Soft Skills Engineering Episode 488: How do I survive in a culture of optics and jira slacker
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Nov 24, 2025 This conversation dives into the tension between optics and real impact in tech culture. Listeners wrestle with a workplace that prioritizes appearance over productivity. The hosts discuss how politics arise from information gaps and the importance of data in redirecting focus. They emphasize creating clear metrics to minimize persuasive rhetoric. Additionally, a listener shares their struggles as an accessibility champion, receiving practical advice on improving non-coding tasks and setting achievable goals. It's a candid exploration of navigating organizational dynamics.
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Politics Are An Emergent Coordination Problem
- Politics naturally emerge when groups work together and are amplified when multiple incentives exist.
- Jameson Dance notes politics is the default when coordination and scarce resources exist.
Facts Drown Out Charisma
- Data and concrete metrics reduce the power of charisma in decision-making.
- Dave Smith shows that measurable facts change conversations and focus attention on real outcomes.
Spreadsheet That Shifted Exec Conversations
- Dave examined an AWS bill and derived unit economics to expose meaningful business facts.
- That one spreadsheet shifted executive conversations from rhetoric to data-driven choices.