We focus on individual performance more than group performance.

· Bits and Bobs 12/9/24
  • We focus on individual performance more than group performance.
    • When you focus on individual performance it's easier to decide who to allocate scarce spoils to.
    • But no one is an island, especially in an organization tackling problems with any amount of complexity.
      • If you optimize for individuals, you'll end up inadvertently selecting for super-chickens that succeed relative to others by pecking the others to death.
    • It is teams that successfully navigate complexity.
    • Everything that actually matters is a team sport.
    • We should look first and foremost at the effectiveness of teams and then secondarily the individuals within the group who were most helpful.
    • Sometimes the most important team players won't be visible outside the group; they won't look like they're doing anything, but they're helping make an environment where everyone else can do their best work.
      • The glue players. The Radagasts.
      • Their impact is fundamentally hard to measure with reductionist tools.
    • The best tactic to measure performance is to measure the effectiveness of a team, and then ask the team-members themselves to rate who was most critical to the success of the team, and who detracted from the success of the team.
      • Then trust them, even if the people they say are most important don't look to you like they're doing anything that useful.