119. Is Being Too Efficient At Your Job Bad? And How to Have Health Work Habits

Game Theory

Summary

In this episode, Nick and Chris discuss the efficiency paradox, where being good at your job can actually hinder your chances of getting promoted. They share examples from various industries, including eye surgery and software engineering, where employees who excel at their work are often rewarded with more work instead of promotions or recognition.

They emphasize the importance of not making yourself irreplaceable and creating a single point of failure. The episode also touches on the concept of setting expectations and managing perceptions to advance in your career.

In this conversation, Nick and Chris discuss the importance of finding the right balance between maximum effort and minimal effort in the workplace. They explore the concept of the 85% rule, which suggests that putting in 85% effort consistently can lead to better results and prevent burnout.

They also touch on the significance of soft skills and building a good relationship with your boss. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the value of preparation and how it can impact performance in various fields, such as blind wine tasting and chess.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Breaking News

03:02 The Efficiency Paradox: Being Good at Your Job vs. Getting Promoted

09:57 The Chase Money Glitch and Other Examples

13:59 Office Space and The Office: Depicting Workplace Realities

19:07 The Importance of Setting Expectations and Managing Perceptions

23:02 Avoiding the Single Point of Failure and Advancing in Your Career

26:12 Recommendations for Getting Promoted

26:49 Introduction: From Wine to Hawaiian and Viticulture

27:36 Promotion and Replacing Employees

28:13 The Benefits of Working for a Large Corporation

29:23 The Greatest Walmart and Subway Stories

31:23 The Importance of Bosses and Recognition

32:22 The 85% Rule: Finding the Balance in Workplace Effort

36:19 Soft Skills and Building Relationships with Your Boss

38:22 The Value of Preparation in Performance

43:41 Achieving Success with 85% Effort

53:53 Conclusion: Episode Titles and Arrays