The part about how 'cabals' form temporarily to achieve goals and build things is interesting. I was wondering how they go about 'leading' projects if there are no true 'leads', basically, they just form temporary teams/hierarchies that are suited toward a particular goal.
This part about why these teams are temporary and they prefer a flat structure makes a lot of sense and resonates with me (and probably many here who've worked in larger organisations):
> Valve is not averse to all organizational structure—it crops up in many forms all the time, temporarily. But problems show up when hierarchy or codified divisions of labor either haven’t been created by the group’s members or when those structures persist for long periods of time. We believe those structures inevitably begin to serve their own needs rather than those of Valve’s customers. The hierarchy will begin to reinforce its own structure by hiring people who fit its shape, adding people to fill subordinate support roles. Its members are also incented to engage in rent-seeking behaviors that take advantage of the power structure rather than focusing on simply delivering value to customers.
I mean where I worked this worked pretty well. Actual managment told you their rough goals (do more of X, make more like Y, don't forget Z) and "someone" who had a good idea and didn't like wasting time took the lead naturally. Small groups form, on some specific subproblem someone else takes the lead because they have a better idea how to tackle that specific beast etc.
Humans are good at organizing, if the goals are clear and everybody has the motivation.
And rhis is the actual problem. If I feel like the company is fucking me over in some way or viewing me as a cow they have to milk as much as possible, that motivation will be gone.
This part about why these teams are temporary and they prefer a flat structure makes a lot of sense and resonates with me (and probably many here who've worked in larger organisations):
> Valve is not averse to all organizational structure—it crops up in many forms all the time, temporarily. But problems show up when hierarchy or codified divisions of labor either haven’t been created by the group’s members or when those structures persist for long periods of time. We believe those structures inevitably begin to serve their own needs rather than those of Valve’s customers. The hierarchy will begin to reinforce its own structure by hiring people who fit its shape, adding people to fill subordinate support roles. Its members are also incented to engage in rent-seeking behaviors that take advantage of the power structure rather than focusing on simply delivering value to customers.