Thread by @jordanmoore

Here’s a thing we don’t talk about or give much attention to in the industry...

Individuals who hold stock in a particular way of doing things are incentivised differently to everyone else.

I’ve observed troubling patterns that emerge from this scenario.

Unpacking “a particular way of doing things” for a moment: this could be anything from a framework, a language, a methodology, a tool, a technique, a deliverable - there are many more parts of a project process that this could apply to.

And by “hold stock” I mean someone putting their name to any of the above in the form of a public recommendation, tweeting about, teaching a course, speaking about, writing a book - anything that someone invests theirselves into.

Now for the troubling part: when you combine default human behaviour (biases, pride, social instincts) with holding stock in a particular way of doing things, that individual’s incentives are different to yours.

Which means if you’re a newcomer to the industry and you’re asking one of these individuals about how to do something - their thing will jump to the top of the pile of recommendations EVEN IF it’s not the best approach.

It also means in team environments if an individual has said “we can’t use [framework x] we should be using [framework y]” it’s a long, humbling backtracking manoeuvre to move to framework x if they subsequently realised framework y was a mistake.

It means that if a new way of doing things comes along, a faster, cleaner, better way - an individual holding stock in the old way will do everything in their power to hold on to the social status of their name being associated with the old way.

The problems may sound trivial but it means a lot of industry conversations are compromised on some level. It’s unhelpful for newcomers who are blind to context of who holds stock and where.

Pride is costly. Biases are everywhere.

Anticipating responses: I’m not saying stop making things, writing books, speaking, etc - or to beat up on anyone who has invested time, money, and energy into any of the above.

Keep creating valuable things (should go without saying)

But also:

- do your research
- look for where the incentives are
- applaud those who say “I’ve changed my mind”