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I think everyone trying to attribute some kind of 4D chess maneuvers to these actions is massively overestimating tech CEOs.

by tootie 4y ago

ryandrake 4y ago
A previous HN article called them "copycat layoffs"[1] which makes the most sense. This is reactive panic from "leaders" looking at each other for hints of what to do. A lot of companies determine their product and engineering strategies this way too. An exercise to the reader: Think about the major decisions your company has made since you've joined... How much of it was simply because competitors or bigger example companies were also doing it? EDIT: 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34480314 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34480314
pm90 4y ago
It’s not a deliberate plan but more like FOMO. It seems reasonable that execs hang out in similar social groups and have similar viewpoints and predictions. Once a specific idea has taken hold, company leadership has to either fight it or give in.
ditonal 4y ago
100% People regurgitate “they overhired during COVID and now they’re making the prudent decision to cut costs” The first part of the sentence implies poor decision making by weak leaders, so they lose the benefit of the doubt they’re capable of prudent decisions. You can’t have it both ways - they made a stupid copycat decision to overhire but now layoffs are smart and thoughtful. Occam’s razor - they made stupid copycat decisions both times because in both cases execs act with a herd mentality. I can’t tell you the number of times the “leaders” of big tech companies I’ve worked at cited decisions by researching “peer companies”. Management wants to self identify as leaders but their decision making is literally based on following the same decisions of other companies. They think “if company A is doing it, it must be smart “ the only problem is that the peer companies they’re copying are themselves copying others. All of these big tech companies have been overtaken by professional politicians incapable of leading , with perhaps Apple as the lone exception. This is a golden time to launch a startup as the big companies are putting their lunch money on the table and cowering in fear.

I think everyone trying to attribute some kind of 4D chess maneuvers to these actions is massively overestimating tech CEOs.

by tootie 4y ago

I think everyone trying to attribute some kind of 4D chess maneuvers to these actions is massively overestimating tech CEOs.

ryandrake 4y ago

A previous HN article called them "copycat layoffs"[1] which makes the most sense. This is reactive panic from "leaders" looking at each other for hints of what to do. A lot of companies determine their product and engineering strategies this way too. An exercise to the reader: Think about the major decisions your company has made since you've joined... How much of it was simply because competitors or bigger example companies were also doing it? EDIT: 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34480314 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34480314

pm90 4y ago

It’s not a deliberate plan but more like FOMO. It seems reasonable that execs hang out in similar social groups and have similar viewpoints and predictions. Once a specific idea has taken hold, company leadership has to either fight it or give in.

ditonal 4y ago

100% People regurgitate “they overhired during COVID and now they’re making the prudent decision to cut costs” The first part of the sentence implies poor decision making by weak leaders, so they lose the benefit of the doubt they’re capable of prudent decisions. You can’t have it both ways - they made a stupid copycat decision to overhire but now layoffs are smart and thoughtful. Occam’s razor - they made stupid copycat decisions both times because in both cases execs act with a herd mentality. I can’t tell you the number of times the “leaders” of big tech companies I’ve worked at cited decisions by researching “peer companies”. Management wants to self identify as leaders but their decision making is literally based on following the same decisions of other companies. They think “if company A is doing it, it must be smart “ the only problem is that the peer companies they’re copying are themselves copying others. All of these big tech companies have been overtaken by professional politicians incapable of leading , with perhaps Apple as the lone exception. This is a golden time to launch a startup as the big companies are putting their lunch money on the table and cowering in fear.