3 ms·
What that quote by Napoleon fails to account for is that "smart" vs "dumb" isn't innate. People start off dumb, and through experience, become smart over time.
by solatic 3y ago
What that quote by Napoleon fails to account for is that "smart" vs "dumb" isn't innate. People start off dumb, and through experience, become smart over time.
If you fire your dumb and energetic people, you'll be hard-pressed to find any smart and energetic ones... pretty much only those whose current employers are dumb enough to lose them.
You go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you had. Your "army" is going to include dumb and energetic people. Learn to manage them. Encourage their energy by giving them lots of work; insulate yourself from their inexperience by ensuring the work you're giving them is low-risk and reviewable, and mentor them through their "dumb" phase.
The question isn't whether you have enough low-risk and reviewable work (if you think you don't have any, believe me, you do), it's whether you have the luxury of budget to pay salaries to get it done.
- mihaic 3y agoI agree on having the luxury of budget being a thing, since only large companies have that. I think though you're lumping together both the inexperienced and the stubornly dumb, and by that I mean those that aren't humble/flexible to learn from experience. It's crucial to filter out arrogance that can't be taught so you don't poison your workforce.
- solatic 3y agoIn my book, humility is a core cultural value. You should always be willing to learn from others, and not lose your shit when someone gives you constructive criticism. I'm not saying "armies" should never fire anyone - bad cultural fit is certainly one legitimate reason.
- mike_ivanov 3y agoExperience is orthogonal to intellect.
- greazy 3y agoI disagree, they are very much so related. I would even go so far as to say the majority of human qualities are interlinked.