Mastodawn

Jaleel Akbashev 1d ago

Got my performance review today.
Positive feedback: literally every member of my team says I'm the best manager they have ever had. I solved multiple long-standing problems the team has been dealing with for years. Team members feel safe to share their struggles, everyone feels empowered, everyone receives valuable feedback.
Negative feedback: I am not enthusiastic enough about AI.
Overall ranking: 3/5.

Anyone hiring for a fully remote team lead?

#GenAI #LLM #GetFediHired #FediHire

MongooseStudios 3d ago

@fn0rd Only goodthink allowed here citizen!

the roamer 1d ago

How revealing about the world we live in, how very sad, and how tough for you personally. It happens everywhere, in higher education too. It's madnesd, but knowing that it's madness doesn't make it any less real. We all need to navigate the unavoidable compromises, as well as we can, as honestly as we can. And take pride in those aspects of our jobs where we are still allowed to practice the real thing. All those positive things your colleagues said: they are real, and they mean something, to you and to your team.

#StopTheAICorruption

@the_roamer Thank you for the kind words. And indeed, one should focus on the positives. But it's difficult to not get frustrated as the very definition of what it means to be a good leader changes from under me, and for the worst.

the roamer 20h ago

Absolutely. In my own context too, your characterisation fits 100%: "the very definition of what it means to be a [good university teacher] changes from under me, and for the worse."

@fn0rd
Solution:
"Why are you not enthusiastic about AI?"
"I've seen the looks on the owner's faces when the bill comes in"

@paul The thing is Silicon Valley folks, and those who try to emulate them, are nothing if not trend chasers, and... https://www.businessinsider.com/jensen-huang-500k-engineers-250k-ai-tokens-nvidia-compute-2026-3?op=1

(you and I know *why* he's saying this, our bosses sadly only try to cargo-cult his behavior).

In other words, to talk about cost marks one as an unbeliever. And you know what cults do to unbelievers.

Jensen Huang says he would be 'deeply alarmed' if his $500,000 engineer did not consume at least $250,000 of tokens

"If that $500,000 engineer did not consume at least $250,000 worth of tokens, I am going to be deeply alarmed," says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Business Insider

Jason Orendorff 1d ago

@fn0rd Yow. No leads here, but let me know where you end up

a.k.a. low-profile 1d ago

@fn0rd Yikes. That was a sugar coated turd of a review. 3/5??

@Nead 🤷 . It's not about excelling, it's about excelling at what's *important*.

Charles Harper 1d ago

@fn0rd Not being keen on the limitations and possible negative effects of AI is Good thing. Keep on.

Mason Loring Bliss 1d ago

@fn0rd This is happening a lot. What you do for reports and customers is no longer relevant. Your faith in the new religion is now the critical metric.

@mason Sure feels like it. I wonder if there's any company anywhere that's not drinking this cool-aid.

David Zaslavsky 5h ago

@fn0rd @mason Yeah there are some. It's just that you don't hear about them as much because the "tech evangelists" who amplify voices get more attention when they talk about being all-in on AI.

I suppose I should say, it depends on what exactly you mean by drinking the Kool-Ade. If it means forcing employees to use AI tools whether or not it makes sense, then I'm sure there are a lot of companies not doing that (e.g. I work for one), whether because they're cautious, pragmatic, strapped for cash, or simply don't see the point in changing something they don't need. But if it means allowing any use of AI tools at all, I'm sure there are still some companies meeting that criterion, but they're probably in industries far removed from tech.

Darwin Woodka 1d ago

I don't think that's a negative

@darwinwoodka You and me both. But the people paying my salary beg to differ and, well, they're the ones paying my salary.

justin ferguson 22h ago

@fn0rd
So much rage on your behalf.

brainwise 20h ago

@fn0rd But ... that's not a negative!

@brainwise It is for the people signing the paychecks, unfortunately.

brainwise 19h ago

Matthew Vernon 19h ago

@fn0rd we've an Engineering Manager role open (amongst others): https://wikimediafoundation.org/jobs/#section-8

Work with us – Wikimedia Foundation

Make the internet a better place for free knowledge.

Wikimedia Foundation

@demoographics Thank you so much! I will apply ASAP!

Steve Purcell 18h ago

@fn0rd I hope you find an employer who recognises your awesomeness, and understands what we're all supposed to be doing here.

@sanityinc Truly appreciate the kind words!

James Just James 17h ago

@fn0rd What's the number of people?

@fn0rd I was interviewing for Hubspot recently, and spent about 30 mins chatting with the recruiter before she said "ok so there's a code test, then systems design test, then another code test, then of course the AI fluency test, then a hiring manager call..."
I satd "sorry, what's an AI fluency test?"
"Oh, well just a standard test because you need to use AI for everyday coding"
"Aha... do you mean, it's available as a tool for engineers when they see fit, or like they MUST use it X number of times per day?"
"Yes."
"...?"

social elephant in the room 10h ago

MHS == My hierarchical superior

MHS : are you still resisting?

Me : eerr, yes, no use for it, it is just giving the most likely answer, not the correct one...

MHS: your views are absolutely not alligned with the company

MHS : we do no forcing but *proceed to talk 30 mins about AI*

@fn0rd
Use AI to generate enthusiastic (fictional) reports about how you and your team use AI?

@sabik Too easy to verify, I'm afraid. But I *have* been using it for low-value work, mostly anything to do with communicating with my manager :).

Jules 🍺8h ago

@fn0rd I know someone who works for a firm who is shoving AI down everyone's throat, he is superb at his job, does not need the ai, but he has to blow a load of coins each month or they will fire him 😡
It is so fustrating hearing things like this

@fn0rd the part about lowering your grade for not being enthusiastic about AI comes from your team or from somewhere else?

@ilookloud From my manager who assigns the ranking.

@fn0rd I see. That's awful. I hope your colleagues' perspective and opinion of you as a manager countervails this insanity at least in part.

Pat Allan 6h ago

@fn0rd on the off chance you're in Australia or New Zealand (though not South Australia), this role is with a lot of excellent humans, many of whom don't use AI much at all. https://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/assemblyfour/engineering-manager-remote-work-from-home?keywords=Assembly%20Four

Engineering Manager - Remote / Work from Home - Job in Melbourne - Assembly Four

Work with a cross functional product team to deliver value to our unique user base and internal customer success team, via changes to our Rails-based web app.

@pat Appreciate the support, but I'm afraid I'm on the wrong continent for this position :(

@fn0rd sure but how do you feel about bitcoins and cryptocurrencies ? 🫣

@ellyxir That is, as a former colleague used to say, "funny, but not 'Ha-Ha' funny".