SWLW #537: Debugging Architects, Apple Pie Position, and more

Heya,

As always, below you can read my best findings for the week.
 

This Week's Favorite

​​Research: Do People Really Get Promoted to Their Level of Incompetence?
5 minutes read.

"According to the data, the Peter Principle is real: the best salespeople were the ones who got promoted, but the better the salesperson, the worse they were at managing. To fix this problem, organizations must come up with other ways to reward their top performers, so they can continue to do what they’re best at." -- While the research focused on Sales organizations, it might also be very accurate for other roles. How do you reward people in your organization for being in the Zone of Genius?

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Culture

Product Manager When They Are Doing Project Management
1 minute read.

My humble effort to help you start the weekend with a smile on your face.

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Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb: Designing a 10-Star Experience (Video)
55 minutes read.

Brian Chesky is an incredible visionary and storyteller. You can see how passionate and intense his desire to decipher building a unique experience (for their customers) and company. Watch minutes 11:15 to 17:28, as it's one of the most powerful and inspirational lessons to take away from it.

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Apple Pie Position (Thread)
4 minutes read.

"Apple Pie Position: A statement that instantly elevates the person who is saying it and is simultaneously hard for anyone else to push back on, and so everyone avoids the personal risk and just nods yes, even though its actual value in this specific situation might be relatively low, zero, or even negative. Because everyone in the workplace wants to come across as smart & competent, especially during meetings, Apple Pie Positions end up being frequently employed by your colleagues." -- I couldn't stop nodding while reading Shreyas Doshi's thread.

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Infinite Games
5 minutes read.

"Taken to its furthest extreme, the focus on outcome over everything leads to us discounting 99% of our lives for the sake of a few, small, fleeting moments that might provide some sense of satisfaction before the cycle begins anew." -- I loved the book Finite and Infinite Games by James Carse. Understanding that most things we do are finite status games is helpful. It doesn't lead to creating immediate infinite games, which is incredibly hard for me to define subjectively. I find it easier to look at the Regret Minimization framework and imagine a 5-10 years horizon as an easier way to expand my thinking.

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Peopleware

Debugging Architects
4 minutes read.

"Architects must visit the engine room. Not to deliver code but to re-emerge with new insights. [...] The result of a debugging exercise is generally a lot of thinking, followed by a small code or configuration change. That’s why it’s an ideal task for architects. Cranking out lines of code isn’t the most value-add activity for architects. But understanding system structures and hidden dependencies is, and debugging is all about that." -- Gregor Hohpe shares a great insight on why engineers in higher seniority levels should invest more time in debugging.

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My Typical Tactics for Influencing Leaders at Different Levels
3 minutes read.

If you try to understand others' pains and challenges, it's much easier to find ways to increase your impact and deliver value. You don't need to convince (they already are), but rather explain the end result and milestones to get there. Tell them what you plan on doing and taking, and what you need from them.

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Advice for New Directors
6 minutes read.

Jade Rubick shares helpful tips worth reading if you're starting a manager of managers role. This is an interesting way to help you think about the value you want to bring to your team: "You are judged by the output of your organization. And specifically, you’re judged by the difference you make on the organization. What do you make better? How do you improve things? What is the diff you apply to that organization?" -- Another way to think about your role is a question I like asking in interviews: "Which KPIs or Goals you set for yourself that your teammates cannot help you achieve?" as it forces a Group Manager / Director level to think about their relationships with their peers and upper management.

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And finally, inspiring tweets...

@nadavwiz: I think early founders should chase Excitement Market Fit (EMF)™️. if you're excited about what you're building, that's the fuel that'll lead you to PMF. If you're not truly excited about it, seek a different idea/market.

@visakanv: focus your time and energy on what you want to see more of



p.s. if you're interested in joining SWLW's Slack channel, simply reply to this email and let me know. If you're leading a team, consider writing your Manager README (it's free) or getting my e-book and interviews Leading Snowflakes: The New Engineering Manager's Handbook. You can also support me by becoming a SWLW Patron. Thank you ❤️




Keep reading, keep learning.
-- Oren Ellenbogen.