The Scaling Problem: Why Feedback and Communication Break Down as Organizations Grow
By
ohjeez
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Summary
The article discusses the challenges of maintaining effective feedback and communication as organizations scale. It contrasts the natural, personal feedback that occurs in small teams (5-10 people) where leaders know team members personally, with the difficulties that arise at larger scales where feedback becomes more formalized and less effective. The core argument is that listening and feedback don't scale well, and what works in small teams breaks down as organizations grow, requiring different approaches to maintain trust and communication.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledFeedback doesn't scale
Listening is always hard, and it only gets harder at scale
When you're leading a team of five or 10 people, feedback is pretty easy. It's not even really 'feedback': you're just talking
You know their kids' names, their coffee preferences, and what they're reading. So when someone has a concern about the direction you're taking things, they just... tell you
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