Exec on the Desk

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Exec on the Desk

Exec on the Desk

@execonthedesk

Un-actionable insights about corporate absurdity — from a modern work skeptic. Ex-accountant. Google outcast. SaaS marketer. 20-yr new media iconoclast.

Sometimes Slack. Maybe Email. Sumali Mayıs 2023
260 Sinusundan229 Mga Tagasunod
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Justin Owings
Justin Owings@justinowings·
"When all the little ants are marching, "Red and black antennae waving, "They all do it the same. They all do it the same way."
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Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk

@mattturck @rorysutherland The dead Internet theory suggests a growing portion of content online is just bots talking to each other. That's scary. Now consider the dead corporation theory: Most intra-corporate communication is make-work bureaucracy — what the late David Graeber called "Bullsh*t Jobs."

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Justin Owings
Justin Owings@justinowings·
Large organizations run in failsafe mode (to borrow on John Gall), meaning they are broken in all kinds of ways, most of which are opaque to the organization (or difficult to change). Combine this idea with the late David Graeber's work on BS jobs and know that, at any given time, you can cut large chunks of an organization out, and it still operates just fine. Look at what Musk did with Twitter (-80% jobs after acquisition). Or look at any number of situations where the human body survives despite losing organs, limbs, or even half the brain. Why you have to "cut off a leg" to heal the body (metaphorically speaking, i.e. at a corporation) may as well be an old wive's tale. And to be sure, the ones often telling leadership to make the "hard decision" are witch doctors wearing ties ... a.k.a. McKinsey consultants and MBAs. The refrain of Amazon in their letter two days ago about the layoffs "reducing layers" and "removing bureaucracy" (they call this "staying nimble" and, yes, suggest it makes innovation happen). Remove the dead tissue. This is all corporations in failsafe mode with lots and lots of (hidden) waste. You need a scapegoat to make cuts. Many are available, and many, many people are ready to point fingers.
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Exec on the Desk
Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk·
@LinkedInLunat1c "Not jealous. Not weird." Kuvaal. Bro. You're in denial. Posting this story and photo on LinkedIn = NGMI.
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Exec on the Desk
Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk·
@randomrecruiter ... Or some variation of "It's not X. It's Y" ... Or uses hyphens but inexplicably puts an endash between a range of numbers cc @UnAIify
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The Random Recruiter
The Random Recruiter@randomrecruiter·
When you notice your manager starts using emdashes in all of their emails
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unusual_whales
unusual_whales@unusual_whales·
"'Work-life balance' will keep you mediocre," per WSJ opinion. Do you agree?
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Exec on the Desk
Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk·
@startupbullsht @LinkedInLunat1c "You ask me about ARR? That's going to require a follow-up question. It will never end, and this is going to be an unhappy conversation. I don't want an unhappy conversation."
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Exec on the Desk
Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk·
@startupbullsht @LinkedInLunat1c "You ask me about ARR? That's going to require a follow-up question. It will never end, and this is going to be an unhappy conversation. I don't want an unhappy conversation."
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Exec on the Desk
Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk·
@jaiyagill Optimization is unnatural. What is natural is to satisfice. Also, in general, if you spot the words "optimize" or "efficient" (and their variations), prepare for half-baked ideas and bullsh*t.
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jaiya
jaiya@jaiyagill·
Can't stop thinking about this Vogue piece. We're so obsessed with optimizing every little thing that we've forgotten how to just… live. Efficiency has literally become a nightmare personality trait (you’re picturing someone rn, aren’t you?) Totally optimize your admin, your busy work, the friction that drains you. But your downtime? Your creativity? Your presence? Those need space to breathe, not a system sucking the life out of them. Tech should give us more of our humanity back, not try to replace it. That's core to our ethos @spec: let you be present for what & who energizes you.
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Exec on the Desk
Exec on the Desk@execonthedesk·
Linkedin job postings right now.
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