[xyzelement]

I think the idea in the article is something like - by thinking company-first you can arrive at better outcomes for yourself in the long run. It's not about self sacrifice.

Certainly all the good gains in my career happened as a consequence of achieving big things for the company, which I wouldn't have landed with me-first thinking.

[rqtwteye]

“Certainly all the good gains in my career happened as a consequence of achieving big things for the company, which I wouldn't have landed with me-first thinking.”

You did me-first. You just had situations where what was good for the company was good for you too. If you repeatedly did what was good for the company but never got anything for yourself you would probably stop. A lot of people are in a situation where what’s good for the company doesn’t give them any reward or is even negative (lose their job, more work).

[xyzelement]

Yes and I think the advice in those situations is "leave" - nobody (smart) is suggesting you go company-first in those cases.

[WJW]

While I agree that "leave" is probably the best answer in such cases, I also observe that this advice does not appear anywhere in the article.

[zelon88]

Contrary to that, some of my biggest achievements have been things I've done on my own for companies that the company didn't realize it needed. Things that I've done to make my job easier continue to make other people's jobs easier to this day. Nobody asked me to do those things. The business would have continued regardless. But these things I did to make my job easier have payed dividends in the long run.

[misthop]

Interesting. I think I have come out about the same but being rather self-serving, or at least not company first.. Doing something big for the company reflects well on me, improves my standing, and I can tout those achievements to others for other career growth. But I do make a point of working for companies where I think my own interests align with the role in the company

[xyzelement]

Me too. I've generally only worked in companies where I feel good about doing right for the company eventually finding its way back to my comp and role. If you don't work in a company like that (or don't feel like you do) then probably the approach recommended here doesn't make sense.