Read on Twitter
This one is gonna be hard to contain in one blog post it's probably gonna be a series of them one day, but it's been on my mind so maybe it has value in tweet form
The idea is SYNTHESIS
The whole being more than the sum of the parts
Applied to: people; ideas; skills... https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1260612904036061186
The idea is SYNTHESIS
The whole being more than the sum of the parts
Applied to: people; ideas; skills... https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1260612904036061186
In the context of people, "productive team-working" comes to mind in a work setting.
We value team culture and psychological safety because it provides /additional value/ beyond what the individuals are bringing https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html
We value team culture and psychological safety because it provides /additional value/ beyond what the individuals are bringing https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html
Synthesis of something more is also a critical quality of good relationships and friendships
Are you and your partner together producing more value for yourselves and others, than the sum of what you could produce otherwise?
(Magic extra value!
) https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1258060367395160066?s=20
Are you and your partner together producing more value for yourselves and others, than the sum of what you could produce otherwise?
(Magic extra value!
) https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1258060367395160066?s=20
When it comes to ideas, creating more ideas out of others is kind of a familiar concept
An implication of this is that the value you get out of a book is a function of the book, you, and the ideas you already have
The book perpetually /makes more value/ https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1254744068824981504?s=20
An implication of this is that the value you get out of a book is a function of the book, you, and the ideas you already have
The book perpetually /makes more value/ https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1254744068824981504?s=20
The "How to learn soft skills" article was extremely influential to me in this front
Re-treading existing ideas from a new perspective gives you another opportunity to synthesise value: like a catalyst https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1257677326470561793?s=20
Re-treading existing ideas from a new perspective gives you another opportunity to synthesise value: like a catalyst https://twitter.com/captain_mrs/status/1257677326470561793?s=20
So the example I had in mind was my main learning from Turn The Ship Around
Life isn't a 0-sum game but power dynamics kinda are
To empower someone you have to first cede your own power
And the more privilege you have, the more power you started with, the harder you must cede
Life isn't a 0-sum game but power dynamics kinda are
To empower someone you have to first cede your own power
And the more privilege you have, the more power you started with, the harder you must cede
I kinda just assumed this was obvious from reading the book, and started getting annoyed at the people at work who read the book, endorsed it, but still continued to _just do empowerment wrong_ arrgh
And a mentor had to tell me: you know that last idea was you, not the author?
And a mentor had to tell me: you know that last idea was you, not the author?
And winding back to people and teams, this seems like a good mechanism by which teams with more diversity of backgrounds and ideas to do better.
They have more friction, but also more opportunity for synthesis of extra value
Spotting diamonds down the gaps
They have more friction, but also more opportunity for synthesis of extra value
Spotting diamonds down the gaps
Side note: this causes issues around fairly rewarding contribution.
In hiring, for example, you should hire the less qualified, less skilled candidate sometimes, if they'll give your team more overall value synthesis to make up for it
In hiring, for example, you should hire the less qualified, less skilled candidate sometimes, if they'll give your team more overall value synthesis to make up for it
In assessment its even harder: in a great team loads of their value comes from synthesis, rather than individual contribution
So who do you attribute it to? Who gets the bonus?
We call the catalysts here "leadership skills"
But giving something a name doesn't make it tangible
So who do you attribute it to? Who gets the bonus?
We call the catalysts here "leadership skills"
But giving something a name doesn't make it tangible
What are leadership skills and how do you assess them is a whole other tweet thread
Suffice to say, there's enough breadth here to make it really easy to miss things
Who's your energy source?
Who spots when people need help?
Who directs question-asker to the best answerer?
Suffice to say, there's enough breadth here to make it really easy to miss things
Who's your energy source?
Who spots when people need help?
Who directs question-asker to the best answerer?
For now, moving this thread onwards:
Synthesis of skills
I work at a company that highly selects for logical intelligence
I barely passed the interview technical problem-solving test
I have risen pretty fast though, because I also do people/community skills
Synthesis of skills
I work at a company that highly selects for logical intelligence
I barely passed the interview technical problem-solving test
I have risen pretty fast though, because I also do people/community skills
The thing is, I am not actually great at people skills? Like I'm quite awkward and I get social anxiety
I used to get pretty insecure about this: there is no particular skill at which I could be considered outstanding. Why do I have all this status? Why treat me as an authority?
I used to get pretty insecure about this: there is no particular skill at which I could be considered outstanding. Why do I have all this status? Why treat me as an authority?
My partner gave me a great idea-name to work with this
It doesn't matter if I'm not top of any particular axis
My value proposition comes from being on the _convex hull_
There is basically no-one at work who is /both/ more technical than me /and/ better with people than me
It doesn't matter if I'm not top of any particular axis
My value proposition comes from being on the _convex hull_
There is basically no-one at work who is /both/ more technical than me /and/ better with people than me
And you know what, if you can find a set of skills, interests, knowledge, which puts you on the convex hull of a community?
There is where you can add value
Synthesise something out of that!
There is where you can add value
Synthesise something out of that!
This is basically the crossroads concept visa described here.
There are _so many_ uncharted crossroads, waiting for value to spring forth https://twitter.com/visakanv/status/1147983907444293632?s=20
There are _so many_ uncharted crossroads, waiting for value to spring forth https://twitter.com/visakanv/status/1147983907444293632?s=20
