051: You Are Replaceable

Engineers like to believe that they are non-fungible. That is, that they are not replaceable - that they are special and bring a unique set of skills and perspectives to the table. And, for some engineers at early-stage companies, this may be true. However, as companies grow and evolve and become more sophisticated, the cold truth sets in: we are all replaceable. Even Apple - at this point in its trajectory - continues to innovate without the iconic Steve Jobs.

This week on the show, the crew talks about their own relationship to the notion of being replaced. On one hand, it can be very humbling. But, on the other hand, it can be very freeing, allowing us to do crazy things like "take vacation" and not have to deal with every single emergency that crops up at work.

Notes & Links

• The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win
• The Unicorn Project: A Novel about Developers, Digital Disruption, and Thriving in the Age of Data
• Soft Skills Engineering Podcast
• Amy Hoy

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With audio editing and engineering by ZCross Media.

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