I just started working a few entry level IT jobs and I am seeing how sad this really is. A change request to restart a server takes 4-weeks and is turned down by a CTO who doesn't understand IT needs. The CTO implements a new policy without discussion with IT which renders a passion project by members of the company to be scrapped.
Startups are corporations. They work just like one. Sure they offer perks like free pop, food, paid lunches, breaks, naptime, pool table, ping pong table and so on. This isn't a management style, its a employee benefit.
When it comes to management, startup companies seem to approach business in the same way. A CEO who has the CTO/CFO/CIO reporting to them. Then there is someone else who reports to someone else who reports to someone else. It's a cycle of killing ideas. If one person doesn't like the idea somewhere along that chain, probably at the top somewhere, it won't get any traction. If ideas keep dying employees become discouraged to use their spare time to implement new procedures to decrease inefficiencies.
[i]"How many businesses get to focus in this way on creative forms of work or get to screen carefully to make sure they only hire self-motivated employees?"[/i]
I am sure Valve hires its fair share of garbage. By garbage I mean employees who last 3,6, 12 months before they find themselves looking for a job. In the start it must take long to adapt and understand the operating procedures and workflow. But if you are a person dedicated to getting something done you will implement something or join someone who is working on something awesome. In that first year you will show value and if you don't the rest of your employees will tune you out. Another thing is their hiring procedures are probably much better than an organization. Instead of having HR and then a manager from the department for hiring or a selected individual it's probably more spread out and allows all employees to interview new employees to see if they would fit their teams.
[i]Every form of business organization needs people with a vision to set its model and its goals and to direct people and resources in a way that maximizes the opportunities of successfully reaching those goals. [/i]
This is the traditional thinking where there is one person who knows more than everyone. If this was the case we wouldn't be inventing and developing all these new tools. One person doesn't have the answer.
I just started working a few entry level IT jobs and I am seeing how sad this really is. A change request to restart a server takes 4-weeks and is turned down by a CTO who doesn't understand IT needs. The CTO implements a new policy without discussion with IT which renders a passion project by members of the company to be scrapped.
Startups are corporations. They work just like one. Sure they offer perks like free pop, food, paid lunches, breaks, naptime, pool table, ping pong table and so on. This isn't a management style, its a employee benefit.
When it comes to management, startup companies seem to approach business in the same way. A CEO who has the CTO/CFO/CIO reporting to them. Then there is someone else who reports to someone else who reports to someone else. It's a cycle of killing ideas. If one person doesn't like the idea somewhere along that chain, probably at the top somewhere, it won't get any traction. If ideas keep dying employees become discouraged to use their spare time to implement new procedures to decrease inefficiencies.
[i]"How many businesses get to focus in this way on creative forms of work or get to screen carefully to make sure they only hire self-motivated employees?"[/i]
I am sure Valve hires its fair share of garbage. By garbage I mean employees who last 3,6, 12 months before they find themselves looking for a job. In the start it must take long to adapt and understand the operating procedures and workflow. But if you are a person dedicated to getting something done you will implement something or join someone who is working on something awesome. In that first year you will show value and if you don't the rest of your employees will tune you out. Another thing is their hiring procedures are probably much better than an organization. Instead of having HR and then a manager from the department for hiring or a selected individual it's probably more spread out and allows all employees to interview new employees to see if they would fit their teams.
[i]Every form of business organization needs people with a vision to set its model and its goals and to direct people and resources in a way that maximizes the opportunities of successfully reaching those goals. [/i]
This is the traditional thinking where there is one person who knows more than everyone. If this was the case we wouldn't be inventing and developing all these new tools. One person doesn't have the answer.