Productivity without direction is dangerous - the piece argues that being 'smart and gets things done' isn't enough, leaders must ensure the work aligns with meaningful goals.
Napoleon's joke about sorting soldiers by intelligence and energy frames the core argument: being smart and energetic makes a field commander, smart and lazy a general, but the dumb and energetic get shot. The author flips the punchline to question the common praise of "gets things done" when the underlying goals are unclear.
He cites Joel Spolsky's ideal programmer-smart and gets things done-then asks what about the dumb and gets things done. He points to Ross Perot's campaign slogan and a teacher praised for ignorance but effectiveness, showing how raw productivity can be applauded even when the outcomes are questionable.
The piece warns that leaders who focus only on the ability to produce code, teach, or win votes risk reductionism, losing sight of whether the work actually matters. Good skills are necessary but not sufficient; leaders must evaluate the value of what is being delivered, not just the speed of delivery.
The author notes a lively comment thread debating typing speed versus higher-level software engineering concerns, illustrating how the debate between bottom-up and top-down thinking mirrors the article's theme. The takeaway is clear: technical leaders should stop equating output with impact and ask what problem the output solves.
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