Steve Jobs Missed the Point⬇️
If we’re celebrating Steve Jobs a genius visionary for transforming personal computing, perhaps it’s time to put the argument forward that while some things he said were good and right, some were just downright wrong.
One of his more infamous opinions is the myth of the “100x developer” and it’s damaging the industry.
“The difference between the average software developer and the best is 50:1; maybe even 100:1”
Before you come at me in the comments section, I get it. Steve Apple was pushing for excellence, but I think in this statement he undermined the essence of successful software engineering which is, and has always been, about the team.
Teamwork > Individual
The myth of the lone genius is a damaging one. The idea that the software engineer who writes flawless code many times faster than anyone is is flawed, and I’ll tell you why.
Nobody can build a great product alone. The most efficient coder will still falter if the team they work with are disengaged or dysfunctional.
Steve Jobs became the face of Apple, but we all know he wasn’t really a programmer. Yet it’s Jobs that gets much of the credit because he promoted the brand and personified the company to much of the wider public.
In the same way a few programmers take much of the credit for any given project. This dilutes the team spirit and prevents the ultimate goal of a team where everyone works together lifting each other up and producing excellent work as a team.
The glorification of developers as 100x overlooks the value of collaboration and collective problem-solving. I think that Jobs himself would have been better served by recognizing the potential of the team rather sooner and embedding that spirit into Apple.
The Damage of the 100x Mentality
I can see software engineers who believe they’re special in their programming skills. They act like jerks and assume you have a skill issue if there are any disagreements. They’re obnoxious, loud and leave a trail of bugs, half-baked features and tech debt.
On the other hand, there are quiet teammates who spend most of their time helping others get unstuck, solving difficult problems and mentoring juniors.
I’m arguing that the latter is more valuable to any team. Someone who makes the whole better more than pulls their weight in a team, even if they never make a pull request themselves.
Unfortunately, companies start rewarding superstars based on their own mythical productivity and ignore the contributions of others in the team. Worse, you can’t gain access to the 100x club by hard work as the feeling is “you’ve either got it or you don’t” discouraging learning and growth. Everyone loses in this toxic cycle of idolizing a programmer’s success over the team.
Solutions
Work as a Team
Other industries understand the value of hard work, experience and teamwork. No single person built the Golden Gate Bridge (engineering design by Joseph Strauss, Charles Ellis, Leon Solomon Moisseiff, if you were interested, but many more were involved)!
In tech, we know that the iPhone wasn’t a Steve Jobs solo project, but the phone is typically attributed to Jobs’ genius.
Be 100x at Learning, not coding
If you want to be the best at something you should work at being the best at learning. Study. Help others.
This is something more than aiming at being the best, and 100x your adaptability.
Conclusion
The tech industry needs to move away from the 100x developer myth. It’s damaging to all software engineers as it promotes the individual over the team in a way that doesn’t support growth and learning.
Instead of idolizing the 100x developer instead let us instead create a collaborative environment that celebrates growth and team success.