4 ms·
I once worked at a "startup" that was the anti-culture. It hired a programmer after the current team had turned them down. That person was hired b/c she was a r
by akg 15y ago
I once worked at a "startup" that was the anti-culture. It hired a programmer after the current team had turned them down. That person was hired b/c she was a recommendation from of the VPs friends. At one point, we had more "Managers" in the company than people to manage...needless to say, no one got anything done.
I think most companies don't realize that businesses are always about people; they are composed of people, run by people, and sell their products/services to people. When it comes to the composition of a company, having camaraderie and talent goes hand in hand. The moment you hire someone who is average or doesn't fit, the entire work force degrades gradually.
Thomas C. Shelling developed a statistical model that actually describes this behavior and shows how a class of people clump together (http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/demos/schelling/schellhp.htm http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/demos/schelling/schell...). This is why talent attracts talent and mediocrity attracts mediocrity.
- rhizome 15y agoThe moment you hire someone who is average or doesn't fit, the entire work force degrades gradually. I agree, as long as you're talking about a socially conservative work force. There are plenty of companies comprised and tolerant of unique people. This doesn't make anybody "average," either, and I'd venture that the less tolerant of outsiders a workgroup is, the more average they are. They're certainly insulating themselves, regardless, which can't be good in the long run.
- krobertson 15y agoI think he was talking about average in terms of talent while you seem to be thinking in terms of social norms. The way I've seen is put is: A's hire A's and B's hire C's (couldn't find the original source of that) Highly talented people like to hire other highly talented people. They recognize that they will learn from them and the team will be better. Average people (the B's) will often hire other average people or less talented people. Have heard it explained as they're less secure and more protective, or that their criteria is more generalized and less stringent.
- rhizome 15y agoA's hire A's and B's hire C's OK, now define "talented."