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The Tyranny of Competence
An individual contributor is a person whose technical competence is judged in terms of singular rather than interdependent action. The more unique the individual output, the more powerful the person becomes. The overapplication of the technical paradigm by an individual can lead to a negative state called the tyranny of competence.
The Individual Contributor and the Tyranny of Competence
As a young boy, one of my heroes was Ted Williams. Ted played left field for the Boston Red Sox and was one of the greatest hitters of all time. He was also an individualist. His career was strewn with indicators of his nonconformity. He shot pigeons off the wall in Fenway Park, refused to engage in the traditional tip of the hat ...
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