- Tags:: #đź“šBooks , [[Product Management]], [[Career tips]]
- Author:: [[Tony Fadell]] (co-creator of IPod and IPhone)
- Liked:: #3/5
- Link:: [The Book - Build by Tony Fadell](https://tonyfadell.com/the-book)
- Source date:: [[2022-05-16]]
- Read date:: [[2022-07-20]]
- Cover::
![[cover_build.png|100]]
## Why did I want to read it?
Always hungry for a career guide.
## What did I get out of it?
### Chapter 2.3 Assholes
High probability to face them, particularly at large companies:
>the greatest concentration is near the top—according to University of San Diego professor Simon Croom, up to 12 percent of corporate senior leadership exhibit psychopathic traits. (p. 65)
He talks about different assholes, but the most interesting distinction is between "mission-driven assholes" (just passionate but good people) and the rest.
#### Who they are
>They don’t make anything themselves—are absent for the real work and tough decisions—... (p. 66)
>These assholes usually build a coalition of budding assholes around them—copycats who see it as their path to success. (p. 66)
The [[Bozo explosion]]:
>Otherwise pleasant people will watch the assholes get promoted and think that’s the right path for them. So the coalition of assholes will grow and they’ll focus almost exclusively on managing up, so leadership won't realize what’s happening. (p. 74)
>Political assholes thrive in large organizations where they can pull the kind of Machiavellian BS that makes you sound crazy and paranoid when you’re describing it. They find people who aren't exceptional at their jobs and protect them in exchange for their allegiance. (p. 74)
Bad people don't exist. They are "Naked and Afraid":
>The vast majority of people who cause you trouble aren’t malicious or Machiavellian—they’re struggling, or first-time managers, or in the wrong job... (p. 75)
#### What to do
>The key is **always to deliver** on a meaningful project. (p. 73)
I think that the key here is **meaningful for the decision makers above.** If it is valuable but they don't see value... reality won't really matter.
>...the only thing you can do when faced with a controlling asshole:
>- Kill ’em with kindness.
>- Ignore them.
>- Try to get around them.
>- Quit.
>
>In that order. (p. 71)
>**If you have a good manager, ask them to protect you** from the asshole. See if they can rearrange things so you don’t have to deal with this person and no longer have to hear their input. If that doesn’t help, then just ignore them. Stop involving them in your decisions. (p. 71)
Leaving their area of influence is not easy at all:
>when you’re dealing with a real asshole, their reputation is probably well known in the company. If another team knows that taking you on will bring on the ire of the asshole in question, they might decide it’s not worth the hassle. (p. 72)
If this doesn't work, you can also go to war:
>If you're having trouble with an asshole, then typically you won't be the only one exasperated. So **find people who agree with you that this asshole has to go**—talk to their peers, talk to HR. Find the right moment and talk to their boss. (p. 71)
>So you need to craft a great story and walk into meetings ready to support each other. Agree ahead of time—make sure everyone knows the script. (p. 75)