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I don't have strong opinions about this but the working strategy I have come up with so far, when it comes to implementing my ideas is to keep it a secret/hidde
by _8j50 4y ago
I don't have strong opinions about this but the working strategy I have come up with so far, when it comes to implementing my ideas is to keep it a secret/hidden from management until all the ground work is laid out and only then take on responsibility for it and publicly pursue it. As soon as management finds out it gets mananged into the least risky form that threatens the status quo minimally. I had many good ideas that were managed to death or inefficacy. The problem of perverse incentives is a pandemic at this point.
Even after whatever i did showed a ton of value for little cost of any kind, they will eventually find a way to manage it into an inefficient thing or replace it by something much less blame inducing.
As a worker, my focus is on generating value. Either I produce revenue or reduce risk and liability. For managers, this is a distant secondary concern, they are worried of what their boss might think and how they will appear in the management team and what the risk to them (not the company) would be if their reports fail or decide to leave.
So, I could do the best job ever but that might make my manager look like he can't control me. I know what those of you that work in startups might think, the manager should feel like they succeeded in extracting value out of me instead right? That's startup culture, a startup wants to extract all the value out of you to maxize their success. Every other large org has politics and incentives such that even CEOs can't shake things up without gathering support, they can't create a culture that maximizes profits and productivity because that means less people might be needed or would have to do more or the worst case, what irks me the most: "If we do all that now, we will look bad if we don't keep doing this much in the future", i.e.: if you are a rockstar now, that only hurts you when you inevitably become less than a rockstar. So the snowballing inefficiency in my opinion is a result of trying to keep the balance between doing as little as you can vs making some sort of a profit and burning through budget money so you look important and valuable (the enemy of open source!).
It really is frustrating if you get bored easy. I was surprised at the whole "quiet quitting" thing because I have been seeing people do that for a long time, people getting mad at me because now they think they look bad because I did anything more than the minimum.
But really, just observing not complaining. I am now understanding these reasons. But it is difficult to fall in line and comply.
- anonreeeeplor 4y agoIn my opinion if you are creative, imaginative and have ideas - You should choke up on it. Creative work, inventing things - it’s the most value able thing. Not the “management.” If you are in a non creative environment and you find you have all the ideas, your focus should be either on leaving to build your own thing or to “take over” by effectively being the one who writes all the plans and who everyone comes to for ideas. Creative people who create value are rarely rewarded in most medium or large sized organizations. I realized after seeing how larger organizations work: There is no winning. It is like the red queen problem. The more you run, the faster you are expected to run. You will very rarely if ever be able to convert this into upward motion. Your manager is very non incentivized for you to get ahead. I personally feel like startups are simply the way to go. There is a much much larger market, many more options, granted it pays less, but you will get seen and credit for your work. And startup skillsets are generalist skills that are often much more transferable. And you are valued more in general as more depends on you. Reading what you said here: You are maladapting to a corrupt environment.x I know exactly what you are saying: I spent my career having my ideas snatched, ignored, implemented with great results and no recognition or reward or worse. I think you should just go to smaller firms in general.
- mgsouth 4y agoI'm replying to you here because your "Ask HN" post was flagged, can't comment there, but I think your statement about destructive behaviour [edit: was 'last statement'] is the important one. It is to be taken seriously. There are probably very few people on HN qualified to help you with your situation. Even for those who are, a public forum is not an effective place to do it. No, a therapist won't magically fix anything. But therapists and psychiatrist are the "debugging experts". They have training and experience to help with problems like yours. In effect, there is a magnifying glass which is making past events loom larger and larger. A therapist can help you get grounded, reversing the glass so to speak. A psychiatrist can help if there is some physical issue, such as OCD, that is feeding in to it. I'm not qualified to help, but please be assured that many, many of us have experienced similiar situations. That doesn't mean "I know what you're feeling." We don't. You are you, your situations is unique to you (as with all people), and even if we knew exactly what you were experiencing that doesn't get rid of the feelings. But we can empathize and sympathize. You are not alone. I would like to commend you on trying to handle things "the right way". That speaks well to you character. Please don't give up on it. Get the expert help.