1: Downplay training

Eh … I don’t mind teaching myself stuff. I actually learn better this way. I’m willing to admit that I might very well be an exception on this though.

2: Give no recognition

Definitely important. I personally don’t need public recognition as much as just an occasional, “Hey, that was pretty sweet how you did x”

3: Plan too much overtime

Obviously this is bad. Bad as in planning overtime is bad, not as in the point is bad.

4: Use management-speak

I personally just don’t have time for people that feel they need to use the full extent of their vocabulary in every-day speak. I’ve previously worked places where folks were like this a lot, and it was annoying a lot. It’s not that I can’t follow the conversation, but … get to the frickin point.

5: Try to be smarter than the geeks

AMEN! Probably one of my favorite points on the list. Some of the best management advice I ever heard was, “Surround yourself with people that are smarter then you. Then listen to them.”

6: Act inconsistent

Well … I don’t disagree with it, but this isn’t particular to managing geeks. Managers of all types do this. Yes its bad, but the day I find an employer that doesn’t do it … I’ll kiss their feet. I don’t think I’ll be kissing feet anytime in my life, heh.

7: Ignore the geeks

Yeah, this happens. I don’t really get affected by it to be honest. I will admit that it is a large factor in me viewing jobs as just a paycheck and nothing more though.

8: Make decisions without consulting them

Yup. I agree. This nearly goes hand-in-hand with point #5 if you ask me.

9: DonǃÙt give them tools

It’s nice so long as the company can afford it.

10: Forget that geeks are creative workers

This is probably my favorite on the list. I look at programming as engineering. My Dad was/is an Industrial Engineer. When you need to build something that’s never been done before, who do you call? Someone like him. It’s the same thing with us in web programming. Sure, we may not be re-inventing the wheel every day, but our application of the tools we have is rarely the same any two times, and sometimes we’re completely figuring it out on our own. It is a creative process. People forget this FAR too often.