Your analogy between coach and player is truly interesting. It makes me think about how this applies to a technical leadership role, where you have to play both roles at the same time. When we follow the approach of tackling one thing at a time, this load becomes impossible—I speak from experience, simultaneously acting as a Staff Designer.
I am reminded of this part of Andy Grove’s “High Output Management”:
"My day always ends when I’m tired and ready to go home, not when I’m done. I’m never done.”
Managers have an endless task list. This leads so many managers down the multi-tasking path. Including shooting quick messages in the middle of a 1:1 meeting 🫤. I know because I was that manager.
The worst part is not even the disrespect to others.
The worst part is the feeling.
The feeling that you are mediocre at everything, and great at nothing.
It took me far too many years to discover the power of mono-tasking.
This past week was an exhaustive slog through the miasma of constant context switching. The cognitive burden drained enthusiasm so fast, I felt like a Kabuki performance: mask on but screaming on the inside. The struggle now is one of impending deadlines for a process whose outcome I cannot control but which will have direct outcomes on our program. I like the idea of not only choosing a focus, but also communicating that focus so that the team knows where my head is at. Also, I made need info from someone immediately, so this message will build some team rapport to support our goals.
Should you come up with a formula for reducing the cognitive cost of task switching, please let us know! I keep reaching for organization or productivity tools, yet I don't think those are the answer. I have some pockets built in, but they are not sufficient -- and thus I lose the ability to be present for the joyful tasks: deep work and teaching.
Thanks Mickey -- and heh, I will let you know when I figure out the black hole of task switching! For now, the buffer and grace seems to be the best way to navigate it. Agree it's not sufficient, but even resetting our expectation that the buffer and grace is essential I find to be helpful.
Your analogy between coach and player is truly interesting. It makes me think about how this applies to a technical leadership role, where you have to play both roles at the same time. When we follow the approach of tackling one thing at a time, this load becomes impossible—I speak from experience, simultaneously acting as a Staff Designer.
You're not alone in feeling this way, Bassi. Folks in technical leadership often feel this the most because of how specific the expertise is.
Welcome back and Happy Birthday!
I am reminded of this part of Andy Grove’s “High Output Management”:
"My day always ends when I’m tired and ready to go home, not when I’m done. I’m never done.”
Managers have an endless task list. This leads so many managers down the multi-tasking path. Including shooting quick messages in the middle of a 1:1 meeting 🫤. I know because I was that manager.
The worst part is not even the disrespect to others.
The worst part is the feeling.
The feeling that you are mediocre at everything, and great at nothing.
It took me far too many years to discover the power of mono-tasking.
Choosing just one thing to do. And doing it well.
Yes! There is unspoken power in truly choosing 1 thing at a time. Hard, but unblocking.
And thank you for the kind birthday wishes!
This past week was an exhaustive slog through the miasma of constant context switching. The cognitive burden drained enthusiasm so fast, I felt like a Kabuki performance: mask on but screaming on the inside. The struggle now is one of impending deadlines for a process whose outcome I cannot control but which will have direct outcomes on our program. I like the idea of not only choosing a focus, but also communicating that focus so that the team knows where my head is at. Also, I made need info from someone immediately, so this message will build some team rapport to support our goals.
Should you come up with a formula for reducing the cognitive cost of task switching, please let us know! I keep reaching for organization or productivity tools, yet I don't think those are the answer. I have some pockets built in, but they are not sufficient -- and thus I lose the ability to be present for the joyful tasks: deep work and teaching.
Thanks Mickey -- and heh, I will let you know when I figure out the black hole of task switching! For now, the buffer and grace seems to be the best way to navigate it. Agree it's not sufficient, but even resetting our expectation that the buffer and grace is essential I find to be helpful.