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At this point in your career, you should optimize for improving your skills by working with programmers who are better than you, in a rapid feedback environment

by tlb 12y ago

At this point in your career, you should optimize for improving your skills by working with programmers who are better than you, in a rapid feedback environment.

sillysaurus3 12y ago
Did you work with anyone who was better than you? What were the most useful skills you learned?
- strlen 12y ago
  Really looking forward to a reply here! Pg did write a bit about what he has learned from tlb: http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html (see the "Recognition" paragraph)
- endlessvoid94 12y ago
  There's arguably no single greater environment than learning from great people. Communication, choosing your battles, patience, emotional intelligence, just to mention the managerial and partnership aspects. Too many technical / marketing skills to name. I come from a 100% technical background, and I can tell the skills I've acquired in the past year will last me a long, long time.
- tlb 12y ago
  Several, including pg and rtm. The hardest skill is knowing what could be simplified, and what's good enough.
strlen 12y ago
Holy Occam, you've managed to say more with a single sentence what I was struggling to put in several paragraph (all while I still working on the first draft my comment)! OP needs to learn and the way to do is not just doing, but by looking at good examples, then doing, then receiving feedback on how it could be done better, and then improving.
analog31 12y ago
This mirrors advice often given to musicians. Nobody wants to be the best player in the band.
viredfox 12y ago
Thanks everyone for the advice. I have another question: assuming that pushing to gain skills is the highest priority. Since I have while a bit of autonomy in the current startup (comparing to working in other company), would it be possible to improve my skills while simultaneously trying to changing things in the company (since I'd get to do more things)? Or would that be a futile effort?
viredfox 12y ago
Assuming that pushing to gain skills is the highest priority. Since I have while a bit of autonomy in the current startup (comparing to working in other company), would it be possible to improve my skills while simultaneously trying to changing things in the company (since I'd get to do more things)? Or would that be a futile effort?

by tlb 12y ago

At this point in your career, you should optimize for improving your skills by working with programmers who are better than you, in a rapid feedback environment.

sillysaurus3 12y ago

Did you work with anyone who was better than you? What were the most useful skills you learned?

strlen 12y ago
Really looking forward to a reply here! Pg did write a bit about what he has learned from tlb: http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html http://www.paulgraham.com/gh.html (see the "Recognition" paragraph)
endlessvoid94 12y ago
There's arguably no single greater environment than learning from great people. Communication, choosing your battles, patience, emotional intelligence, just to mention the managerial and partnership aspects. Too many technical / marketing skills to name. I come from a 100% technical background, and I can tell the skills I've acquired in the past year will last me a long, long time.
tlb 12y ago
Several, including pg and rtm. The hardest skill is knowing what could be simplified, and what's good enough.

strlen 12y ago

Holy Occam, you've managed to say more with a single sentence what I was struggling to put in several paragraph (all while I still working on the first draft my comment)! OP needs to learn and the way to do is not just doing, but by looking at good examples, then doing, then receiving feedback on how it could be done better, and then improving.

analog31 12y ago

This mirrors advice often given to musicians. Nobody wants to be the best player in the band.

viredfox 12y ago

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have another question: assuming that pushing to gain skills is the highest priority. Since I have while a bit of autonomy in the current startup (comparing to working in other company), would it be possible to improve my skills while simultaneously trying to changing things in the company (since I'd get to do more things)? Or would that be a futile effort?

viredfox 12y ago

Assuming that pushing to gain skills is the highest priority. Since I have while a bit of autonomy in the current startup (comparing to working in other company), would it be possible to improve my skills while simultaneously trying to changing things in the company (since I'd get to do more things)? Or would that be a futile effort?