I’m a big fan of management practices where management understands they only earn their money because of the employees under them.

McLaren Mercedes was recently punished by the Federation Internationale d’Automobile (FIA) for improperly handling documents containing Ferrari secrets. The penalty was stripping McLaren of all its constructor championship points they earned this season, awarding Ferrari the win in that competition, and fining the team $100 million. (In real terms, McLaren screwed itself out of a lot of money).

The interesting news: It was reported by the commentators of Speed during today’s Chinese Grand Prix that McLaren Mercedes management will still pay their employees the promised bonus based on the number of constructor points they would have had come season end. In that move, I see a company that recognizes the importance of its employees and cares about keeping the good people that created a potentially award-winning car.

Companies have a hidden incentive in treating its workers well. Sure, it’s hard to identify exactly how much benefit any given employee has on the bottom line, but it’s important to foster an environment that strives for results. Most people will only accomplish that by chasing after the carrot in front of them; one day, the carrot has to be caught for them to continue to the next one.

While I don’t know anything else about the working conditions at the McLaren-Mercedes F1 team, I applaud its management for this decision.

The blogs I read, the blogs I respect, both personal and professional, create content that is more than a “this is what I did today” story. That content is appropriate for a personal journal, not one that is published on the web. The blogs I hold in esteem write content that tells a story that could be useful or entertaining for whomever comes across it, be it regular readers or Google users.

I haven’t posted since July because I’ve been reduced to a continual vacationer. I’ve spent my days with little worry or mission, but I’ve been able to be whimsical and to take a break. Consequently, I’ve had a lot of time to write and think for me, and not a lot of momentum toward solving interesting problems or commenting on those of others.

I see that as a problem. The problem would have been solvable had I not been lazy and lacked an internal drive to complete some of the goals on other projects I am loosely involved in. Instead, I took the easy path, which annoys me. At the same time, I recognize that path may have been the right path to follow, given that I’ll very rarely, if ever, have the same opportunity again until I’m retired or beyond. What is done is done, and I have the future to look forward to.

I’ve come to a crossroads and that path will change starting Friday. After a long summer hiatus, I’m being forced back into the real world. Luckily for me, I have a lot of internal incentive to actually join society for the first time, not to mention the external incentives that are being given to me. On Friday, I start working as a trainee in the Morgan Stanley’s IT group.

For four months, I will be immersed in a college-like experience of taking classes, doing homework, collaborating on projects, and passing tests. The difference, as I’ve been told by past trainees and have experience myself during my previous summers, is the immersion into that environment with incredible, passionate instructors teaching pure technology to students with a like-minded interest in those subjects. (I should add that I’m actually getting paid for that, too.)

With the anticipated new stimulus that is work, I look forward to being interesting again, in a sense. I’m unsure what my new employer’s attitude toward public-facing employee blogging is, but I know I’ll be able to comment on and share interesting problems that I came across, solved, or new ideas presented to me.

While I’m really looking forward to the intellectual motivation that is at my doorstep, I’m also really looking forward to meeting those new people who have a similar interest in my passion. I’m looking forward to being a member of an organization again, even if it is a corporation. I chose Morgan Stanley because it presents me with both defined and undefined growth opportunities as well as actively facilitates getting me involved in something other that work. There are people there who are actively interested in seeing that I have the right skills and tools to do my job and my next job and who are willing to cultivate that. Also, I’m just looking forward to solidly being a part of something larger than myself.

In short, I’m looking forward to being (mildly) interesting to the internet again.