Ask HN: What's your favorite corporate power move?

I don't know if it's a power move, but I like to reiterate all verbal communications in a follow up email to the person(s) I was conversing with, prompting them to ensure I understood everything correctly. While it's more of a CYA thing, the power move comes into play when they try to feign ignorance on the topics of the conversation, and I can use their written words to set the record straight (or just have a record of what I may have understood, but they failed to clarify by not responding to my follow up).

airbreather · 6 years ago

I would call that good practice and reasonable manners, this is normal in my professional circle and not doing it would be a dick move or maybe setting up for an ambush.

Conflict arises from differing or unmet expectations, so continually managing alignment of expectations is crucial to an end result where both parties feel there has been a positive outcome.

jppope · 6 years ago

It's definitely wise to have a written record of certain conversations.

mbrodersen · 6 years ago

This is not a power move BUT something you absolutely have to do to protect yourself against the corporate blame game.

The classic programmer corporate power move is wearing whatever you want to the office.

aloisdg · 6 years ago

Metal/Video Game/Nerd T-shirt + Bermuda short + Espadrille was my main dress code this summer. Skater shoes + cargo pant + hoodies right now. My power move would be to switch to a sirwal (best pant ever!). I may try it. My god level move would be to wear a mundu or a pareo.

ljm · 6 years ago

I've done the pareo before on multiple occasions. The cooling factor in 30°+ heat is unrivalled.

Easily one of my favourite things to wear at work when the weather's good for it. Probably want to practice putting one on and keeping it secure for a bit first though - don't want it slipping off in front of people! (That would be a different kind of power move.)

mturmon · 6 years ago

A (male) friend used to wear a utilikilt to work from time to time.

Deleted Comment

sebazzz · 6 years ago

Isn't that something? I work in a big-4 accountancy office and just wear a hoodie or t-shirt.

celim307 · 6 years ago

Giving my boss a heads up that I was gonna quit if things didn't change. Things didn't change, so I quit. They had almost no other technical staff so they called me asking to fix "just a couple little things". I quoted my rate at 300$ an hour, minimum 20 hours. They balked. Three days later my former boss calls me and agrees. I ended up billing 80 hours.

agumonkey · 6 years ago

So weird how human nature works. The more I grow old, the more I see everything is a struggle/war/negotiation.

I'm always looking for friendly high drive collaboration but it's so rarely the case.

My new place is much better :)

malms · 6 years ago

Yes and then you can't unsee it

themikesanto · 6 years ago

I enjoy being a nice person and not fucking over other people for my own personal gain.

mieseratte · 6 years ago

Seconded, with the caveat that I enjoy fucking over those who fuck over my team.

jessicalondon · 6 years ago

+1 to this!

stronglikedan · 6 years ago

Yeah, but sometimes a hard CC is the only thing that works, no matter how nice you try to be before resorting to it.

DrScump · 6 years ago

Me, too. Plus, I sleep really well.

LarryDarrell · 6 years ago

Quitting. Especially effective in the Midwest U.S. where jobs are more scarce and employers tend to take you for granted.

ok_coo · 6 years ago

I'm not sure why you got downvoted, but I have to agree.

At least a couple of employers I had in smaller towns in the midwest would treat employees like property, and would assume you would never (or be able to) leave. "You should be grateful to even have a job" was common.

knightofmars · 6 years ago

As someone else who works in the Midwest U.S. you are absolutely correct on this. There are always opportunities to fill the void short-term if you decide to "pull the trigger" so to speak.

derision · 6 years ago

What Midwest are you talking about? It's the opposite - there are tons of jobs and not enough talented people to fill them.

cottonseed · 6 years ago

Being late isn't a power move, it's just makes you look disorganized and disrespectful. This would have 100% the opposite of your intended effect with me.

Real power moves are exercising real power: saying no and being able to back it up, expressing a dissenting opinion, solving problems and providing real value, brining in money, controlling budgets or headcount, threatening to quit because you can/will, leading by organizing people to get something done, articulating a framing for situations that cut through the BS, understand people's motivations and what's actually going on, etc. These moves "take up space," but don't confuse taking up space for power. People with actual power won't.

So get to those meetings on time.

loco5niner · 6 years ago

> Being late isn't a power move, it's just makes you look disorganized and disrespectful.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no

nathan_long · 6 years ago

The response of "noted".

You do a little scribble in your book or tablet or whatever and look up and say "noted" and then just stare with a pregnant pause, indicating you are waiting for the next meaningless "concern" to be articulated.

cyberpip · 6 years ago

I do this all the time and didn't realize it was a power move. I find myself saying it to curb additional discussion I feel like is going to be superfluous - especially over slack or whatever. Noted!

seiko988 · 6 years ago

Employ or feign total ignorance of operations so no one can expect a raise, because the boss/manager doesn't even know what you do here.

Assume loyalty only from those whom you have directly hired; remove all those who predate you.

Make a strict deadline, but merrily add features at your whim, when the deadline is missed, then act astonished "how could this have happened?"

Elicit sympathy from your underpaid minions for crashing your Porsche again while auto racing.

farazbabar · 6 years ago

I am sorry.