I’ve worked for two companies now that are high-profile HN fodder. Discussions of both of them have been complete batshit—from the technical engineering to the business decisions, and everything in between.
I will never understand why it’s so hard for people to realize and admit when they don’t know what they’re talking about.
One thing that helped me was when I was taught how to answer questions in a legal context. (Patent deposition.) Every answer has two parts: the answer to the question is the second part, to be preceded by your confidence in the answer. “I believe,” “I think,” or just plain “I don’t know,” and so on. Ever since then I’ve just habitually asked myself, “do I actually know this, or do I just think this, and on what basis?”
Do this enough and you’ll be surprised at how little you actually know.
Especially about what goes on inside companies you’ve never worked for.
I will never understand why it’s so hard for people to realize and admit when they don’t know what they’re talking about.
One thing that helped me was when I was taught how to answer questions in a legal context. (Patent deposition.) Every answer has two parts: the answer to the question is the second part, to be preceded by your confidence in the answer. “I believe,” “I think,” or just plain “I don’t know,” and so on. Ever since then I’ve just habitually asked myself, “do I actually know this, or do I just think this, and on what basis?”
Do this enough and you’ll be surprised at how little you actually know.
Especially about what goes on inside companies you’ve never worked for.