Go rogue
My last writing was about how it's important to look at operations as a science — and not just freestyle through it. Haven't read it yet? Check it here.
While writing the part 2 it came to me that some of the coolest and most impactful things I've done were not really bound by current theory — and some went strictly against what was considered the common sense for the problem at hand.
See, theory is important. It is fundamental that you grasp the formal knowledge that's moving your field of work forward, and you know how and when to use it. It is also very useful, though, to know when not to. To know when to go rogue.
Going rogue — a framework
To make a vision come true is a very, very hard endeavor. A big portion of why it is so is due to the unknowns.
There are many ways to think about unknowns, but I like simple frameworks. So there are basically two types of unknowns: those you know you don't know and those you don't know that you don't know.
The latter is a bomb waiting to explode and you don't even know it's there. Your main defense is being paranoid enough so you're mapping out these unknowns. Andy Grove talks about this way better than I ever could, here.
But the former, what you know you don't know is where some very interesting stuff can happen. These I also divide into three categories:
1. What you don't know, but many people know very well
These you shouldn't worry much about. If it's a knowledge that's important for you, and easily attainable then either you learn it, or you hire for it.
2. What you don't know, but no one does as well
This here is the edge of knowledge, the most interesting pursuit there is. Here is where theory becomes fragile, and where hypothesizing, testing and doing the grind will pay off. It should actually be where your company is pushing for — as when you do get this knowledge, it might be a huge advantage.
Here you should go rogue. Experiment wild things. Think about improbable, maybe impossible things. Challenge whatever first approaches come, whatever theory is rising, and create your own thoughts about the novelty.
Chances are low, though, that anything will come out of your efforts — not because you're going rogue, but in the fringe of knowledge chances are low even when you're methodical. If you're passionate about the pursuit, though, this won't matter much — keep pushing.
3. What you don't know, and everyone has a poor grasp on
Here you have the best playing field to going rogue.
I'm talking here about themes that are hard. Areas where there might actually quite a lot of theory developed, but that does not seem to have a proven, sharp formula or approach. Knowledge that might even have created entire industries, but seem fragile upon closer inspection.
Whenever there are problems around areas that have such characteristics, there are opportunities to successfully going rogue.
Tho illustrate, I'll share some problems that I see as fraught with opportunity for rogueness:
- Recruiting: if recruiting were a solved problem, every growing company wouldn't be spending a lot of money and time in it. And with all the vast knowledge in the area, it still has room for a lot of creativity. There are always wild ideas being tested. Unorthodox recruiting parties, using gaming communities as a sourcing channel, hacking another company's VPN to direct traffic to the interested company, even open sourcing a project — there are a lot of great (and some not so much) going rogue examples here.
- Crypto: all is so new in crypto that it almost seems that going rogue is a condition for success, rather than exception. But there are very serious endeavors that are using pretty creative approaches within crypto. For one, how could crypto save the Amazon? Or how can we be rigorous about crypto projects valuation? And how can the blockchain be constantly broadcast, for free, and independently from the internet? Well, maybe… from space?
- Generally starting a business: there are few things that are more rogue than starting a business. Even in a known market, with known dynamics, with known audience, etc. Specially if you're not an "industry expert", has a long career in a niche, etc. I love how my wife started out to what eventually become her architecture studio: she took whatever projects people where proposing in online marketplaces, did her best on them for less than shitty pay, and publicized the hell out of it. Social medias, showing her private network, her family's network, you name it. She went out and about — and she was still an undergrad. Eventually, this picked up steam, and she started getting referrals. Well, one thing led to another and nowadays we barely see each other during the week because she has dozens of projects and renovations to look after, and multiple employees to manage.
These are some of the problems where the opportunity to going rogue arise — but there are many and more subtle ones that pop up for everyone. So be sure to know your theory very well, but to also know when to drop it and just go rogue.