Wait... so this isn't satire? I read all the way through expecting a reveal, but when I got to the bottom all I found was a link to other chapters of "How to Productize Yourself"... which, again, I thought was a joke but upon clicking that I got a list of articles like this one and zero indication that the author is joking.
I know this person is capable of sarcasm and irony and so on, because I remember seeing their "how to be a -10x engineer" article[0] before... if they're intentionally riding the line of believability here, then props to them, because this is hilarious and definitely sounds like something in the top quartile of unhinged LinkedIn-influencer-posting.
> Create arbitrary rules and rituals. Ask your clients to participate in your personal process. Lead people on journeys.
What's wrong with unassuming and consistent competence? Has the author ever actually worked with another one of these high-output culture-hacker people? It's possible to leave a great impression with nothing but technical excellence and solid communication, and I'd personally take that any day over someone who tries to turn a client meeting into some kind of spooky grindset seance.
It's not satire, but it's definitely not serious :)
Like, I actually believe "do unforgettable work" is great advice.
But it's hard to get people to stop and consider what "unforgettable work" looks like.
Same with the other "productize yourself" stuff. I've been seeing a lot of it lately, and I thought it would be fun to make an over-the-top guide. Here's an example:
> But it's hard to get people to stop and consider what "unforgettable work" looks like.
I always liked the Richard Hamming approach (that made him super unpopular with colleagues).
You sit down for lunch with some folks and ask: “What is the most important problem in your field?”. They answer. Then you say “Why aren’t you working on it?”
Because my identity isn't defined by my work? I mainly prioritize my friends, family, and community. I'm happy to take a boring, pointless job if it pays well and I'm never working overtime.
Cool. Then you will never do work that is important to you. Which is totally fine if that's what you want, but to me spending 40h/week on things I consider pointless sounds hard.
The brilliance of Hamming's question is that you, the person being asked, define "important". There is no judgement attached. It's purely a question of your personal fulfillment.
Before reading the piece I thought you were being dismissive and rude.
But no, it's genuinely unclear. "Customers must think you are superhuman." "Create arbitrary rules and rituals." "Become a caricature of yourself." But mixed in with genuinely good (though bland) advice.
My guess is the piece is self-aware but sincere. "Riding the line," as you say.
I do think there's been a pendulum swing so far AGAINST unattainable expectations and the negatives that come from rockstar mentalities that some have overcorrected. Sincere calls for greatness and achievement can be good, actually. I try to do the "consistent competence" thing but I think I probably should shoot higher, sometimes.
Yeah difficult to say! I assume it's satire on the grounds it just surely can't be real, but I'm not sure.
The only tells for me that this is satire are
(a) Remembering the -10x post
(b) "Create arbitrary rules and rituals"
(c) "If a client mentions that they collect spoons, visit a local antique store and mail them some local finds" combined with "Hand-written notes and flowers and donuts are cute but completely forgettable." So on one side you should send them stuff, on the other side you shouldn't.
(c) could be re-written as “If you’re going to give gifts, make them personally meaningful and not generic.” I think this advice is most relevant when you’re doing personal, one-on-one concierge or consulting. When you have lower contact rates with people, small things such as this reassure that they are not “out of sight, out of mind”. Your mileage may vary based on your role, employer, and field :)
I'm not a big fan of the overly dramatic writing style, but it makes a decent point. A single unforgettable impression can do wonders.
Once I was in an adhoc team that was put together to scramble on a high-visibility feature. We decided to meet every morning in an in-person standup to discuss our progress.
The first day I was feeling particularly energized and motivated, and I also wanted to make a good impression (I had only been at the company for a few months). So I worked as hard as I could and crushed through all of the tickets that were assigned to me.
The next day at standup, the director of engineering asked me for my status and I just casually said "yesterday I got to code completion on all my tickets; they still need to go through QA but I'm ready to take on more work." He looked at me for a second and said "...did you say you finished all your tickets?"
From that day forward I was known around the office as "the machine" lol. I don't recommend trying to work that hard every day because obviously you'd burn yourself out, but once in a while it's good to flex and show yourself what you're capable of.
It isn't just burnout you risk but you also risk training "the culture" of the team to lean on and reward heroics instead of sustainable, consistent planning and work scheduling.
Right? I'm tired of those deep-think emotional egotistical stuff about building a product. Who cares. It looks like the Chat GPT prompt of: "write an inspiring text about building products like a speech of Adolf Hitler"
Why can't people just build stuff because they have to. Either because they feel inspired or needs some money (more common). It doesn't need to be crazy or hardcore.
I wonder what psychologists think about this, I wonder if a healthy mind should work like this. It isn't a good example for anybody.
There's nothing here that precludes both types of work. Some people can do "unforgettable" work, and create "experiences", *and* some people can do "just" work, and create solutions.
It was hyperbole from the first sentence on. I feel lied to.
> Hand-written notes and flowers and donuts are cute but completely forgettable.
No. It's not. Business is more about relationships than 'unforgettable work'. Most clients would prefer to work with people they like who are competent than someone they don't like who does unforgettable work.
the ephemeral nature of software is both a blessing and a curse. only when travesty or incredible triumph are reached, is it remembered. consider "doing the best work you can, today." - pizzaknife -michael scott -wayne gretski
edit: too, consider that the transient and anonymous properties of software engineering is appealing to some(I am a 'some'). i do not require recognition, I require a paycheck.
It's not a good idea imho. People that are caricatures are easy to spot and they are usually everything but "authentic". Imho it's better to just be yourself and don't try to change in order to be liked or remembered.
Just be yourself is only good advice if you are an exceptional person. A lot of people's authentic selves are not efficient for their desired outcomes. It makes sense to hold yourself to a higher standard when you run into incredible challenge. Taking inspiration from others or a "super" version of yourself can be useful. Your authentic self also changes over time.
In interpersonal relationships it is better to be authentic, but I don't believe maximizing for authenticity has much value in business.
Going above and beyond at a job with a set salary makes your bosses richer. Take it from someone who developed a suite of applications solo that at its peak was making millions of dollars annually while I was underpaid: when it's time to cut costs, all the prior hero shit in the world will not save your job if you boss thinks he can do it without you.
Save the "unforgettable work" for your own projects. Do what your employer asks when they ask it. They aren't paying you for emotional labor, so don't give it to them.
This isn't necessarily bad advice, but I agree with @jacknews, it's exhausting. If the essay(s) included a disclaimer or essay one discussed the benefits of pacing yourself, this would be a far more grounded series of articles.
Is it realistic? Using positive and creative adjectives to amplify qualities doesn't make it more possible. Be extraordinary, creative, emphatic. Work hard, be good, etc..
This is not a bad way to make your customers and maybe your manager happy. But is it enough to win a substantial amount of new business or propel your career upward? I'm not totally convinced.
A counterpoint to this is Cal Newport's "So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love."
While Newport's book is more about how to identify what work is going to be most fulfilling, I think his broader point is that talent and results are what will ultimately be the biggest drivers of career success, rather than an unforgettable or eccentric personality.
A metaphor: Who would you rather fly the plane, a totally forgettable but experienced pilot, or a flight attendant who's skilled at making you feel comfortable and valued?
Hi! I liked some parts of the post, and others not so much. But please, don't pay attention to haters. The world need brave people like you that believe in their work and don't care about what other people think. Please, keep writing in your blog!
I know this person is capable of sarcasm and irony and so on, because I remember seeing their "how to be a -10x engineer" article[0] before... if they're intentionally riding the line of believability here, then props to them, because this is hilarious and definitely sounds like something in the top quartile of unhinged LinkedIn-influencer-posting.
> Create arbitrary rules and rituals. Ask your clients to participate in your personal process. Lead people on journeys.
What's wrong with unassuming and consistent competence? Has the author ever actually worked with another one of these high-output culture-hacker people? It's possible to leave a great impression with nothing but technical excellence and solid communication, and I'd personally take that any day over someone who tries to turn a client meeting into some kind of spooky grindset seance.
[0] https://taylor.town/-10x