I finally read "turn this ship around" over the weekend, and it reinforced my convictions on how wretchedly disempowering and authoritarian most workplaces are. 😕
And how many people internalize this until it curdles into learned helplessness, a jail cell of their own making.
And how many people internalize this until it curdles into learned helplessness, a jail cell of their own making.
The core argument of the book, btw, is that our corpus of received wisdom on leadership is based on a time when labor was physical and economic output primarily material goods.
You can command or coerce physical labor pretty effectively; creativity you cannot.
You can command or coerce physical labor pretty effectively; creativity you cannot.
The cottage industry of leadership books and seminars and their ilk are infested with guidance for what Marquet calls the "leader-follower" model -- one uberhuman leader, the Man with a Plan, upon whose lonely shoulders rests any hope of success; and the rest, who follow orders.
It's not like the model doesn't work. It totally works -- for certain kinds of work, if the leader is charismatic enough and strong enough and happens to have been right enough.
Who writes leadership books, after all? Mostly strong, charismatic, lucky leaders who love the sound of their own voices (and/or their sycophants).
VCs want to think of entire companies as the projection of the CEO's will, and CEOs mostly go along with this flattering delusion.
VCs want to think of entire companies as the projection of the CEO's will, and CEOs mostly go along with this flattering delusion.
Leader-follower orgs work, at least often enough to preserve the illusion that this is what leadership *is*.
But it's not. And those orgs are far more fragile, hamstrung by the frailties of their charismatic leader, and -- most critically -- following orders is a *shit job*.
But it's not. And those orgs are far more fragile, hamstrung by the frailties of their charismatic leader, and -- most critically -- following orders is a *shit job*.
Marquet's book talks about what he calls the "leader-leader" model. He tells the story of how one of the lowest performing nuclear subs became one of the highest performing, by shifting ownership, autonomy and accountability down to each and every person on the ship.
It's a super fun read. You might not think of sailing a nuclear submarine as being an especially creative job, but any job that requires problem solving is a creative one.
And command-and-control leadership robs you of agency, and agency is the spark that lights creative flame.
And command-and-control leadership robs you of agency, and agency is the spark that lights creative flame.
The two times in my life when I have nearly burned out were not the times I was working long hours. They were the times I was just dully following orders. It's a shit way to work, and a shit way to live. It causes your soul to wither up and die.
You spend a third of your life at work. What must it do to a person, spending a *third of their life* checked out, leased by the hour, doing things they dislike or otherwise would not do?
Marx called it alienation. For ages we labored hard to survive. But now? 🤨
Marx called it alienation. For ages we labored hard to survive. But now? 🤨
We are born creative beings with a fierce curiosity. It takes a lot of bullshit to drum it out of the average person.
And to drum it out of folks who cared so much they became engineers?? 😱 Feels like it should be unpossible. And yet. Bad leadership does it every single day.
And to drum it out of folks who cared so much they became engineers?? 😱 Feels like it should be unpossible. And yet. Bad leadership does it every single day.
Btw -- a terrific companion book is "bullshit jobs", by david graeber.
Also when looking for the title on Twitter I found this thread, with related topical bits.
Also when looking for the title on Twitter I found this thread, with related topical bits.
Choosing to clock in/out is a choice. A valid one. That I don't remotely understand. ☺️
I do not want to overwork anyone (I accept the necessity of stating this every time). But I really want to work with people who are emotionally invested in their craft, their life's work.
I do not want to overwork anyone (I accept the necessity of stating this every time). But I really want to work with people who are emotionally invested in their craft, their life's work.
Also thanks again to @ianmiell for his nudge to read this book. His review is linked below:
