people

Why do people work with assholes like Elon Musk?

Posted on by pareen

The guy in the video provides a plausible answer, but it is anecdotal, and I don’t think it is right.

Let me tell you what I think.

Two reasons consistent to ALL of his companies (except Zip2 is not well-documented):

First: When 80% of Twitter staff is fired, and such events happen, the brilliant people understand this is the right move. The ones who want to take individual responsibility instead of falling towards the safety net of collectives (MBA/Big4 cultural virus that seeped into the business world in the last 50 years) love this. They understand that this means all of their lesser talented, less motivated colleagues would go in such a firing.

On the other hand, this scares the shit out of those who want to do things “together”! So they stay away.

This is a great filter!

Second: Because he is all-in!

See if the strategy I explained in the first reason is so simple. Can the CEO of Google fire 80% of its employees and suddenly expect it to get better like Twitter did? Hell no!

You know why?

Coz Elon puts in more work than anyone else first. This is leading from the front.

Without satisfying these two conditions, you cannot be the asshole who still attracts top folks!

I am increasingly convinced that individualism works so well in capitalistic environments that it beats every other system.

Maybe this deserves a corollary about why talented socialists end up as frustrated journalists. (PS: coz they can’t move the needle on anything)

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Cribbers, blamers, and complainers

Posted on by pareen

For a lack of better word at the moment, let’s call them Cribbers (PS: I wish this was Roam)

These are the people who will find something wrong with people, situations, systems, culture, anything really.

If. I was to box them in one line, these are the people who are always on the losing side because of something external.

Symptoms of a cribber:

  • Excuses
  • Talking about other people more than themselves, their purpose, or about ideas
  • Big Imposter syndrome

Opposite end of spectrum is:

  • People with a high sense of agency

Of course, that needs to be balanced too. But, generally, having a high sense of agency is better than being a Cribber.

Spectrum: Check if complainers are doing something about it. Is the complain about a person, place, thing, situation or a systemic complaint? Nelson Mandela was a complainer. So was Gandhi. Can’t say that about most complainers around me right now. They just want some other person to change so that their life will be easier.

Why you shouldn’t be complaining? Put together well by Andrew Kirby

Take time, take risk

Posted on by pareen

Once I decide to be friends with someone, I would take time to know the person, share joys, sorrows, and go deeper. And I would expect the same from them.

As a friend, take time to go deeper. If you cannot, we cannot be friends. Once a bond is formed, maybe we go away and meet after years. But that bond has to be there. It takes time. It takes depth.

With depth, there is always a risk. Cannot be friends without opening up. Some folks just don’t open up. Some think they do, but they don’t.

If you cannot open up, there will always be a wall. Opening up means risk. Vulnerability. Chance of getting hurt, risk of being judged. If you’re not ready for that, don’t spend the time.

The bond is not strong enough, and we will drift.

A corollary to this, since life is an energy management problem, bonds are hardly formed in groups. Maybe 3 or 4 max. But friendships are always formed one to one. Groups are great for a cause, hangout groups are just shallow. I know, having lived in groups for 4 years at hostels.

Most amazing relationships were formed afterward, meeting them one on one.

PS: This is forming relationships. Staying is a different thing altogether. A formed bond takes many other factors to be maintained.