Why are CEOs failing software engineers

The idea that Taylorism isn’t the best fit for management in creative fields like software engineering isn’t new in any sense. However, rarely do you come across an article which lays down the historical roots of different management forms, their purpose & practices, and mapping between the types of values they were/are designed to operate on in so clear terms as Gene Bond does in his piece “Why are CEOs failing software engineers?

As Gene articulates, each form of management has its own input and output value type, their own differing practices and differing means of motivation. They form a value fulfullment cycle — a process by which unknown value is discovered, replicated and monetized. Software engineering management should be viewed primarily through the lenses of creative management, which, in turn, should be viewed as the initial step in a value fulfillment cycle, where all forms of management play their critical role.

I decided to jot down some notes while reading this article, and this is what I came up with. Feel free to use this as a quick summary and make sure to read the full post once you have a moment to spare.

Value types, management systems and value fulfillment cycle