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Why are line level engineers less successful? In short, the Gervais Principle[1]: "Sociopaths, in their own best interests, knowingly promote over-performing l

Why are line level engineers less successful? In short, the Gervais Principle[1]: "Sociopaths, in their own best interests, knowingly promote over-performing losers into middle-management, groom under-performing losers into sociopaths, and leave the average bare-minimum-effort losers to fend for themselves." What to do about it? These things: * recognize that as software professionals we own the means of production * learn the business side of software * form partnerships with other developers such that the distinctions between worker and owner, suit and techie, no longer exists * shift focus away from developing software according to a spec, and towards being a provider of overall business efficiency (often achieved through software). Note that this is focused primarily towards developers working in the IT cost-centers of (generally non-technology) businesses. [1] https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-or-the-office-according-to-the-office/ https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/10/07/the-gervais-principle-...

deleted 9y ago
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nostrademons 9y ago
Note that engineers who do this become Sociopaths (in the MacLeod sense) - suddenly they are running a business, hiring employees, and taking every advantage they can, because if they don't, they're Clueless. The rest of the Ribbonfarm essay series expounded on this a bit more thoroughly - many of those Sociopaths are actually Losers until the right opportunity presents itself. There isn't actually a way out, on a systemic level. On a personal level, though, you should be very honest with yourself about which of the three categories you want to be, and go after it. People who refuse to accept the trade-offs or deny that there is one are by definition Clueless.
- lliamander 9y ago
  > Note that engineers who do this become Sociopaths (in the MacLeod sense) Which is actually what Dietrich is advocating, with a careful caveat: these developer partnerships only hire other Sociopaths (or Opportunists, as Dietrich calls them) insofar as it is possible, and generally avoid growing large enough to need a gooey Clueless middle. The MacLeod system describes organizations of all sizes, but only reaches its full flowering in large enterprises.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

nostrademons 9y ago

Note that engineers who do this become Sociopaths (in the MacLeod sense) - suddenly they are running a business, hiring employees, and taking every advantage they can, because if they don't, they're Clueless. The rest of the Ribbonfarm essay series expounded on this a bit more thoroughly - many of those Sociopaths are actually Losers until the right opportunity presents itself. There isn't actually a way out, on a systemic level. On a personal level, though, you should be very honest with yourself about which of the three categories you want to be, and go after it. People who refuse to accept the trade-offs or deny that there is one are by definition Clueless.

lliamander 9y ago
> Note that engineers who do this become Sociopaths (in the MacLeod sense) Which is actually what Dietrich is advocating, with a careful caveat: these developer partnerships only hire other Sociopaths (or Opportunists, as Dietrich calls them) insofar as it is possible, and generally avoid growing large enough to need a gooey Clueless middle. The MacLeod system describes organizations of all sizes, but only reaches its full flowering in large enterprises.