This week I learned about life's most difficult conversation, job interviews at Theranos and the painful side of pregnancy apps. I'm also leaving a thank-you note for our janitor on my desk tonight.
Picks from the desk of Molly Gamble, editor in chief of Becker's Hospital Review
Cleaning After Hours
The people with the healthiest attitude about work in your office may very well be those you barely see — the ones who clean it at night.
One takeaway: How you treat your office janitor says a lot about who you are as a professional and, more importantly, as a person.
Standout line: "When I seen a machine, I go online, look it up, and learn about it. Then when I try it, it comes easy to me. Some people say, 'Oh, it's not my job. I don’t have to worry about it.' To me, even if it's not my job, I have to learn it because one day, it could be my job."
How Elizabeth Holmes's House of Cards Came Crumbling Down
Just when you thought you had a decent understanding of the trouble at Theranos comes a Vanity Fair expose as show-stopping as the first from John Carreyrou with The Wall Street Journal.
One takeaway: There are too many. The piece details a culture of secrecy fit for a dystopian novel, Holmes' obsession with Steve Jobs (down to the turtlenecks), and Theranos' troubling behavior after its chief scientist died days after a suicide attempt.
Standout line: "Applicants who came for job interviews were told that they wouldn’t know what the actual job was unless they were hired. Employees who spoke publicly about the company were met with legal threats. On LinkedIn, one former employee noted next to his job description, 'I worked here, but every time I say what I did I get a letter from a lawyer. I probably will get a letter from a lawyer for writing this.'"
The Internet Thinks I'm Still Pregnant
The author logged her miscarriage into her pregnancy app and stopped using it, but she had no control over how the app shared her pregnancy news with marketers.
One takeaway: The author's sense of humor and perspective about this 'miscommunication' is admirable. Her story is a reminder that some life experiences are better off app-less.
Standout line: "The same internet that seems to know everything about us — what TV shows we watch, which bras I prefer, what our political and religious affiliations are — had no idea that our baby had died."
Bad Writing is Destroying Your Company's Productivity
More than 500 professionals said they spend 25.5 hours on average per week reading for work — and 81% said poorly written material kills their mojo.
One takeaway: There's a decent chance people find your emails, memos and reports confusing or a waste of time because they're too long, poorly organized or contain four uses of "incredible" in a single paragraph.
Standout line: "In writing email, managers from the CEO on down must set an example by communicating exactly what they want, clearly, in the subject line or title and the first two sentences of everything they write. ... Do this right, and you'll get a reputation for truth. Your workers won't waste time on the Kremlinology of reading your intentions; they'll get to work on accomplishing the goals you set out for them."
How to Tell a Mother Her Child Is Dead
An ER physician at Temple University Hospital details her duty in the worst conversation a parent will ever have.
One takeaway: Some conversations never get easier, regardless of practice.
Standout line: "The depth of the stupidity of the things you will say sometimes is unimaginable."