Standard Operating Procedures
Published 1/28/2024
For most, it takes intentionality to do good work. I've developed a set of self-enforced standard operating procedures that I try to remind myself of on a daily basis.
- An unaccounted hour is a wasted one, Demarcate everything ad nauseam. A week is 2% of the year.
- Never bifurcate your attention. Be honest with what your working on, and ruthlessly burn one's boats if necessary. There's no time for backup plans.
- Testing ideas and constantly pivoting is a legacy mentality from a time of novelty. Most good ideas have already been tested, and products built around them. Modern software companies are the realization of a thought-out vision, not a science experiment. Instead, build product that eclipses the competition in quality, speed, and user experience.
- I've never met a team of 20 without passion that could outperform a team of 3 truly passionate individuals. Passion and skill is all you need in a team. Credentials are a poor indicator of future success. This industry moves fast, and the best of yesterday seldom drive future innovation.
- Heartless objectivity professionally, but pure empathy otherwise. The whole ship sinks if we can't be totally honest. The market, or wherever you compete, doesn't care about feelings. Trading uncomfortable discussions for a comfortable mediocrity is a losing proposition, or worse, a slow death.
- Emotional excitement is not a function of working on exciting software, but instead whether you're making the best software.