Caterpillar Cowboy

Alex Payne is fantastically on-point regarding feedback, criticism and passion.  I do this all the time, but always wonder a bit if I am being weird or inappropriate.

I ask blunt questions about people’s work, projects, companies.  Friends, and new people I meet.  Startups, naturally, lend much to be discussed in this fashion.

Similarly, I never understood why people were willing to accept mediocrity from friends.  They’d usually say something like “well, they are my friends! I can’t criticize it!”

If anything, being a friend means to sternly encourage awesomeness and accept nothing else.  Sometimes that means saying things people don’t like to hear but will hear from you.  You can be tactful with that too, of course.

(via fascinated)

(via tylerhwillis)

And this is why the corporate world was not for me. Too bull-headed about wanting to make the product better for customers, which left me unable to keep my opinions to myself when it was politically prudent to do so (e.g. the boss didn’t agree).