A Bit on Anonymity

The Cranky Product Manager wants to respond to the comments on her last post.

Maybe y'all are right.  Maybe the CPM's real-life alter ego could not be fired for keeping this here blog.  She thinks you're wrong, since her state is an "at-will employment state", which she understand means she can be canned at any time for any reason that doesn't have to do with discrimination.

But anyway, assume you're right and she can't be fired for keeping a blog.  That doesn't mean she's willing to risk being found out by her colleagues.

Even though the CPM's stories are fictional, well, think about it.  How would you feel if you found out one of your co-workers was the Cranky Product Manager?  Would you wonder if your latest gaffe was the inspiration for her most recent post?  Would you wonder if you were the inspiration behind the Asshole Product Manager? Or the Product Marketing Director who is a self-styled visionary?  Or what about Sally, the Spineless Release Manager?

Do you think the Cranky Product Manager's credibility and influence with developers, marketers, salespeople, and executives might be impacted?  That maybe her entire ability to get her job done would be gravely compromised?  And that her diminished job performance might lead to her eventual firing?

The Cranky PM thinks so. And thus she continues to remain anonymous and do her utmost to protect her identity, regardless of whether or not her company can officially fire her for having a blog.

Comments

[ThreeKey]

CrankyPM, just stumbled across your blog via Pragmatic Marketing. You are so added to my RSS feed list.

Regarding this post (the need for anonymity), I side with you. There's nothing to be gained by shedding anonymity, but potentially a lot to lose.

[The Cranky Product Manager]

Sir, you are delusional. No one is as funny as Fake Steve Jobs. No one is even close.

Regardless, the Cranky Product Manager thanks you for your absurdly flattering comment. Muchas gracias.

[Will]

you are better than fake steve jobs :)

[bob corrigan]

Hmm.

[Chip Overclock]

It's revealing that you feel you have to hide your identity in order to tell it like it is. Scott Adams once remarked that the people he used for inspiration in the early days of Dilbert never recognized themselves. On the other hand, he also credits the strip with his departure from that job, so your mileage may vary.

I blog under the pen name of Chip Overclock, partly for anonymity, partly because it amuses me. But five minutes of detective work would not only reveal my secret identity, but my entire work history to boot. Since my 30+ year career crashed and burned at my last employer like an unescorted SUV on the road from Baghdad Airport to the Green Zone, I don't feel any particular need to be too careful about what anecdotes I tell.

Then again, I've always had a bad habit of saying exactly what I think. There's probably not much room for that in today's employment climate. So I say: protect your secret identity, and continue to fight evil from your secret lair.

[Carey H.]

As a PM myself, I completely agree with you. Even if your job didn't suffer for being "discovered", this blog certainly would.

[Andy Hayler]

Yeah, but you could always get a job with Gartner! :)