[angarg12]

> Unfortunately, places with hard problems that haven’t been solved are also — inevitably — kind of dysfunctional.

I disagree wholeheartedly. Many companies (from big tech to fast growing startups) have hard problems that need solving, and they needn't be dysfunctional. In fact some high performing organisations have plenty of hard problems, as solving hard problems usually yield even harder problems to solve.

Sadly disagreeing with the premise makes the entire article a weak claim.

[travisjungroth]

There are at least two types of having problems.

There's having a problem like having a jigsaw puzzle. It sits in front of you and is there to solve. Your organization's problem could be making a faster database or improving education outcomes in a neighborhood. An organization can remain functional in the face of these problems.

There's another type of having a problem which is like having a cold. It's in you and affects you. You organization's problem could be the front line employees don't trust leadership or you don't have enough resources. It's much harder to remain functional in the face of these types of problems. I think the author is referring more to this second type.

[franklampard]

As an engineer, one would want to solve the first kind but leave the second kind to MBAs

[lanstin]

Not if you have ever worked in a formerly successful org that got fixed by MBAs. People need to understand the nature of software before fixing organizations that make and maintain software. After being burned a few times, many engineers find it useful to at least wave off disasters waiting to be implemented and to reinforce the odd truly helpful suggestion from above. Best of all is creating technical solutions that enable the organization to function better, to increase lower level autonomy and decrease organizational coupling, to increase useful transparency so we can all see the ship and its vectors.

[marcosdumay]

That's their nominal task, and nominally why they make big bucks.

But have you ever witnessed the MBAs solving it? I haven't. So I'd recommend to avoid the organizations with the second kinds of problems, so that you can focus on the first, and not even think about the MBAs.

Or, alternatively, if you manage to find a way to do it, get the task for yourself and make the big bucks.

[ncmncm]

There is no problem an MBA cannot make radically worse.

MBAs gave us the 737-MAX.

[redisman]

Most dysfunctional places are also not producing much of value . I’ve been at many shitty companies and there was nothing to learn other than the leadership had some personality disorders