One of the things I think is important to pull out of this @dhh piece is how difficult this work is. He is not wrong in that. The internet changed our relationship to power and that is requiring different power structures in our institutions. https://twitter.com/dhh/status/1386773744484552715

That is as optional as the internet was in the 90’s. Sure, you could avoid it for the first decade, maybe 2, of the shift but then you were behind in a way that meant you were subject to the internet as it was structured not as how you would structure it.

Some places - big name brand institutions with lots of money say the Washington Post, survived that shift - even while adapting later. Many more did not.

It does take big effort and big resources. As much thinking, intention, pain, and innovation as brick and mortar to internet did. We are just finding folks currently in power have little competency or ability to weather it.

Again: a lack of proportional representation and equitable distribution of power in all our major institutions - tech, government, media, healthcare, etc. - left/leaves our country and communities vulnerable in a demographic shift.

The issue with these stances I think are often stemming from really only understanding the cosmetic side of this work and not as a whole reshaping of the business and how power flows through it. So they see this big tensions and are like “whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn’t commit to this

And see these tensions as “ancillary” to “the work” instead of fundamental challenges necessary to understand for the future. Your workforces have changed. The models for running them need to change too and that is painful, conflict laden, innovation critical work.

You have to understand your beliefs and then examine why you make business decisions that differ from those beliefs. It does mean some rocky years as your team learns new ways to be. Segregated workforce’s don’t happen JUST because blatantly racist people segregate them.

You are trying to accomplish in house something American institutions, hell global institutions, have never accomplished. That shit is messy as it is exciting and awe inspiring. These are moonshot level goals that will help path-break how all institutions run.

The thing that bugs me is folks are essentially peering into the Grand Canyon and saying “No one can hike that!” instead of “I’m not in shape and thus incapable of leading people on that hike.” it is a key difference that requires a humility many of these folks are not displaying

The convergence of the internet and the demographic shift created a monumental opportunity. Monumental. People are literally saying “I’ll pass” and investors are supporting that notion. I’m just saying, if I were an LP or a VC, I’d be like - you’re just letting that pass you by?

But that particular class is also equally limited in its abilities to see the world and the intersection we are in. So here we are. With all that left on the table. Could not be me.

It would just be so much more honest to say “as a leader, I’m not capable of stewarding this shift and will not put the company through my learning on this front at this stage” that is intellectually and emotionally honest even if disappointing.

But instead it’s “this isn’t possible or a good use of our time”. I cannot think of a better parallel than the shift to the internet and software being vital to business. You are literally hearing the same things, I may write long form about that. Fascinating. Just fascinating.

Tying these two threads together. https://twitter.com/karlitaliliana/status/1386768562451226624