Lines Matching refs:to
5 on who you ask) management style for the linux kernel. It's meant to
6 mirror the CodingStyle document to some degree, and mainly written to
9 Management style is very personal and much harder to quantify than
11 to do with reality. It started as a lark, but that doesn't mean that it
12 might not actually be true. You'll have to decide for yourself.
18 These suggestions may or may not apply to you.
24 making it painfully obvious to the questioner that we don't have a clue
25 to what the answer is.
34 manager must be to make it. That's very deep and obvious, but it's not
37 The name of the game is to _avoid_ having to make a decision. In
39 to decide on this", you're in trouble as a manager. The people you
40 manage had better know the details better than you, so if they come to
42 competent to make that decision for them.
49 So the name of the game is to _avoid_ decisions, at least the big and
52 needs to do is to turn the big and painful ones into small things where
55 It helps to realize that the key difference between a big decision and a
59 backtracking. Suddenly, you get to be doubly managerial for making
65 Thus the key to avoiding big decisions becomes to just avoiding to do
70 It turns out that since nobody would be stupid enough to ever really let
72 fairly easy to backtrack. Since you're not going to be able to waste
73 huge amounts of money that you might not be able to repay, the only
83 - admitting you were an idiot is harder than it looks. We all like to
84 maintain appearances, and coming out in public to say that you were
88 too, and while the actual _work_ was easy enough to undo by just
90 engineer. And remember: "irrevocable" was what we tried to avoid in
97 might be the wrong thing. You should always reserve the right to change
99 to admit that you are stupid when you haven't _yet_ done the really
102 Then, when it really does turn out to be stupid, people just roll their
113 they usually already think they have the answer to everything. The best
114 thing you can do as a manager is not to instill confidence, but rather a
117 Btw, another way to avoid a decision is to plaintively just whine "can't
132 Most people are idiots, and being a manager means you'll have to deal
133 with it, and perhaps more importantly, that _they_ have to deal with
136 It turns out that while it's easy to undo technical mistakes, it's not
137 as easy to undo personality disorders. You just have to live with
140 However, in order to prepare yourself as a kernel manager, it's best to
141 remember not to burn any bridges, bomb any innocent villagers, or
145 no-no according to Chapter 1.
149 (2) learn how to apologize when you forgot rule (1)
151 The problem with #1 is that it's very easy to do, since you can say
158 right), the harder it ends up being to apologize afterwards.
169 (*) Paul Simon sang "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover", because quite
170 frankly, "A Million Ways to Tell a Developer He Is a D*ckhead" doesn't
176 While it turns out that most people are idiots, the corollary to that is
183 Some people react badly to smart people. Others take advantage of them.
186 Suck up to them, because they are the people who will make your job
187 easier. In particular, they'll be able to make your decisions for you,
193 second version in particular is a great way to either learn something
197 One thing to look out for is to realize that greatness in one area does
198 not necessarily translate to other areas. So you might prod people in
200 do, and suck at everything else. The good news is that people tend to
201 naturally gravitate back to what they are good at, so it's not like you
208 Things will go wrong, and people want somebody to blame. Tag, you're it.
210 It's not actually that hard to accept the blame, especially if people
211 kind of realize that it wasn't _all_ your fault. Which brings us to the
215 will grudgingly admit that you at least didn't try to weasel out of it.
223 Taking the blame is also why you get to be manager in the first place.
225 glory, because you're the one who gets to say "I screwed up". And if
230 Chapter 5: Things to avoid
240 be morally and intellectually superior to everybody around you, but
241 don't try to make it too obvious unless you really _intend_ to irritate
246 internet, nobody can hear you being subtle". Use a big blunt object to
251 overboard to the point of being ridiculous can drive a point home
252 without making it painful to the recipient, who just thinks you're being
256 (*) Hint: internet newsgroups that are not directly related to your work
257 are great ways to take out your frustrations at other people. Write
258 insulting posts with a sneer just to get into a good flame every once in
259 a while, and you'll feel cleansed. Just don't crap too close to home.
264 Since your main responsibility seems to be to take the blame for other
265 peoples mistakes, and make it painfully obvious to everybody else that
273 by trying to keep up with everybody else and running after them as fast