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Collaboration sucks

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Re: Collaboration sucks

#2
Gravitational Pull" is the solution!

Instead of the "Collaboration Sucks" approach, we need to apply Gravitational Pull. For every key project, the Driver defines three essential stakeholders (e.g., Tech Lead, Business Owner, Target User) who form the "Quantum Sync Circle."

Everyone else is noise. This prevents endless discussions and focuses accountability right where it belongs.

Re: Collaboration sucks

#3

Gravitational Pull" is the solution! Instead of the "Collaboration Sucks" approach, we need to apply Gravitational Pull. For every key project, the Driver defines three essential stakeholders (e.g., Tech Lead, Business Owner, Target User) who form the "Quantum Sync Circle." Everyone else is noise. This prevents endless discussions and focuses accountability right where it belongs.

"Instead of the "Collaboration Sucks" approach, we need to apply Gravitational Pull. For every key project, the Driver defines three essential stakeholders (e.g., Tech Lead, Business Owner, Target User) who form the "Quantum Sync Circle." - this sentence had me so freaked out with all of its buzz words, but man I think I really strongly agree with it. I love the inclusion of target user!

Re: Collaboration sucks

#4
I would argue the opposite. If your collaboration sucks IMHO you haven’t done enough. It’s a skill. Imagine you’re playing a team sport and you recommended people play together less to win more games. Now look up Globetrotters vs Lakers.

Re: Collaboration sucks

#5
I’ve used both approaches and I can’t disagree more. Writing code first might feel faster but it isn’t. It’s great for surface level issues but just muddies the waters for any consequential feature.

Measure(communicate) twice, cut(build) once.

Re: Collaboration sucks

#6
If you know how to get stuff done yourself, start your own company, get stuff done, and enjoy the profits (or losses, depending on how good you are). It's your risk and your reward.

If you are working for someone else, the unwritten rule #1 is that a single employee should not amass too much influence within the company to start dictating their own conditions. So, the management culture averages decisions across multiple people, to make sure the loss of one-two team players won't be noticed.

It can be extremely demotivating if you are smart and capable, but these are the rules of the game. Be nice, get paid, accumulate some savings, make connections with other smart people, learn the market, and eventually start your own game on your own rules. Until then, trying to stand out will get you labelled as a troublemaker, and will hamper your progress in the long run.

Re: Collaboration sucks

#7

Gravitational Pull" is the solution! Instead of the "Collaboration Sucks" approach, we need to apply Gravitational Pull. For every key project, the Driver defines three essential stakeholders (e.g., Tech Lead, Business Owner, Target User) who form the "Quantum Sync Circle." Everyone else is noise. This prevents endless discussions and focuses accountability right where it belongs.

If this takes off, I think you've coined a new term there with "Quantum Sync Circle."

Re: Collaboration sucks

#8
> Every time you see collaboration happening, speak up and destroy it. Say “there are too many people involved. X, you are the driver, you decide.” (This is a great way to make friends btw).

Corollary for managers: Do not say "it's your call", then once the decision has been made (and you skipped all the meetings pertaining to that decision), comment about how you would have done it differently and then retroactively request your report to go back and make changes. This is a great way to lose employees.

Re: Collaboration sucks

#9

> Every time you see collaboration happening, speak up and destroy it. Say “there are too many people involved. X, you are the driver, you decide.” (This is a great way to make friends btw). Corollary for managers: Do not say "it's your call", then once the decision has been made (and you skipped all the meetings pertaining to that decision), comment about how you would have done it differently and then retroactively…

At my previous job, "what about..." slowly became a trigger word for me

EDIT: In the context of infinite pixel tweaking, layout tweaking, and of course, new features that would require significant full stack rework

Re: Collaboration sucks

#10
"Unfortunately for me, not all collaboration can be rooted out, and even I will admit that some collaboration is useful. Ian and Andy edited this newsletter after all."

So "good" collaboration does work. It is just that the post is talking about things that are not really true collaboration and those should be avoided. Title is click bait but posthog is famous for these.

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