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I’m not a manager. But I do think it’s useful to apply a realpolitik kind of analysis here. Taking Zoom calls for a living is hell. People in power do not volun

I’m not a manager. But I do think it’s useful to apply a realpolitik kind of analysis here. Taking Zoom calls for a living is hell. People in power do not voluntarily consign themselves to hell.

greedo 5y ago
You may not like Zoom calls. But that doesn't mean that others don't, or can't work with videoconferencing. My teams productivity is off the charts since there's so few interruptions. When we need to collaborate, it's easy. When we need to keep our heads down, we have fewer monkeys walking up to talk about their latest golf game.
- closeparen 5y ago
  People who make decisions about these things collaborate continuously from the beginning to the end of every workday. They do not ever put their heads down personally. They know on some level that their subordinates need to do it, but usually position themselves against it, instead looking to make connections and generate new meetings to displace focus-work time. They live every day absolutely terrified that two of their subordinates might be toiling alone on related problems instead of meeting with each other about them, and do everything possible to prevent this kind of tragedy by strongly encouraging every meeting that might add any value. It's "maker's schedule, manager's schedule" - you don't need power-hungriness or real estate cost calculation to explain why management types prefer the office, it's just inherent to their worldview and the kind of work they do. Don't like it? Try to build a company whose managers do not come from the management community, and try to prevent them from developing this kind of mindset even as circumstances make it optimal for them. Good luck.
arinlen 5y ago
> I’m not a manager. But I do think it’s useful to apply a realpolitik kind of analysis here. Taking Zoom calls for a living is hell. People in power do not voluntarily consign themselves to hell. Your comment does not have anything to do with realpolitik. You're just expressing your personal preference, and spinning it as if it was norm. Except that it's not. Far from it. Is your personal preference an adequate tradeoff for forcing all the inconveniences and downright degradation to the quality of life of everyone around you? I mean, why would I waste 1 or 2 hours of my life each day and be kept far away from my loved ones, and in the process be forced to endure a more expensive cost of living, just because some dude at the office doesn't feel like having an occasional 10min Zoom call?
- closeparen 5y ago
  I can’t force anyone to do anything. I’m not a manager. But let’s be clear: executives don’t do 10 minute chats here and there. They meet continuously, morning to night. And they will absolutely arrange the workplace in a way that makes this work for them. In 2019 it was conference rooms with a special color on the iPads, reservable only by their assistants. Now it’s Return to Office. Some things never change. Extreme commute times are very bad, but they aren’t facts about working in offices; they’re facts about housing choices, and probably also our deranged housing & transportation policies. I will happily join you in getting angry about those!

I’m not a manager. But I do think it’s useful to apply a realpolitik kind of analysis here. Taking Zoom calls for a living is hell. People in power do not voluntarily consign themselves to hell.

greedo 5y ago

You may not like Zoom calls. But that doesn't mean that others don't, or can't work with videoconferencing. My teams productivity is off the charts since there's so few interruptions. When we need to collaborate, it's easy. When we need to keep our heads down, we have fewer monkeys walking up to talk about their latest golf game.

closeparen 5y ago
People who make decisions about these things collaborate continuously from the beginning to the end of every workday. They do not ever put their heads down personally. They know on some level that their subordinates need to do it, but usually position themselves against it, instead looking to make connections and generate new meetings to displace focus-work time. They live every day absolutely terrified that two of their subordinates might be toiling alone on related problems instead of meeting with each other about them, and do everything possible to prevent this kind of tragedy by strongly encouraging every meeting that might add any value. It's "maker's schedule, manager's schedule" - you don't need power-hungriness or real estate cost calculation to explain why management types prefer the office, it's just inherent to their worldview and the kind of work they do. Don't like it? Try to build a company whose managers do not come from the management community, and try to prevent them from developing this kind of mindset even as circumstances make it optimal for them. Good luck.

arinlen 5y ago

> I’m not a manager. But I do think it’s useful to apply a realpolitik kind of analysis here. Taking Zoom calls for a living is hell. People in power do not voluntarily consign themselves to hell. Your comment does not have anything to do with realpolitik. You're just expressing your personal preference, and spinning it as if it was norm. Except that it's not. Far from it. Is your personal preference an adequate tradeoff for forcing all the inconveniences and downright degradation to the quality of life of everyone around you? I mean, why would I waste 1 or 2 hours of my life each day and be kept far away from my loved ones, and in the process be forced to endure a more expensive cost of living, just because some dude at the office doesn't feel like having an occasional 10min Zoom call?

closeparen 5y ago
I can’t force anyone to do anything. I’m not a manager. But let’s be clear: executives don’t do 10 minute chats here and there. They meet continuously, morning to night. And they will absolutely arrange the workplace in a way that makes this work for them. In 2019 it was conference rooms with a special color on the iPads, reservable only by their assistants. Now it’s Return to Office. Some things never change. Extreme commute times are very bad, but they aren’t facts about working in offices; they’re facts about housing choices, and probably also our deranged housing & transportation policies. I will happily join you in getting angry about those!