I hate when people use “also” and “as well” in the same sentence, and I die inside when I catch myself doing it. Not hating on you, just suffering flashbacks.
Comment on Why is leadership valued so much over expertise?
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 day ago
At the end of the day, a single person can only do so much work. All the experience in the world doesn’t change that there is only 24hrs in a day.
A good leader can enable a team of people to work together achieving more than the sum of their individual contributions.
Leaders are force multiplier, and good ones should be compensated as such.
Sadly, we also over compensate the shitty leaders far too often as well :/
GreyEyedGhost@piefed.ca 20 hours ago
kuerbiskernoel@feddit.org 13 hours ago
Why?
GreyEyedGhost@piefed.ca 4 hours ago
Redundancy, and not like the good hardware kind.
CameronDev@programming.dev 17 hours ago
I am not a good sentencer :(
mushroommunk@lemmy.today 1 hour ago
We all could learn to words more gooder.
I’ve thought for a while adults should go back to school every ten years or so for some basic logic, driving, communication, and math refreshers.
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 hour ago
I can get behind that. Even more frequently perhaps. Its insane that for a task as dangerous as driving, once you pass at 18, you don’t get re-tested until you kill someone…
I have to do anti-sexual harassment training every year for work, communication/math/logic refreshers once a year would actually be a lot more beneficial.
calcopiritus@lemmy.world 1 day ago
There’s 24h in a day for leaders too. A leader cannot achieve infinite output by being infinitely good, just like an expert cannot achieve infinite output by being infinitely good.
Expertise is also a force multiplier.
A single expert in a team of juniors can do so much more. Because it can delegate the junior work to the juniors while doing only expert work. Thus ending up with more expert work done.
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 day ago
Your last paragragh describes a leader…
DahGangalang@infosec.pub 1 day ago
A single expert in a team of juniors can do so much more. Because it can delegate the junior work to the juniors while doing only expert work.
This part is definitely true but I think it misses the point. A single expert can be a force multiplier, or they can be overbearing dead weight. There is the possibility a technical expert wants to micromanage and see every step as it is done (thus holding up work that can be done while the expert is elsewhere).
I conjecture that those skills and attributes that separate the two experts we’ve described is what “good leadership” consists of.
I would never trust a leader who has no technical skills, but neither would I trust a leader who has only technical skills.
calcopiritus@lemmy.world 1 day ago
You can also have shit leaders that micromanage. What even is your point?
DahGangalang@infosec.pub 1 day ago
Being a technical expert != being a good leader
There are a set of skills and attributes that enable one to leader well. An ideal leader will have both technical skills and leadership capability, but it is possible for each to exist independently in a person.
atro_city@fedia.io 1 day ago
Leadership is undoubtedly important and good leadership even more so, but why do you bring singularity ("one person can only do so much work")? Experts work in teams too. Is there some kind of connotation with expertise that leads you (or people) to believe that is something which cannot be brought into a team?
That is true, but isn't the ability of the team members important too? For example, if you have a team of juniors, you can get to a goal, however the question is in what state. And if the leader is just a leader but doesn't have understanding of the sector, why should their leadership be valued more than that of the team members who do?
As for force multipliers, experts can be force multipliers too. An expert that helps out and resolves (or even prevents) tricky situations for fellow team members (or the entire team) can improve team cohesion and productivity. Experts also often have an educative role in the team to spread knowledge and understanding. That seems to be valued less, and I don't understand why.
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 day ago
All your examples involve teams, and teams don’t typically happen without some form of leadership from someone. An expert without leadership skills will be far less effective at building a team around them than someone with the expertise and the leadership skills.
The expert your describing in your last paragragh IS a leader. If they aren’t being compensated as such, thats just them being exploited, and they need to advocate for more appropriate compensation.
CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Are you just unlucky in your experiences? Expert team leads can absolutely make as much as managers.
But there’s a convergence as you spend more and more time making decisions and directing others that you will effectively be a manager.
Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 1 day ago
I used to scoff at the idea of “leaders” until I experienced good leadership and learned the difference between lead and manage.
I suspect a lot of people here think they mean the same thing.
a4ng3l@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Here’s a point though; to build vertical experience as an expert I’m starting to suspect that one would be less subject to changing companies.
Whereas leaders have no need to stay in place and change more often.
And one typically increases their compensation package much faster via changes of employer.
Just my thoughts contemplating that I just reached the low bar on my function band as a coe lead after 8 damn years into the function. Loyalty isn’t rewarded.
Hacksaw@lemmy.ca 15 hours ago
All the answers are bullshit. The real explanation is that leaders set salaries. Of course they’re going to value themselves over others. Then they’re going to rationalise it with the bullshit you see in this thread about “force multipliers” etc… it’s basic capitalism. It’s the same reason politicians in the us have free healthcare and great vacation and benefits and salaries rising above inflation, the people who control these things always make sure they get what’s fair then make excuses for why no one else does.
agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 13 hours ago
I think you’re confusing leadership with administration. Generally the boots-on-the-ground leaders aren’t the ones making salary decisions.
Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 1 day ago
Leadership takes effort and focus.
Having worked in orgs where everyone is expected to lead at different times, I can tell you that leading takes effort and focus - that’s effort and focus that’s not spent on your area of expertise.
Good leaders spend all their effort on making a team work better - no different than a good coach.