[bitexploder]

On the other hand, just working at big tech doesn't mean you are especially great. Conformance and criteria other than raw skill matter. As you say, promotion games, etc... I would just lump all of that under conformance. So, you aren't wrong.

However, why startups outperform big companies isn't just the skill gap. Even if you have the most amazing leadership in big tech it is monumentally difficult to move the needle on some problems purely because of size not because of incompetence. All I am saying is don't overindex on perceived intelligence. A big org can start looking pretty dumb even though it is still far right of the bell curve compared to even a startup (hypothetically). Org size and the constraints that brings are a significant factor.

[drob518]

Oh, absolutely size has a lot to do with it, too. A founder and three engineers can change the plan at lunch to respond to something they see in the market. It takes admin assistants days, possibly a week or two to get the meetings set up and arrange the catered lunch for the same decision to be made at a large company. And even when it’s made, half the company will spend months trying to undermine it.