Jan 22, 2026

Here is a metaphor for how big tech companies operate that comes to mind over and over and seems to apply to many situations. A small company operates like a chess master: the pieces move in a tight choreography, and even when it’s not clear for each separate pawn, there is a big picture, and it makes sense at the end. As the company grows, when no one knows how many teams are in the org, not to mention the names of the people, there ain’t no chess master at the helm. Each piece is moved by a number of people who rarely communicate and have different goals. Coordination between pieces is eventual and minimal. There’s a lot of effort exerted, and the amount of motion is dizzying. Yet, rarely are substantial improvements achieved, and never efficiently.