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What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

blog.prettylittlestatemachine.com

1–10 of 43 posts

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#2
The most bitter possible interpretations of these ideas, but still possible interpretations.

That said, the merging of work and hobby is at a very advanced state in SV, which is a good and a bad thing. It's not so odd that they should overlap policy-wise.

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#3

The most bitter possible interpretations of these ideas, but still possible interpretations. That said, the merging of work and hobby is at a very advanced state in SV, which is a good and a bad thing. It's not so odd that they should overlap policy-wise.

Hardly the most bitter. Most of it is still assuming misguidedness and ignorance not active malice.

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#5

The most bitter possible interpretations of these ideas, but still possible interpretations. That said, the merging of work and hobby is at a very advanced state in SV, which is a good and a bad thing. It's not so odd that they should overlap policy-wise.

Blanket statements wouldn't be fair, but she's caveating it with "might" every paragraph. But I think these dysfunctional patterns are more the norm than the exception today.

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#6
This reads like someone didn't get the offer they wanted, and the reason given was that they were not a good fit for the company's culture.

First, if this was the motivation for this post then I'd recommend you take a deep breath and relax. Its not about you, its about them. And trust me when I say if someone doesn't hire you because they don't think you would fit into their culture, thank them. Nothing is worse for your own self esteem and sanity than trying to get stuff done in a company trying to reject you culturally.

Second, understand that culture rejections are like date rejections, sometimes its the real reason, sometimes its a more polite way of saying 'no thank you' but in either case move on.

That said, you spend a lot of time at the office, and you interact with these people in a day to day way, startups are by their nature small and like families small issues can be big problems (do you squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom or the middle?). Unlike families, you get the opportunity to pick a new startup when one doesn't fit. Avail yourself of that opportunity.

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#7
Though these generalizations are certainly dripping with bitterness, I have definitely seen bits and pieces of these phenomena in the startups I've worked at and the startups I've been around/interacted with through my work.

I've definitely seen cases where lack of defined roles leads to not a flat culture but in fact a culture where unspoken dynamics rule. I've seen "cultural fit" used to basically exclude a few introverts who aren't able to hit it off on a personal level with the founders (in this case, this meant liking to party and drink and talk superficially), which meant passing over some extraordinarily brilliant people. I've seen a lack of meetings lead not to collaboration, but to siloing of different activities. This is often not necessarily intentional, and the founders actually mean well, but it happens more often than you think.

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#9
post #6

This reads like someone didn't get the offer they wanted, and the reason given was that they were not a good fit for the company's culture. First, if this was the motivation for this post then I'd recommend you take a deep breath and relax. Its not about you, its about them. And trust me when I say if someone doesn't hire you because they don't think you would fit into their culture, thank them. Nothing is worse for…

Your guess is wrong, and an easy way for you to dismiss the issues that the blog post brings up.

Re: What Your Startup Culture Really Says: the toxic lies afoot in Silicon Valley

#10
post #9
post #6

This reads like someone didn't get the offer they wanted, and the reason given was that they were not a good fit for the company's culture. First, if this was the motivation for this post then I'd recommend you take a deep breath and relax. Its not about you, its about them. And trust me when I say if someone doesn't hire you because they don't think you would fit into their culture, thank them. Nothing is worse for…

Your guess is wrong, and an easy way for you to dismiss the issues that the blog post brings up.

I was trying to be nice.
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