The MiniMicrosoft blog has been a very popular place for Microsofties to anonymously bring up and discuss the issues that plague their company. For those of us not in the loop, the blog might be just a PR stunt by the company’s HR department, or maybe it’s exactly what it says and has somehow managed to avoid being bombed by Microsoft’s policy-enforcement teams. I don’t know. But they are pounding their chest a lot on the recent announcements by MS executives regarding certain HR practices.

If the blog truly made a difference, kudos to the author and participants for managing an incredible feat. I have no idea about the actual scope and implications of these changes, but the idea that a company as big as Microsoft can change course in its corporate practices and culture, and that employees can affect that process, is heartwarming and fills me with optimism.

The criticisms found on that site are often harsh, but always well presented and often lack the more common cynical approach of the classic "disgruntled employee". I’m sure that played a big part in any improvements they have managed to contribute to.

Buried in the comments was a link to this interesting article about talent and corporate culture. One nugget: "forty per cent of those students who were praised for their intelligence lied about how they had scored on the test, adjusting their grade upward. They weren’t naturally deceptive people, and they weren’t any less intelligent or self-confident than anyone else. They simply did what people do when they are immersed in an environment that celebrates them solely for their innate "talent." They begin to define themselves by that description, and when times get tough and that self-image is threatened they have difficulty with the consequences." There’s a few scary comments about how people can be blinded by some kind of idealized "talent" and disregard the actual performance and practical application of that talent. An excellent read. Related articles also at Joel On Software: here and here.