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> He's probably more ignorant than mean-intended. And too many entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley are in the same position. This is a common excuse that holds no

by hashkb 10y ago

> He's probably more ignorant than mean-intended. And too many entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley are in the same position. This is a common excuse that holds no water with me. "Good intentions" are worth absolutely nothing, in fact I'd prefer a CEO who is an asshole on purpose to one who is just naturally a piece of shit and can't see it until his company gets bad press. It's an issue of maturity and responsibility and ethics with people's livelihoods at stake. There can't be excuses.

whatever_dude 10y ago
I didn't mean it as an excuse, but as a way to explain and understand the problem. I'm not even considering whether he had "good intentions" or not. I have no way of judging that. Understanding is the first step on fixing it and preventing it in the future. Pointing fingers at someone as if they're the root and the single cause of the problem might feel good, but it's too easy an explanation. In your case of an asshole CEO and an ignorant CEO, I wouldn't prefer either. Both are just as bad. But the ignorant CEO just never learned empathy and might be able to become a better human; the purposely asshole CEO is irreparably broken.
- hashkb 10y ago
  You wrote that he was probably more ignorant than ill-intentioned. That implies good intentions or no intentions. The intentional asshole makes good decisions for the company, think Bill Gates in the 90s. These days he's shown that that was business, now with the Foundation he's choosing to not be that guy. TK does not appear capable of a change like that.
  - neom 10y ago
    I think being an asshole and being demanding can also get really misconstrued, lots of people who have worked for me think I'm demanding, probably annoying, and sometimes an ass, however I'd like to believe they would also say they have grown because they were pushed, and I don't think they would say I'm unkind, or a jerk, or hurtful. I don't believe that's what is going on with TK.
  - whatever_dude 10y ago
    Someone can still be massively ignorant while still having bad intentions.

by hashkb 10y ago

whatever_dude 10y ago

I didn't mean it as an excuse, but as a way to explain and understand the problem. I'm not even considering whether he had "good intentions" or not. I have no way of judging that. Understanding is the first step on fixing it and preventing it in the future. Pointing fingers at someone as if they're the root and the single cause of the problem might feel good, but it's too easy an explanation. In your case of an asshole CEO and an ignorant CEO, I wouldn't prefer either. Both are just as bad. But the ignorant CEO just never learned empathy and might be able to become a better human; the purposely asshole CEO is irreparably broken.

hashkb 10y ago
You wrote that he was probably more ignorant than ill-intentioned. That implies good intentions or no intentions. The intentional asshole makes good decisions for the company, think Bill Gates in the 90s. These days he's shown that that was business, now with the Foundation he's choosing to not be that guy. TK does not appear capable of a change like that.
- neom 10y ago
  I think being an asshole and being demanding can also get really misconstrued, lots of people who have worked for me think I'm demanding, probably annoying, and sometimes an ass, however I'd like to believe they would also say they have grown because they were pushed, and I don't think they would say I'm unkind, or a jerk, or hurtful. I don't believe that's what is going on with TK.
- whatever_dude 10y ago
  Someone can still be massively ignorant while still having bad intentions.