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There is a cargo-cult tech management trend where people use low-effort, sloppy messages and even rudeness as a status signal. I get that the simplest things ar
by motohagiography 6y ago
There is a cargo-cult tech management trend where people use low-effort, sloppy messages and even rudeness as a status signal. I get that the simplest things are the important ones, and wall of text details are usually prevarication, but Slack isn't Tinder.
Like project managers think they're channelling Bezos with "?" messages. I can see how some people interpret "stupid" as "powerful," when that's their experience of authority and then they just imitate it, but it's worth being aware that it breeds contempt.
- xxpor 6y ago>Slack isn't Tinder. Heh, my Slack messages are way more casual than Tinder messages. I think the essential difference is I just met someone who I'm talking to on Tinder (hopefully :D), while on Slack I'm probably talking to someone I've known for years; it's fundamentally more casual.
- comeonseriously 6y agoFortunately, I don't work for a manager who would send me just a "?", but if I did, it would go ignored. I think it would tickle me if they followed up with "?!".
- tshaddox 6y agoI would prefer the “...” response.
- bigwavedave 6y agoAnytime my boss has sent me a '?' with no context, I've always responded with a '?' of my own. Context has always been forthcoming afterwards.
- lucisferre 6y agoAnd they keep doing it? ?
- bigwavedave 6y agoYep. It's become more of a "hey you, look at me" kind of thing for us with my '?' being a "yo, you've got my attention- what's up?" kind of response. It works this way for him and I, but I wouldn't expect it to be an inherent shorthand in any of my other relationships.
- adwww 6y agoI have totally worked for this manager. Fuck them.
- ISL 6y agoOne can use properly-punctuated and thoughtful but terse messages to communicate with both clarity and importance. With care, short messages can be very effective.
- baxtr 6y agoAgree. And I think “with care” is the important piece here. Using a simple Bezos like “?” is the opposite of that.
- ISL 6y agoThe "?" has its reputation from what the institution and leadership appears to have created around it. That Amazon's "?" means "Drop everything and get back to me within a day because it may be of great priority to the company" is an artifact created through years of interaction. "?" and "!" are great for a quick/informal communication of curiosity or interest. If my partner gets an unexpected bill in her inbox and sends over a friendly "?", it doesn't carry anywhere near the meaning that Bezos intends. If I got one, it'd mean something like, "Hey, this is odd. Do you know where it came from?" It is all about broader context.
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