Poor managers are threatened by underlings smarter than themselves. Good managers seek people smarter than themselves then try to get the best out of them.

Poor organizations are those where everyone tip toes around afraid to mention reality lest it offend someone. These are organizations on the path of decline. Growing organizations are those that value them who perceive reality and lay out reality so that it can be worked with.

Great organizations and teams don't have time or tolerance for much of the stuff in this doc, they are too busy doing.

Organizations where people don't have enough real work to do are places where these approaches win. And these are places that have generally devolved to survival by some form of legalized theft or lock in rather than innovation and production. Most big Co's. and .govs certainly. It's sad really but I think it's a natural cycle. The new comes up and replaces the old as the old gets corrupted, only to itself become infected with this kind of corruption over time. I don't know that there is a cure once this kind of thing starts and it inevitably seems to.

This goes along with the three types of power in an organization - relationship, expert and role power. You'd be amazed by the things you can accomplish in smaller organizations with no role power if you build the right relationships and you prove yourself.

That's law #1, "Never outshine the master."

>>Good managers seek people smarter than themselves then try to get the best out of them.

Fundamental laws of power say, Never hire anyone that could be become your boss.

>>Great organizations and teams don't have time or tolerance for much of the stuff in this doc, they are too busy doing.

No such organization exist. Power structures are an axiom of the very groups existence.

But on occasion, temporarily, teams and organizations like this do exist. I've worked in them. It's how stuff gets built initially before the game players take over.

Because these power structures are _not_ axioms of groups but rather symptoms of productive decay.

Real world examples:

1. I went into one company knowing I knew more than the “team lead” who was 10 years younger. I wasn’t careful not to step on toes.

2. At work, especially at a large company (the same company as #1). Everyone was jockeying for position and to get known. “Friends” were more than eager to stab you in the back. Also, a lesson I was too naive to know early in my career was that your manager is not your friend.

3. I’m not going to let anyone know that I am jumping on the new high profile, new to me technology to pad my resume. I’m also going to act like I care about my review and that Im happy with the meager raise all the while I am looking for another job.

5. Once you get a bad reputation - it’s impossible to recover from. Even if it’s not your fault. Once that happens, it’s time to jump ship.

I could go on.

Nothing that corporate America does is in the best interest of their employeres. Working is a simple transaction. They pay me for 40 hours a week, I do my best work while working for them but there is no loyalty from the employer so why should we be loyal to them?

Of course I’m not implying being unethical - goofing off, corporate espionage, competing against your employer,etc.

Which “law” do you disagree with? I’ve already said that I think 7 is unethical.

#1 is fantastic advice. If you make your master insecure you are finished at that location. You either have to quit or move up/elsewhere in the organization.

If you are going to shine then you have to shine in ways that are not in direct competition to your immediate masters.

Even a seemingly great workplace can turn toxic very quickly