(I wrote this in 2008, but kept it private. I’m not sure why. I’m making it public now because it seems more relevant than ever.)
If the leadership of an organization is not attuned to the needs and sensibilities of those they lead, the administrative layer will thicken in compensation. Everything will have to be codified, be made explicit, denatured, formalized and mechanical. This is the consequence of leadership that leads from a thick distance, tries to objectify and functionalize those they lead.
The leadership will need everything spelled out for them and they still won’t get it.
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For most of us it would be an improvement to be treated like a tool. A craftsman feels a tool as he works. A craftsman doesn’t just “set expectations” with the tool and demand remarkable, profitable work to happen simply because the tool is top-quality. A surgeon would never pick up his scalpel wearing thick, wool mittens.
This is a little off topic but one of my favorite ideas from a sci fi book I read was the addition of basic AI to the character’s tools that allowed them to express basic emotions non-verbally. So as he was using the tool to work on something he could feel it’s joy if it was being used correctly along with disappointment or feeling like it needed to be recharged or repaired.
That’s a true smart tool. We need artificial sentience, not just cognition!