Ways of Working
improving work, teams, tools, productivity, yadda
Ways of Working
Programmer Ward Cunningham on reducing the cost of mistakes when making decisions:
“I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about decisions that don't matter. To just be able to make a decision and see what happens is tremendously empowering, but that means you have to set up the situation such that when something does go wrong, you can fix... See more
“I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about decisions that don't matter. To just be able to make a decision and see what happens is tremendously empowering, but that means you have to set up the situation such that when something does go wrong, you can fix... See more
Complexity increases because adding is easy and removing is dangerous.
Whenever there's a problem, we add: a new person, requirement, or process. We never subtract.
Why?
Because everything that already exists has a champion. That clause in the tax code, that step in the process, that feature in the product ... someone fought for it, and they'll fight... See more
Whenever there's a problem, we add: a new person, requirement, or process. We never subtract.
Why?
Because everything that already exists has a champion. That clause in the tax code, that step in the process, that feature in the product ... someone fought for it, and they'll fight... See more
ha feels like my entire life
When you truly understand something, you can express it at any level of detail while maintaining coherence.
The master can provide the one-sentence version, the paragraph version, and the chapter version, all of which tell the same story at different resolutions. The novice can only repeat what they've memorized at one resolution.
The master can provide the one-sentence version, the paragraph version, and the chapter version, all of which tell the same story at different resolutions. The novice can only repeat what they've memorized at one resolution.
Brain Food: Different Resolutions
-Shane Parrish
"Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.... See more
But…capitalism keeps getting in the way
I’ve learned that there are only two kinds of people:
1.) People who do exactly what they say they’ll do.
2.) People who are full of shit.
There are only two kinds of leaders:
1.) Those in the engine room helping the crew shovel the coal.
2.) Those who sit on top of the train and wave at the crowds as they pass by.
We can’t address the decline in empathy without addressing the decline in attention. Empathy requires a degree of sustained focus:
Paying attention to an experience someone is sharing
Recalling experiencing a similar emotional response
Sitting with your own and... See more
Dr. Samaiya Mushtaqsubstack.comWe can’t address the decline in empathy without addressing the decline in attention. Empathy requires a degree of sustained focus:
Paying attention to an experience someone is sharing
Recalling experiencing a similar emotional response
Sitting with your own and the other person’s inner state
When we are fragmented and distracted, we simply can’t complete the cognitive exercises required to feel empathy.
Take Risks
The final line of defense I can come up with is to take big bold risks. Either stand up for what you believe in or gamble to advance your own situation. Sometimes this will work, your situation will improve and you’ll learn your situation was better than you thought. Other times they’ll backfire, and you’ll learn your situation was worse... See more
The final line of defense I can come up with is to take big bold risks. Either stand up for what you believe in or gamble to advance your own situation. Sometimes this will work, your situation will improve and you’ll learn your situation was better than you thought. Other times they’ll backfire, and you’ll learn your situation was worse... See more
On escaping moral mazes….and great advice in general.
“The common trait of people who supposedly have vision is that they spend a lot of time reading and gathering information, and then synthesize it until they come up with an idea.”
Brain Food: Focus on Yourself
Fred Smith, FedEx
Compensation follows autonomy.
When you need to be managed, there's a cap on what you can earn. When you know how to create value and do it without being told, there's no cap. This is structural, not personal.
The compensation gap isn't about performance; it's about autonomy.
When you need to be managed, there's a cap on what you can earn. When you know how to create value and do it without being told, there's no cap. This is structural, not personal.
The compensation gap isn't about performance; it's about autonomy.
Brain Food: Focus on Yourself
Shane Parrish