Sterling Terrell

recovering economist

Organizational Complexity Kills Deep Work?

Organizational Complexity Kills Deep Work?

Organizational complexity can kill that which you love.

This idea is the difference between entrepreneurship theory and practice.

And why being a food blogger is not the same as owning a media empire.

See, the larger the variation of things you are trying to do, the less time you have to focus on a core competency.

And many of our core competencies are what brought us to the table in the first place.

I think that we should always test and experiment, but that should not take away from the task at hand for one second.

For every ridiculous idea I get and want to try, I am always trying to simplify my processes.

Growth can sometime be worth it, but acknowledge the costs.

But if your mission is to “do the work I love doing without letting the business get in the way,” I strongly recommend against pursuing growth that demands more people on your team. Hiring people adds organizational complexity, the mortal enemy of heads-down, passion-focused, deep work.

-Rand Fishkin, Lost And Founder

Entrepreneurship Theory And Practice

Entrepreneurship Theory And Practice

The difference between entrepreneurship theory and practice can be quite large.

For example, maybe food is your passion and all you have ever wanted it to make pizzas.

You have beautiful dreams and ideas. So you work and save and one day open your own pizza restaurant. 

Before long, you may have come to a few realizations about the realities of your new venture.

First, the health inspector calls about some of the kitchen design not meeting code. The week after an employee complains that his taxes are not being calculated correctly. By the end of the first week, a hostess wants to know about what health insurance covers, since she just got pregnant. And by close of business on Friday a dishwasher and cook get into a fist fight.

And all you wanted to do was make pizzas.

These growth pains can also be the same for food bloggers and pastors.

In the same way that blogging has little to do with running Condé Nast, cooking pizzas has little to do with running a successful restaurant.

Unless what you love is managing people, handling crises, delegating, holding people responsible, recruiting, setting, then constantly amplifying and repeating the company’s mission, vision, strategy, and values, being a startup CEO may not provide you with the work you love to do.

-Rand Fishkin, Lost And Founder

Sterling Terrell