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Lots of candid, good insights in the linked "I got fired from Facebook" piece too: https://noahkagan.com/why-i-got-fired-from-facebook-a-100-million-dollar-les

Lots of candid, good insights in the linked "I got fired from Facebook" piece too: https://noahkagan.com/why-i-got-fired-from-facebook-a-100-million-dollar-lesson https://noahkagan.com/why-i-got-fired-from-facebook-a-100-mi... E.g.: > Lesson learned: Go see if your weaknesses are hindering you at your job. Ie. I wasn’t great at planning or product management at this time. Fix them or move to another position. Also, constantly ask yourself how can I make the company more valuable. You do that and you will never get fired*. * Unless you do something really stupid or the company goes out of business.

ilrwbwrkhv 2y ago
> constantly ask yourself how can I make the company more valuable Ya only if you have some ownership in the company. Otherwise much better to do it for your own company / projects. You are hired to do a job, don't need to go beyond for a company who will not pay you more.
borroka 2y ago
"Also, constantly ask yourself how can I make the company more valuable. You do that and you will never get fired"--- In most companies and for most people in them, this would be useless at best and most damaging at worst. Just as an example, if making the company more valuable causes you to come into conflict with your manager/boss, chances are that your brilliant ideas, along with your work, will disappear into the void. No champagne at the end of the quarter, no vacations to the Maldives paid for by the company. As always in life, it is a matter of probability. If I had to choose between pursuing my ideas, which (perhaps) would make the company more valuable, or hiding them in the corner of my mind because they would irritate my manager, I would choose the latter. Mileage may vary for smaller companies with a more direct path between the work done and the company's revenues and profits.

ilrwbwrkhv 2y ago

> constantly ask yourself how can I make the company more valuable Ya only if you have some ownership in the company. Otherwise much better to do it for your own company / projects. You are hired to do a job, don't need to go beyond for a company who will not pay you more.

borroka 2y ago

"Also, constantly ask yourself how can I make the company more valuable. You do that and you will never get fired"--- In most companies and for most people in them, this would be useless at best and most damaging at worst. Just as an example, if making the company more valuable causes you to come into conflict with your manager/boss, chances are that your brilliant ideas, along with your work, will disappear into the void. No champagne at the end of the quarter, no vacations to the Maldives paid for by the company. As always in life, it is a matter of probability. If I had to choose between pursuing my ideas, which (perhaps) would make the company more valuable, or hiding them in the corner of my mind because they would irritate my manager, I would choose the latter. Mileage may vary for smaller companies with a more direct path between the work done and the company's revenues and profits.