4 ms·

Most of my engineering managers are usually just lieutenants for the next layer up. That person brought over his/her stooge collection from their previous comp

Most of my engineering managers are usually just lieutenants for the next layer up. That person brought over his/her stooge collection from their previous company or collected over the course of their career. When you see a stooge collection forming, you know it's time to go. Not addressed in the article.

marsrover 8y ago
Could you talk a little more about this? I’ve never encountered a stooge collection but when I interviewed for a job right out of college the CTO of a company told me that “this lead dev had a few friends follow him here since he’s so good.” Is that likely a stooge collection?
- mharroun 8y ago
  As someone who has seen others do this as well as being a manager who tends to rehire people, again and again, I would say "it depends". Leaders tend to build connections with people who have personalities, goals, and/or work ethics that are similar or compatible with that leader. So if you like that particular leader/manager it's more then likely those followers will be good. The opposite is also often true. As people move into more senior management roles there is an expectation that you have built some form of network.
billysielu 8y ago
What's the reason a stooge collection means it's time to go?
- alistairSH 8y ago
  Two things could happen... You aren't part of that inner circle, so you're potential to advance is now limited (assuming you want to advance into the roles the "stooges" now hold). Or, the stooges are a group of self-serving near-sociopaths who jump company to company with the sole purpose of padding their wallets and padding their titles. But, this is certainly not a 100% true thing. As noted in a sibling response, it could just be the senior manager has a known "good" set of lieutenants and he's happy to bring them along.
  - purplezooey 8y ago
    the first one is the big one. The inner circle. You'll never be in it, with a manager that just hires his/her entourage over and over again. You'll always be the muggle no matter how hard you work or are patient.

marsrover 8y ago

Could you talk a little more about this? I’ve never encountered a stooge collection but when I interviewed for a job right out of college the CTO of a company told me that “this lead dev had a few friends follow him here since he’s so good.” Is that likely a stooge collection?

mharroun 8y ago
As someone who has seen others do this as well as being a manager who tends to rehire people, again and again, I would say "it depends". Leaders tend to build connections with people who have personalities, goals, and/or work ethics that are similar or compatible with that leader. So if you like that particular leader/manager it's more then likely those followers will be good. The opposite is also often true. As people move into more senior management roles there is an expectation that you have built some form of network.

billysielu 8y ago

What's the reason a stooge collection means it's time to go?

alistairSH 8y ago
Two things could happen... You aren't part of that inner circle, so you're potential to advance is now limited (assuming you want to advance into the roles the "stooges" now hold). Or, the stooges are a group of self-serving near-sociopaths who jump company to company with the sole purpose of padding their wallets and padding their titles. But, this is certainly not a 100% true thing. As noted in a sibling response, it could just be the senior manager has a known "good" set of lieutenants and he's happy to bring them along.
- purplezooey 8y ago
  the first one is the big one. The inner circle. You'll never be in it, with a manager that just hires his/her entourage over and over again. You'll always be the muggle no matter how hard you work or are patient.