Comment by ethbr1
1 month ago
I was trying to subtly point out that the information asymmetry goes both ways: most devs aren't aware of what their managers are doing for the team either. More transparency in both directions is healthy (and skip-level meetings, for god's sake).
Yeah, I hear you and I also added a parenthetical that the incentives aren't always the same.
In an organization of high-minded individuals, the information asymmetry goes both ways, I've been a manager and a dev and I tried to be high-minded and do my best to smooth that assymetry for the greater good in both roles.
But sometimes, especially the last 3-4 years since it got tough, there's a lot of people trying to hold on by any means necessary. Information asymmetry isn't the problem there, it's incentive assymetry. What if you're just not that good at tech and got promoted to 1st, maybe 2nd level manager in the good years? What's your incentive?
Absolutely! The "How does a bad manager with a good team ever get identified/fired?" problem is something more companies should have an answer to.
That's why I think skip-levels check-ins and direct reports regularly anonymously rating their manager (via HR) should be the starting place at all companies.
Otherwise, toxic (or just underperforming) managers stay in their positions longer than is good for the company.
Most employees are incapable of rating their manager. They can complain or praise, but they're not competent to judge whether the manager is competent.
There's an interesting parallel to the advice often given for "lean" startups, of never taking seriously the customers' feature requests, only their complaints. Most customers know their own pain points but aren't capable of suggesting good general solutions that can be incorporated into a product.
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