4 ms·

> Lots of fresh grads and junior staff focus 99% on being useful, but career advancement beyond the first one or two promotions depends MUCH more on being value

by Swizec 1y ago

> Lots of fresh grads and junior staff focus 99% on being useful, but career advancement beyond the first one or two promotions depends MUCH more on being valued. “People don’t remember who went to grab drinks on a Tuesday, but they’ll remember who helped them close a million dollar deal and get a huge bonus” Give your coworkers superpowers and opportunities will flow.

stuartjohnson12 1y ago
I think both of these things can be true at the same time - the issue with a lot of utility-based value is that it often comes in the form of unsustainable heroism. My capacity to feed back interesting thoughts about product and strategy in domains I'm familiar with is probably greater than your capacity or desire to consume them, but my capacity to do various forms of high-precision grunt work (set up configurations for clients, misc. project work, ship XYZ feature into the product) is much easier to consume and ultimately overload. Closing that million dollar deal as a sprint might be memorable, but being the go-to configurator for Azure cloud services isn't, and the difference between heroic level systems management and mediocre button clicker requires hard squinting if you're non-technical. Hell, I'm technical and would struggle to tell the difference just because IT isn't usually my domain. And if the person you're working with has no appreciation of what an average performance is, any mistake will be seen as a defect even if what you're doing is otherwise heroic.
asielen 1y ago
"People don’t remember who went to grab drinks on a Tuesday, but they’ll remember who helped them close a million dollar deal and get a huge bonus” Outside of sales and senior leadership I don't agree with this statement. Maybe it is just because I've reached a time in my life where I could care less about the hustle and just want a job where it can solve interesting problems for no more than 8 hours a day. And then get home to my family. For ladder climbers sure, but at some point relationships are more important than dollars. (As long as you have a enough to live of course). And if you are struggling to make ends meet and you get a pat on a back for deal support, that feels more exploitive than anything else. Yay, I helped make someone else money. Being a highly productive, easy to work with, solution oriented coworker is a super power in it's own right.
- Swizec 1y ago
  > but at some point relationships are more important than dollars Sure. Who do you have a better relationship with: That engineer who drops everything they're doing to come help you with a gnarly bug when asked, or the dude who's always at happy hour but nowhere to be seen when you need something?
  - fragmede 1y ago
    but who are you gonna go to first when there's a gnarly bug? the guy you had drinks with last night, or anybody else?
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - johnnyanmac 1y ago
    That can be the same person in a few of my cases. The outgoing ones tend to also be outgoing with helping others. On the other end, there can be helpful but quiet people who makes me feel like I invaded their space when I ask a question.
- fragmede 1y ago
  I think the point is going for drinks gets you a pat on the back at bonus time but deal support gets you a more sizable bump.
johnnyanmac 1y ago
Businesses may remember that. I'm not sure if people will. That million dollar deal probably isn't making you money directly in this time and age. At best it keeps you from being laid off. Meanwhile, I still do remeber the coworkers I viewed as helpful, or even just generous and friendly.

by Swizec 1y ago

stuartjohnson12 1y ago

I think both of these things can be true at the same time - the issue with a lot of utility-based value is that it often comes in the form of unsustainable heroism. My capacity to feed back interesting thoughts about product and strategy in domains I'm familiar with is probably greater than your capacity or desire to consume them, but my capacity to do various forms of high-precision grunt work (set up configurations for clients, misc. project work, ship XYZ feature into the product) is much easier to consume and ultimately overload. Closing that million dollar deal as a sprint might be memorable, but being the go-to configurator for Azure cloud services isn't, and the difference between heroic level systems management and mediocre button clicker requires hard squinting if you're non-technical. Hell, I'm technical and would struggle to tell the difference just because IT isn't usually my domain. And if the person you're working with has no appreciation of what an average performance is, any mistake will be seen as a defect even if what you're doing is otherwise heroic.

asielen 1y ago

"People don’t remember who went to grab drinks on a Tuesday, but they’ll remember who helped them close a million dollar deal and get a huge bonus” Outside of sales and senior leadership I don't agree with this statement. Maybe it is just because I've reached a time in my life where I could care less about the hustle and just want a job where it can solve interesting problems for no more than 8 hours a day. And then get home to my family. For ladder climbers sure, but at some point relationships are more important than dollars. (As long as you have a enough to live of course). And if you are struggling to make ends meet and you get a pat on a back for deal support, that feels more exploitive than anything else. Yay, I helped make someone else money. Being a highly productive, easy to work with, solution oriented coworker is a super power in it's own right.

Swizec 1y ago
> but at some point relationships are more important than dollars Sure. Who do you have a better relationship with: That engineer who drops everything they're doing to come help you with a gnarly bug when asked, or the dude who's always at happy hour but nowhere to be seen when you need something?
- fragmede 1y ago
  but who are you gonna go to first when there's a gnarly bug? the guy you had drinks with last night, or anybody else?
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- johnnyanmac 1y ago
  That can be the same person in a few of my cases. The outgoing ones tend to also be outgoing with helping others. On the other end, there can be helpful but quiet people who makes me feel like I invaded their space when I ask a question.
fragmede 1y ago
I think the point is going for drinks gets you a pat on the back at bonus time but deal support gets you a more sizable bump.

johnnyanmac 1y ago

Businesses may remember that. I'm not sure if people will. That million dollar deal probably isn't making you money directly in this time and age. At best it keeps you from being laid off. Meanwhile, I still do remeber the coworkers I viewed as helpful, or even just generous and friendly.