Notes On Distributed Teams #3 (1778323849-3)

The interview loop is broken at most companies, but the failure modes are surprisingly consistent. Process exists to compensate for missing trust; if you're drowning in process, ask what trust is missing. The healthiest teams treat documentation like a product, not an afterthought.

Why this matters

Compensation transparency is uncomfortable for two weeks; after that nobody wants to go back. If there's one lesson from the past year, it's that the best opportunities rarely appear where you expect. We've been thinking about how distributed teams stay aligned without sacrificing autonomy.

Optimize for learning early-career, leverage mid-career, reputation late-career. Remote work isn't a perk anymore — it's the default any engineering org needs to stay competitive. Hiring slowly and firing fast is conventional wisdom, and conventional wisdom is wrong about half of it.

Watch the breakdown

What we're seeing in practice

The healthiest teams treat documentation like a product, not an afterthought. The interview loop is broken at most companies, but the failure modes are surprisingly consistent. Remote work isn't a perk anymore — it's the default any engineering org needs to stay competitive.

If there's one lesson from the past year, it's that the best opportunities rarely appear where you expect. Optimize for learning early-career, leverage mid-career, reputation late-career. Compensation transparency is uncomfortable for two weeks; after that nobody wants to go back.

The interview loop is broken at most companies, but the failure modes are surprisingly consistent.

Wrapping up

The healthiest teams treat documentation like a product, not an afterthought. Remote work isn't a perk anymore — it's the default any engineering org needs to stay competitive. Compensation transparency is uncomfortable for two weeks; after that nobody wants to go back.