In the past, I've written about how the word "just" is seductive. We just need to _________! But "but" is also seductive. Given any proposal, you can always find a but. But did we consider ________? But what about _______? If just is context-free, then
Are there any examples of highly successful leaders who are butters? The only candidate I can think of right now is Warren Buffett with his very diligent investment strategy. Perhaps butters rise only to exec positions like COO or Chief of Staff?
When it comes to polarization, and why one may be a juster in one situation and a butter in another situation, Pema Chödrön elaborates on it deeply in "When Things Fall Apart". Worth reading in a world that is getting overall more and more polarized.
I’ve had conversation around this topic a lot, but didn’t have a good way to formulate it until now. I’m an awful ‘juster’, and I’m working with multiple ‘butters’. As you said, both are needed, and we are having tough time to decide which way to lean on in each decision.
The first thing that came to mind was sufficient and necessary conditions to prove a hypothesis. If you prove a sufficient condition it's enough to prove it true. If you disprove a necessary condition then it can't be true. Both of those are rare and hard to do, a conversation for another time.
Saying we "just need to do this" would be in the spirit of a sufficient condition and people that say "but did we consider" are trying to think of necessary conditions. The part that I haven't been able to think through is the logic paths associated with the hypothesis conditions and how those apply to people who lend themselves to just and but.
Ne'er a truer word was spoken. The balance between action and analysis is a delicate one and also never the same in shape. The "Good to Great" work done by Jim Collins et al and his work with the Marine Corp cadets shows the value of not being a "rock star", trusting in others' knowledge and opinions, BUT being singularly focussed.
I'll just have butter, thanks.
Are there any examples of highly successful leaders who are butters? The only candidate I can think of right now is Warren Buffett with his very diligent investment strategy. Perhaps butters rise only to exec positions like COO or Chief of Staff?
When it comes to polarization, and why one may be a juster in one situation and a butter in another situation, Pema Chödrön elaborates on it deeply in "When Things Fall Apart". Worth reading in a world that is getting overall more and more polarized.
Love this. I think of myself as a “what-abouter”. I’m assuming that’s closest to a “butter”…?
Thanks John, this made me smile a lot :)
I’ve had conversation around this topic a lot, but didn’t have a good way to formulate it until now. I’m an awful ‘juster’, and I’m working with multiple ‘butters’. As you said, both are needed, and we are having tough time to decide which way to lean on in each decision.
I have said that "just" signals oversimplification. Again, we seem to be on similar wavelengths. Love this piece.
"Look before you leap" … "They who hesitate are lost" - Two mutually exclusive statements that, uncannily, turn out to be 100% true.
AI grammar apps would tell you to eradicate both as superfluous.
The first thing that came to mind was sufficient and necessary conditions to prove a hypothesis. If you prove a sufficient condition it's enough to prove it true. If you disprove a necessary condition then it can't be true. Both of those are rare and hard to do, a conversation for another time.
Saying we "just need to do this" would be in the spirit of a sufficient condition and people that say "but did we consider" are trying to think of necessary conditions. The part that I haven't been able to think through is the logic paths associated with the hypothesis conditions and how those apply to people who lend themselves to just and but.
Ne'er a truer word was spoken. The balance between action and analysis is a delicate one and also never the same in shape. The "Good to Great" work done by Jim Collins et al and his work with the Marine Corp cadets shows the value of not being a "rock star", trusting in others' knowledge and opinions, BUT being singularly focussed.