No one hates and loves like Italians. A spirited free exchange of ideas in business comes naturally to them. Phony rituals surrounding teamwork are frowned upon, and talent and egos are respected and loud voices and abrupt manners easily forgiven. But by writing that our Soloist manifesto has become “defacto” in the best Bay Area companies, that Silicon Valley is “a conglomerate of prima donnas,” Elisabetta may have gone a step too far.

She painted an honest picture of modern business that conflicts with the fantasy projected to some Italians.

Bravo, Elisabetta, for your bold blog post — proof of the indomitable power of the Soloist spirit. We look forward to a day where more individuals will be able to say without fear,

“Hating is Beautiful in Silicon Valley.”

Hard to Hate What You Don't Have

Have you seen Apple's new iPad? It was just announced today, with all of the usual Steve Jobs hoopla. Looks like an iPhone on steroids. Some of the functionality you can see in videos online is pretty awesome — like pages flipping when you read an ebook, for instance.

For all it's inherent Appleness, however, the question hovers: "Do I need this thing?" Of course, three years ago I didn't "need" my iPhone. 26 years ago, I didn't "need" my first Macintosh computer. Now, of course, I can't imagine getting through the day very well without them. (Of course, I didn't "need" Apple's failed foray into the PDA world, the Newton, and neither did a lot of other people...)

So only time will tell if the iPad is a "must have" of great social and business import. It will help to see the thing up close and personal. Even maybe get my mitts on one. Even better would be Apple's realizing how useful it would be to have a certain cantankerous author seen toting one around from coffee shop to coffee shop in high visibility style.

I would do that for you, Steve. Really, I would.

I'll be waiting by my iPhone for the call.

— Marc Hershon

Bury Books, Inspire Reading

Innovation is a funny thing. To break through you often have to muster the courage and insight to let go of what you know and cherish. Take books, for instance. The last few years publishers, booksellers and educators have bemoaned the sorry state of publishing and reading. Publishers in particular have complained that computers, cell phones and television have stolen the time and interest of readers.

The truth is that it’s time to bury books. New York publishers and floundering bookstore chains have contributed mightily to the demise of books in America. Herds of publishers have focused on celebrity books in the same way Hollywood has blindly thrown its millions behind special effects extravaganzas. Chains have drained the passion and human connection out of buying books. The traditional book industry in America is dead.

Reading, meanwhile, is about to reinvented. It’s not just that Amazon, Sony and even Barnes & Noble have recently come out with promising e-books. Apple is about to toss its iSlate in the ring, widely rumored to redefine the reading - and distribution - of newspapers, magazines and books.

Writing has been my livelihood for more than twenty years.  I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I loved the feel of one of my newly published books in my hand, or the glossy appearance on a newsstand of one of my longer articles. But all good things must come to an end.

A couple of months ago I bought a Kindle because it was time. In college I wrote my papers on an IBM Selectric typewriter, but within months of graduating I plugged in an IBM XT, and within a couple of years had the good fortune to buy an early Macintosh. I have never looked back.

Letting go is part of innovation.

My early experiences with e-books remind me of my initial experiences with computers. What separated computers from typewriters and other office tools was that word that came before it - personal. You felt it was yours, or a part of you, something that extended your intellect and capabilities.

Curled up in a chair, reading from my Kindle, I can see that this is the future. Books have had a long run, hundreds, if not thousands of years, depending on how you count. They won’t go away today or tomorrow or even a decade from now. But here’s why Apple, Amazon,  Sony or some upstart will make them obsolete.

Youth is the future. My two daughters, 12 and 15, are of course skilled on computers, cell phones and iPods. My youngest is a prolific reader, while my oldest has been more captivated by some of the better serial TV shows that draw her into her laptop. She reads too, but lately, the paper book has fought a losing battle against the immediacy of her iBook screen.

Reading – for five minutes or hours – is about immersion. It’s about a deeper connection. Apple will be aiming to create that bond with my daughters the same way it has hooked millions on its iPods and iPhones.

We don’t yet know what this new world will look like but I’m optimistic. Traditional books are wonderful, but they have their limits, like my old IBM Selectric typewriter. Books haven’t really enjoyed a serious innovation update in a couple of centuries. What we love most about them are the language and ideas. The paper and bright covers are really no more than wrapping on a present. But that physical beauty is also a barrier. We can’t quickly or easily connect to other ideas and language. As great as books are, they are still a bit like my old IBM Selectric typewriter.

Apple is about to come out with what may be the biggest advance in reading since Guttenberg’s printing press. New York publishers and book chains have a lot to fear.  But I see all sorts of possibilities for authors, educators and companies. The gatekeepers are losing control, and books are about to be liberated.

You want to know the future of publishing? All you have to do is watch the kids. If teenagers love this new digital immersion model there will be no turning back the page.

— Jonathan Littman

We're part of the revolution! Sure, you can still buy as many "dead tree" copies of our book, I Hate People!, that you want. But it's also available in a Kindle edition over on Amazon and in e-book format from Barnes & Noble!

Hire McGwire, Bury Bonds

What's the moral of Mark McGwire's decade-late, half-baked steroids confession? White sluggers who juice get jobs, black all-time home run kings get indicted and run out of the game.

The larger storyline in Major League Baseball's long running freak show has been largely ignored.

Mark McGwire, the former home run monster with the Oakland A's and later the St. Louis Cardinals, boasting Popeye-sized arms and eye-popping homers, has gotten a very different ride by baseball officials, the government and the media than his erstwhile San Francisco Giants neighbor, Barry Bonds.

It's a black and white issue.

McGwire's steroid-jacked and record-breaking 1998 home run bash is widely believed to have been a public service drug announcement for professional ballplayers and youths everywhere that Barry Bonds could hardly ignore.

But let's compare the treatment both men received. During McGwire's astonishing 1998 home run chase with Sammy Sosa, a reporter spied a bottle of a steroid precursor in McGwire's locker.

Here's what we know. Jeff Novitzky, the intrepid BALCO investigator, did not go rooting through McGwire's trash looking for syringes. No federal grand jury was convened. Commissioner Bud Selig did not order an investigation. The media? McGwire continued to be treated as a national hero. Not a single reporter or newspaper bothered to follow up and ferret out what was staring us all in the face -- Mark McGwire was clearly taking steroids.

Fast-forward a few years, to 2002. Jeff Novitzky started telling Iran White, an undercover drug investigator, that he thought Barry Bonds was on the juice. Agent Novitzky began rooting through BALCO's trash, and with the help of ambitious San Francisco prosecutors, led a several year, 50 million dollar steroids investigation.

Roughly three-dozen athletes were called before the grand jury. Several black athletes and a black coach were indicted. An obscure white female cyclist was convicted. Meanwhile, famous white athletes, Jason Giambi of the Yankees, former 49er, Bill Romanowski, and others, were not charged.

Barry Bonds, of course, was the central target. Indicted on perjury charges, he's been in and out of court the past two years, though weak-kneed prosecutors have already punted on one opportunity to go to trial. Reports have alleged that two or more Major League owners colluded in keeping Bonds from playing the past few years, conduct that if proven sounds like a crime.

But Bonds is now 45 -- and officially retired.

Fans might say he deserves his fate. But it's hard not to see the role that color plays here. Everyone knew McGwire was on the juice, and nobody, not the league, not reporters, and not Agent Jeff Novitzky, saw a reason to launch an investigation. This week, legendary Chicago Cubs manager, Lou Piniella said McGwire deserves to be voted into baseball's hall of fame, saying, "I don't think there is anybody out there that hasn't done something that they don't feel sorry for. America forgives and forgets."

Barry Bonds' success - and predicament - has earned a radically different reaction. We can tell ourselves all we want that he's getting what he deserved, but the scorecard tells it all: 

Hire McGwire, Bury Bonds.

— Jonathan Littman

Seven Soloist Resolutions For 2010

It's not just the start of a new year but, when the clock ticks midnight on December 31st, we'll be into a whole new decade. The end of the aughts. As in "we ought to have just skipped the last ten years." Fortunately, with our book I Hate People! now available as your guide for navigating the office oafs in the workplace, it's a perfect time to make some resolutions. Changes designed to allow you to be a highly productive Soloist who has also learned how to enjoy your job.

1. I Resolve To Grab A Quick 10

The Quick 10 is the Soloist way to start slicing out a little "me" time in the middle of what could be a hectic day. It's not a coffee break or some other corporately dictated downtime, but ten minutes of your very own. So pick your spot. Maybe it's 9:40 in the morning. Or 2:12 in the afternoon. Whenever that Quick 10 time is for you, grab it and stick to it. Let everyone know you're "tied up for a few minutes". Then maximize those precious Soloist minutes to do what you need to do. Whether it's the crossword puzzle or finishing a report doesn't matter. What matters is that you've staked your claim on ten glorious minutes. Use it wisely.

2. I Resolve To Clean My Cave

A Soloist's Cave is that spot where you can hide away from the world for a bit. Maybe you use it so you can hyperfocus on the day job tasks. Or perhaps it's the space to tinker on that screenplay, novel or invention. You might even just grab a snooze. One thing is certain about Caves regardless of their purpose and that is that they gather clutter. That's okay — creativity is a messy process. But when your Cave gets too out of control, being productive becomes more of a challenge. So make an effort to toss out old papers. Wash that coffee mug. Defrost the mini-fridge. Heck, you could even break out the vacuum cleaner.

3. I Resolve To "Efficientize" My Workspace

Keeping your cube or office tidy is pretty much a no-brainer for being productive at work. But have you taken a good look at how to make the space more conducive to the way you work? Simply by rearranging a chair or your desk even slightly can discourage drop-in visitors. And take a good look at the patterns you've developed doing even simple tasks — we often have things inconveniently out of reach or placed so that accessing supplies keeps the easiest stuff from getting done in a timely manner. Shuffle the things in your desk drawers so that they make more sense and it will help put the "less" into "effortless."

4. I Resolve To Create A New Ensemble

A Soloist's Ensemble is that neat and nimble replacement for the corporate team. Just a few trusted associates who interact in true productivity to get a specific task done. Chances are you've already got at least one together. The problem is that even an Ensemble gets stodgy and slow after a while. So mix yours up a little. Bring in some new blood or even give your current crew a break entirely. Consider bouncing ideas off an out-of-the-office friend who doesn't do anything close to what you do for a living. The fresher the Ensemble, the fresher the Soloist's ideas.

5. I Resolve To Find A New Route To Work

For some, given their location and situation, this may be an all-but-impossible resolution. But however you can manage it, discovering a new way to get to the job (and get back home again) can spark a whole new wave of creative productivity. The new sights, sounds and people you'll encounter can't help but have you seeing the world in a different way. If you normally drive, try public transit. If you normally bus it, jump on a bike. Remember that the journey is the destination. Not to mention if your usual route goes out of commission — be it by traffic accident, bureaucratic blunder or natural disaster — you're still good to go.

6. I Resolve To Find A New Job...In My Old Job

As 2010 is unveiled, the economy is still in (hopefully) recovery. But it's still not a great time to be looking for a new gig, especially if you've already got a job. Still, there's little more exciting than starting something new. So find ways to "remodel" your current employment to make it fresh. Set new goals for yourself. Meet with your boss and discover some new things you can be doing while retiring other tasks that have become tired and maybe redundant. Even think about doing some "task swaps" with other people in your department to both learn some new skills and refresh the way you look at your job.

7. I Resolve To Help Someone Else Become A Soloist

While it's not your job to help others (unless that actually is your job), letting someone else in on the "secret" of becoming a Soloist can often help you discover new Soloist ways yourself. Step One, of course, would be to get them their own copy of I Hate People! Beyond that, inviting them to be part of your Ensemble is a way to let them see how to form their own Ensemble to get things done (don't be offended if their Ensemble doesn't include you — you've got better things to do, anyway!) Take them on an out-of-the-office Island Hop sometime and your protege Soloist will start to figure out there's more to work than the daily grind.

— Marc Hershon

These are just some resolutions that come to mind when it comes to becoming a better Soloist. This blog has a lot of regular readers who have discover the Way of the Soloist for themselves — what are some other ways that the enterprising Soloist can kick off the new year?

Global Soloists

Germany brings to mind images of fine engineering and fast cars, while Taiwan conjures up the technological hub of Asia, a little island with a lot to prove. But as of yesterday the world can add another distinguishing feature to these proud nations. Germany and Taiwan are the latest countries to climb aboard the I Hate People! bandwagon.

This week Ig Publishing of Taipei bought the rights to publish I Hate People! in Taiwan. Earlier this fall we were excited to add the prestigious Hanser of Germany to our Italian and Brazilian translations.

That makes four foreign editions in six months, stretching from South America to Northern and Southern Europe and Asia. We owe thanks to our friend Bob Sutton, who paved the way for a new honesty in business books with his No A**hole Rule, which has been a gigantic international bestseller.

We also think the harsh world economy has encouraged companies to break free of old routines, and explore a more authentic approach to workplace productivity. Internationally, managers and executives are recognizing that the number one asset of a company is not its product or service but the men and women who dream up those products — and get the work done.

As Choo Li-Hsian of the Malaysian Star wrote last week in a kind and glowing review: “as a self-confessed Soloist, I would still recommend readers to get away from the ‘groupthink that gums up organizations’, ‘customize their corporate nest”’, ‘sheer some Sheeple’ and join in the ‘I Hate People!’ movement.”

“It is a journey that begins one morning at the office,” she concluded in a phrase we might have written, “where you may just discover a new way of working, both alone and with (like-minded) others through Solocrafting as savvy Soloist.”

Half a world away here in San Francisco, the two Soloists who wrote this little book find it pretty cool that our rebellious mantra of individual and small ensemble creativity is spreading our quirky message of hope across the globe.

Hating On The News

That's not items about hate in the news, we're talking about directing hate at the news. It seems no matter what the news today — whether it's war, the economy, or the latest facet in Tiger Woods tribulations — the blathering boobs on the tube have a tendency to make it all seem a little more miserable.

That's one of the reasons it feels so good when they goof up. Especially the folks over at Fox where they make such a big deal about "fair and balanced". It's hard to keep track of the faux pas sometimes — they occasionally slip by in the middle of the night.

Fortunately, our friends over at Ranker.com have been keeping tabs on the newsies this year and have a video rundown of the Top 10 Fox News Fails of 2009. Here's a handy way to check 'em out:

List of Top 10 Fox News Fails of 2009 on Ranker

— Marc Hershon

Embedded Hate

Although our book, I Hate People!, is primarily designed for the beleaguered corporate worker who slaves away in a cube or office, the precepts can certainly be applied in a variety of settings. Case in point is a theater of war, such as Iraq. One of the book's fans is David Vaughn, a Chief Warrant officer in the National Guard, with whom I'm in regular communication through Facebook.

Vaughn recently had an opportunity to pose for a picture with the book at his base in Marez, which is in East Iraq.

We're curious to see how an enterprising Soloist (he was with IBM before having his Guard unit assigned overseas) is able to simultaneously keep up the war effort while also fighting off the Ten Least Wanted he may encounter among the "friendlies".

The military, being typically a bastion of bureaucracy and dependent on the chain of command, must also see the value of independent, creative thought. The supply of Do Not Disturb and Stay Out Of My Cube signs we sent him along with the book has been greeted with enthusiasm from others in his unit. We look forward to his reports from the front on how the Soloist campaign goes.

— Marc Hershon