Robot boss (complete with lasers) in the office

We have an Anybots robot with telepresence. When I’m not at the office, I can log in through a browser and I drive it around. It balances on two wheels, and it’s six feet tall. I see through its eyes and ears, and it’s got a screen, so people can see me. And so you can have casual conversations at someone’s desk through the robot. It’s got a laser pointer, so you can shoot lasers, which is just good design. You shouldn’t build a robot without a laser.

via Phil Libin of Evernote, on Its Unusual Corporate Culture – NYTimes.com.

I have been an Evernote user for four years. It’s a fantastic service. This piece highlights many positive attributes of Evernote’s culture that would be worth copying into most organizations. And yet, on balance, I am glad that I have not yet had a boss who uses a robot to monitor employees and shoot lasers around the office.