Welcome to Frank Takeaways. I'm Frank, writing the notes worth keeping from decades at companies like Slack, Etsy, and Google. I run a coaching practice dedicated to guiding leaders through the tricky stuff of building products and high-performing teams.
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Every company eventually turns to job ladders as their organizational salvation. It's tech's favorite band-aid — whipped out the moment growth slows, anxiety rises, or structure feels needed.
In my years leading product teams and now as a coach, I've watched this pattern repeat endlessly. Yes, you'll eventually need job ladders — they serve a purpose. But first, we need to understand why we reach for them so quickly, and what we're really trying to solve.
Jockeying for Position
When employees ask for job ladders, it doesn't happen in a vacuum. Think about it: when was the last time you or your reports asked fo…
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