Quiet Quitting and Lying Down
What we've been bookmarking this week.
(Reminder: You signed up for Fahren’s newsletter Business Drivers a while ago; We’re getting it going again and would love to keep sending you stuff)
Feels like time for a roadtrip! The first week of August signals a slowdown (it seems) in business conversations. Maybe it’s the heat, maybe everyone is out on the lake or in the mountains, or perhaps we all just need a breather to catch up, but it seems a little more relaxed than it felt in the Spring. Normal? Recession fears?
Here are the things that we were reading this week:
Digital Trends & StoryLines
Two good takes - not alarmist, not hype-driven - on Tik Tok and what it’s doing to us all. Is it the end of Social Media as we know it? Probably not, but its time to image what happens when all our content is algo-driven.
FaceTok - Here's The Verge's take on Meta's new direction, evolving to be more like TikTok
Rishad has a good analysis what TikTok-like media will mean for other platforms
Prof G’s take from a couple months ago is worth re-reading. Don’t miss his not-super-subtle warning on what platforms like this will do to our children.
India (and China) will drive innovation in Ecommerce - Here’s a take on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) that’s coming online in India, putting small local businesses on a relatively even footing vs. AMZN, GOOG and others.
Amazon’s Ad business is legit - These numbers are amazing (but shouldn’t be surprising). All consumer brands should be looking at how to integrate AMZN into their media mix, both on and off site.
Culture and Leadership
We’ve all felt the changes happening in the vibe at work. Maybe we thought it was due to the pandemic malaise, maybe we chalked it up the generational differences. But, there’s a vibe shift happening. A couple articles surfaced recently that seem to describe the edges of the cultural trends:
I Miss Working at Stripe - An argument for deliberate, intentional culture building at work. But, also an ode to the satisfaction that comes from being part of a high performing team, where standards are high, everyone is committed to excellence and everyone is trying to help everyone else. Introduced, to me, the “Looks Good To Me” culture.
Google wants their folks to be more efficient - Now we’ve got “Simplicity Sprints”?
Quiet Quitting - Basically, caring a little less, dialing down the effort. Maybe minimal viable performance. To your teammates you’re phoning it in. https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/29/could-the-quiet-quitting-trend-be-the-answer-to-burnout-what-you-need-to-know-17085827/ . Maybe this is how “Looks Good to Me” culture comes to be?
The End of Ambition - Elle Hunt from The Guardian writes from Europe about the changing perspective of younger workers, and wonders if we’re at the end of ambition?
China, and Lying Down - In China, overworked young millennials are rethinking the extreme work culture, and opting to chill out, relax and, well, lie down instead of work. Elsie Chen covers it in the NYT.
End of the good times / Recession fears - How do leaders guide companies through the hard times of a recession? Zuckerberg is driving Meta towards a wartime footing, and that will mean a more intense focus on performance, results, etc.
Personal Effectiveness
Regaining your ability to focus - Who isn’t feeling overwhelmed by all the inputs these days? Are we all struggling with a little lost concentration? Good, practical tips and a relatable story here: “How I Regained Concentration and Focus”
Tools for Clearer Thinking - I like the way Untools.co is organizing thinking tools and methods.
Hey! Good News:
- $4 Desalination device that can make enough drinkable water for a family of four?
Looks Good to You? Feedback?
We’d love to hear from you. Did you find this useful? Hate it? Find it as derivative as Greta Van Fleet? Let us know. If you liked it, please share it with your people.