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My big problem with what the writer says is that he assumes power comes from position. Most power, and the most useful power, is soft power. In those cases he c
by Tloewald 11y ago
My big problem with what the writer says is that he assumes power comes from position. Most power, and the most useful power, is soft power. In those cases he cites, such as the startup store, where he thinks he could have made a difference as a leader - sorry, but he could have made a difference as a peon if he built credibility and stuck to his guns. Clearly he didn't have that kind of personality, or has too narrow a view of his job.
- jacobush 11y agoI can't help but think of Sisyphus, or how a drop of water makes a mark on a stone. Yes, he could. But it sounds like a 100 times more work.
- Tloewald 11y agoTried and found difficult or thought difficult and left untried? Building up soft power is something anyone should do if they care about their work. Building big things means collaborating, and collaborating means persuading other people when you're right and recognizing when you're wrong. Do that and you become a leader, regardless of your position on the org chart.
- dinkumthinkum 11y agoStuck to his guns? This is very naive and is really not a good criticism whatsoever. On some level, putting yourself into a position where you have to be, as another commenter wrote, Sisyphus, is probably something to regret in itself late in your career.
- Tloewald 11y agoHe didn't realize the other guy hadn't committed code in two years? He simply didn't care enough to do a good job. My guess is that this fellow felt like his having set aside his leadership position in a role should simultaneously have given him instant authority and at the same time allowed him to shrug and ignore problems he saw but wash"the directly responsible for.