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yolo3000today at 6:19 PM2 repliesview on HN

For me the best moments at work have been when the direct manager was sick or on a very long holiday. We're adults, why would I need someone to tell me 'I agree with you', 'go ahead, I trust you'. Maybe if you don't know what you're doing, or you can't manage the stakeholders, but otherwise, the manager just gets in the way, unless they know how to make themselves invisible, or they have the connections and will to propel your career forwards I've had plenty of managers in 20+ years


Replies

Clositoday at 8:05 PM

> why would I need someone to tell me 'I agree with you', 'go ahead

You might not, but that's just an example where a different style of communication might help some people. It's great that you would be happy without validation, but I can safely say some people do flourish when given it! Lots of people need to be given a bit of confidence, particularly when they are new to a role, and in my experience that's easier over a call.

As another example if I ask people on Slack how busy they are I will often get a different answer compared to calling them and checking in, asking if they need support, particularly if I can hear that they are stressed.

Or while on a text chat someone might say they understand a problem, on a phone call it's much more natural to get them to play it back to you so you can work out when they miss some nuance.

robocattoday at 6:37 PM

Expecting everybody else to be like you is the issue.

> why would I need someone to tell me

This isn't about you. It is about working with others that are not exactly like you.

> Maybe if you don't know what you're doing . . .

Making up insulting reasons doesn't help either.

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