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> By definition, they are the main character of their own story. But large companies often don’t make them feel that way. This is universally demotivating. If y
by titzer 4y ago
> By definition, they are the main character of their own story. But large companies often don’t make them feel that way. This is universally demotivating. If you don’t feel like the main character of your story, you don’t do much, you lose agency.
This just shows how much the culture and psychological context of daily living has changed these days. It's like that line from "The Incredibles"--if everyone is super, then no one is.
I read the article. It flirts with the line between coddling and training. I don't know if I agree with everything it says, but I do regret the underlying dynamic that is at play; you can't criticize anything or anyone because they can't take it. And the recommendations it gives for communications aren't bad; it just sucks that have to be so exquisitely crafted these days.
Really, the article doesn't say it, but the better parts of it are really just working on employee expectations. You need to manage (i.e. recalibrate) your employees' expectations. While their entire schooling might have taught them they are the main character in the story, they are a special snowflake with above average talents, you will succeed at everything without trying hard, it just isn't so. What's really going on is deprogramming the decades of school coddling and setting up a clear relation between cause and effect.
- watwut 4y agoThe "autonomy" being important for human motivation is part of old school management textbooks. The motivation was supposed to result of "autonomy, mastery and accountability" combination. For last 20 years, with move to agile, we have been loosing both "autonomy" and "accountability" parts. Frequently also mastery. We did gained predictability and there is less pressure then it used to be. We lost agency over years. > It's like that line from "The Incredibles"--if everyone is super, then no one is. This sounds like sci-fi, only because there is no autonomy anymore in software development. But it used to be that you had some small part where you could make autonomous decisions, did some estimates and could feel in control of your own situation if lucky. The process had issues ... but you had more agency and did felt like "main character in your own situation".
- swagasaurus-rex 4y agoManagers can make their subordinates life difficult with basically no recourse except quitting or maybe changing teams. Speaking up is not a good strategy. Because of this tenuous relationship managers may have no idea they are stepping on the toes of their subordinates. They can break trust without any feedback. Being encouraging really costs nothing and assures people that their contributions are valued.