[motohagiography]

Using Jeffery Pfeffer's model, power in business and organizations is a function of performance, credentials, and relationships. These are weighted differently in different places. It's important to know how they are weighted in your field of endeavour, because it describes how people will be sorted for success.

I would argue that it depends on what you are aiming for, and what your desired outcome is. If there is attrition in your field, figure out why people lose. Is it incompetence, a terminal lack of guanxi, or did they get layered by someone from the right school?

[id_rsa]

I like the idea of power as a function of performance, credentials, and relationships. From your experience in the tech industry, how would you prioritize these 3 dimensions?

[motohagiography]

Different types of orgs are defined by how they are weighted.

Security startups, pure performance and relationships, with credentials a distant third. Historically anyway, it's changing.

Since we're talking power, not rewards, relationships and credentials appear to trump raw performance at some FAANGs as their business models professionalize.

Impression is venture funding goes to whoever fits the profile, so ivy credentials with relationships have the advantage over performance.

Different stages weight accordingly. The best businesses require the least competence to operate and maintain, so maturity converges on incompetent, nepotistic snake pits. :)

[module0000]

You made me look up 'guanxi'.

(from ddg) guanxi: Guanxi describes the rudimentary dynamic in personalized social networks of influence and is a central idea in Chinese society.