Why makers should think a little bit more like managers (and vice versa)
Paul Graham, as usual, is thought provoking.
There's no question that programmers, designers, writers and others that do their best work in a moment of flow do themselves and their organizations a disservice when they are ruled by the clock and spend a lot of it in meetings.
Paul's argument is that makers should be insulated from this sort of wasteful nonsense.
The essay is one of his best ever, but I think he needs to add a key point…
Managers need to act more like makers, because making is more important than ever before. Even the most Outlook-driven manager can benefit from finding the isolation to do truly challenging work.
Makers need to be disciplined enough to interact like managers, else they will become pawns in a system they don't sufficiently influence. If you're not present when decisions are getting made, my guess is that you won't like what gets decided…
Neither side gets to insist on just one way. Both need to do more of the other's work. Not because it's easy or even fun, but because it's still the best way to bring your vision to the world.