7 ms·

This post has the same vibe as the best/worst of modern tech leadership principals. I feel these things are like a rorschach test for an individuals current pos

by 1dom 13d ago

This post has the same vibe as the best/worst of modern tech leadership principals. I feel these things are like a rorschach test for an individuals current position corporate psychopathy scale. There are times in my life where I'd have read these, been really deeply impacted by them, and picked up a new mantra or 2 for a few weeks. It's like "Get a plan, execute it violently, do it today". If you're in a time and place where you're motivated to "move fast and break things", I think you'll nod along with Boris' post. But it's so general and high level, the only meaning you get from it depends entirely on your own personal attitude and examples that you throw at it. The obvious pro angle is: "yeah, understand stuff well, biased for action, act urgently, yeah!" and competent, motivated, currently-in-the-zone people will spring into action. (But they would have done anyway, because they're already motivated and in the zone). The obvious against angle is "uuuh, last week you said we needed to be goal oriented, and now you're telling us to go and learn a bunch before we even know why/what we're learning? And I've learnt a bunch of stuff, but you're telling me it's not right because it doesn't fit within this framework you just invented that you're now telling me I absolutely have to follow and you're my manager so I have no choice?" I'm not totally hating on this, there's a time and a place for it and I've found it very motivating at times where I was already thoroughly motivated, but I think it's also useful to recognise that it comes across as self-serving platitudes for a lot of people who aren't already in that kinda zone.

Aeolun 13d ago
It’s kind of like catnip. But it’s ok, chances are that a lot of people keep asking you how you achieve success when you get to that point. You don’t really know either, but you have to write down something.
keybored 13d ago
1. Do things well 2. Reflect on doing things well 3. Humbleness about the process (or other meta)
danvayn 13d ago
> I think it's also useful to recognise that it comes across as self-serving platitudes for a lot of people who aren't already in that kinda zone. While true, I think trying to complicate or make this lesson “all accompanying” to make it more accurate to the real world would make it lose something in the process. Many things we do or aspire to be are in some way cope for the world we find ourselves in, and cope is made to be simple and consumable like this. We all know it’s more complicated than what the mantras here entail; it doesn’t make the ideology any less significant for me though. As you are right, there are times when this would’ve ‘vibed with me’ and those are now behind me, like you. But even now, I still see the significance of these platitudes. They beat a lack of them, for me.
- 1dom 13d ago
  I agree. There's definitely value in it. But I think you put it well that the problem is making it all accompanying. e.g. > Something that people learn quickly when they work with me is that my approach to pretty much every problem is: The overall sentiment is good, positive and actionable (think, do informed things intentionally, understand things well) but I feel like the tone tries to make it all accompanying and somewhat unquestionable, which is confusing for an article titled "I am often wrong" that ends with "I am open to changing it". > They beat a lack of them, for me. I generally agree, but I feel like there's a midground where we acknowledge positive, productive motivation, whilst also acknowledging that it is not how normal humans go around talking about their normal day to day activities. I feel I only see this stuff in environments where people are expected to be pushed to the point of being uncomfortable, and to be okay with it. There's a time and a place for that. I think it's not always sustainable, but that's not always understood/believed by younger engineers/younger me (and younger you?) I think without that nuance, things like this will always be criticised/torn apart by people not currently in that kinda zone.
- ambicapter 13d ago
  > I think trying to complicate or make this lesson “all accompanying” to make it more accurate to the real world would make it lose something in the process. Yeah, it would lose any credibility it had as you realize that there’s nothing new there.
szamski 13d ago
[flagged]

by 1dom 13d ago

Aeolun 13d ago

It’s kind of like catnip. But it’s ok, chances are that a lot of people keep asking you how you achieve success when you get to that point. You don’t really know either, but you have to write down something.

keybored 13d ago

1. Do things well 2. Reflect on doing things well 3. Humbleness about the process (or other meta)

danvayn 13d ago

> I think it's also useful to recognise that it comes across as self-serving platitudes for a lot of people who aren't already in that kinda zone. While true, I think trying to complicate or make this lesson “all accompanying” to make it more accurate to the real world would make it lose something in the process. Many things we do or aspire to be are in some way cope for the world we find ourselves in, and cope is made to be simple and consumable like this. We all know it’s more complicated than what the mantras here entail; it doesn’t make the ideology any less significant for me though. As you are right, there are times when this would’ve ‘vibed with me’ and those are now behind me, like you. But even now, I still see the significance of these platitudes. They beat a lack of them, for me.

1dom 13d ago
I agree. There's definitely value in it. But I think you put it well that the problem is making it all accompanying. e.g. > Something that people learn quickly when they work with me is that my approach to pretty much every problem is: The overall sentiment is good, positive and actionable (think, do informed things intentionally, understand things well) but I feel like the tone tries to make it all accompanying and somewhat unquestionable, which is confusing for an article titled "I am often wrong" that ends with "I am open to changing it". > They beat a lack of them, for me. I generally agree, but I feel like there's a midground where we acknowledge positive, productive motivation, whilst also acknowledging that it is not how normal humans go around talking about their normal day to day activities. I feel I only see this stuff in environments where people are expected to be pushed to the point of being uncomfortable, and to be okay with it. There's a time and a place for that. I think it's not always sustainable, but that's not always understood/believed by younger engineers/younger me (and younger you?) I think without that nuance, things like this will always be criticised/torn apart by people not currently in that kinda zone.
ambicapter 13d ago
> I think trying to complicate or make this lesson “all accompanying” to make it more accurate to the real world would make it lose something in the process. Yeah, it would lose any credibility it had as you realize that there’s nothing new there.

szamski 13d ago

[flagged]