Ask HN: Do you think you're smarter than your boss?
4 comments
I think my boss is a VP with 5 people, including myself, under him. I do covet his role. I'm not sure what the "something different" you are referring to might be, but I'm going to assume it's his role.
To answer the top-line question: my boss is one of the smartest people I know. I disagree with some of his decisions. He's made some mistakes, including what I think was a huge one today. But he's super super smart.
Your title question and the question in your description are conflating intelligence with title. You don't need a super intelligent person to be VP. You just need someone with, to quote Liam Neeson, a particular set of skills. You can be the smartest person in the world, but with no experience, you probably won't be a good VP. There's a set of skills good VPs have that aren't borne of intellect but of experience and the passage of time.
Is my boss smarter than I? I'm not sure. I'd probably say yes; he'd probably disagree.
Do I think I can do my boss's job? Absolutely. I can certainly take his job, and if something were to happen to him, I'm certain I'd be a top contender for his position. But even as I think my boss and I are probably on an even playing field when it comes to intelligence, he has experience and time on his side... so while I could certainly see myself doing his job, it would be quite some time before I'd be able to do it as well as he.
To answer the top-line question: my boss is one of the smartest people I know. I disagree with some of his decisions. He's made some mistakes, including what I think was a huge one today. But he's super super smart.
Your title question and the question in your description are conflating intelligence with title. You don't need a super intelligent person to be VP. You just need someone with, to quote Liam Neeson, a particular set of skills. You can be the smartest person in the world, but with no experience, you probably won't be a good VP. There's a set of skills good VPs have that aren't borne of intellect but of experience and the passage of time.
Is my boss smarter than I? I'm not sure. I'd probably say yes; he'd probably disagree.
Do I think I can do my boss's job? Absolutely. I can certainly take his job, and if something were to happen to him, I'm certain I'd be a top contender for his position. But even as I think my boss and I are probably on an even playing field when it comes to intelligence, he has experience and time on his side... so while I could certainly see myself doing his job, it would be quite some time before I'd be able to do it as well as he.
Intelligence isn't the only requirement for any particular role.
e.g., S., finance, is asking questions about the team's progress as if we were doing waterfall, unhappy with missed dates, when our team was agile.
Our director, quite confidently, says to us: "There's a disconnect here, I'll book in 15 minutes with S. and get it fixed up.", as if it's not a big issue. She does not do programming at all.
On the other hand, my ability to implement a red-black tree on the whiteboard would not have helped with this situation.
Previously I've been in startups where the managing director, who was a PhD, and much smarter than I was, who could not resolve the smallest of conflicts safely.
e.g., S., finance, is asking questions about the team's progress as if we were doing waterfall, unhappy with missed dates, when our team was agile.
Our director, quite confidently, says to us: "There's a disconnect here, I'll book in 15 minutes with S. and get it fixed up.", as if it's not a big issue. She does not do programming at all.
On the other hand, my ability to implement a red-black tree on the whiteboard would not have helped with this situation.
Previously I've been in startups where the managing director, who was a PhD, and much smarter than I was, who could not resolve the smallest of conflicts safely.
Moving into a management track means using different skills than just software development. It also doesn't mean you are smarter or better than everyone, it's a different role. You likely get to write performance reviews, stare at stacks of resumes, look at Excel files for budgets, approve expense reports, etc. Sure you might be a final decision maker on some tech things but if your style is to dictate those decisions w/o team collaboration you probably won't last long.
When you work at a Fortune 500 company there are scores of VP's, Directors, Senior VP, etc. Those titles don't mean much, but your focus on title and coveting it indicates you feel they mean something. Maybe the VP title means something externally at a small company because there are expectations to have corporate sounding titles when introductions happen with customers or potential acquirers?
If you truly covet the VP title, explore why you might want that. Explore what your career might be like moving into management/leadership vs. staying in the technical arena.
When you work at a Fortune 500 company there are scores of VP's, Directors, Senior VP, etc. Those titles don't mean much, but your focus on title and coveting it indicates you feel they mean something. Maybe the VP title means something externally at a small company because there are expectations to have corporate sounding titles when introductions happen with customers or potential acquirers?
If you truly covet the VP title, explore why you might want that. Explore what your career might be like moving into management/leadership vs. staying in the technical arena.
> ...I've seen the watering down of titles. VPs with a team of 1, directors of none.
Just for perspective, this happens in every industry, not just SV. Often times the only way to give a person a raise and get it approved by accounting is to "promote" them into a higher pay scale associated with the title.
Just for perspective, this happens in every industry, not just SV. Often times the only way to give a person a raise and get it approved by accounting is to "promote" them into a higher pay scale associated with the title.
When your boss is a VP with 5 people, including yourself, under them do you covet that role? Do you see something different for yourself?