--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a lot that's wrong with the way…" description: "\"There's a lot that's wrong with the way we work - bad habits that develop around control of information, people hoarding information as a means of pres..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5aa/stewart-butterfield-10773_bad_there-s-a-lot-that-s-wrong-with-the-way_481348.jpg" --- # There's a lot that's wrong with the way we work - bad… ![“There's a lot that's wrong with the way we work - bad habits that develop around control of information, people hoarding information as a means of preserving their own power. When you're using Slack, everyone can see what's going on because the default mode is public.” quote by Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5aa/stewart-butterfield-10773_bad_there-s-a-lot-that-s-wrong-with-the-way_481348.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5aa/stewart-butterfield-10773_bad_there-s-a-lot-that-s-wrong-with-the-way_481348.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5aa/stewart-butterfield-10773_bad_there-s-a-lot-that-s-wrong-with-the-way_481348.jpg) > “There's a lot that's wrong with the way we work - bad habits that develop around control of information, people hoarding information as a means of preserving their own power. When you're using Slack, everyone can see what's going on because the default mode is public.” [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Control over information creates power imbalances; open communication reduces hoarding and improves collaboration. **In simple terms:** Keeping info open prevents power games. Key Takeaway Promote transparency in tools. Themes communication power information collaboration Mood cautious optimistic Type advisory reflective When to use this quote - team meetings - project management - remote work - company onboarding Key Concepts Organizational behavior knowledge sharing social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure openness without privacy loss? - What incentives reduce hoarding? A Different Perspective Open platforms can still be misused for surveillance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habit/) [Bad habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habits/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [If one engineer at a startup tries Slack and says, 'I hate it. I am not going to use this,' that's it for us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/if-one-engineer-at-a-startup-tries-slack-and-says-i-hate-it-i-am-not/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [The social use of Slack does drive awareness - it's a good thing for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/the-social-use-of-slack-does-drive-awareness-it-s-a-good-thing-for-us/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [Slack is actually a technical term in product management that means the excess capacity the system has to absorb any failures or to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/slack-is-actually-a-technical-term-in-product-management-that-means/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [We sent our user research team out to sit with customers for periods of time and get some insight into how Slack is working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/we-sent-our-user-research-team-out-to-sit-with-customers-for-periods/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [A lot of companies lock up for a few weeks once a year for performance reviews. But there's a way to collect feedback in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/a-lot-of-companies-lock-up-for-a-few-weeks-once-a-year-for/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [In Slack, you create channels to discuss different topics. For a small group of people, those channels are relatively easy to manage and navigate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/in-slack-you-create-channels-to-discuss-different-topics-for-a-small/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [I no longer file expense reports, so I no longer experience the pain of it. What if everyone had a virtual assistant to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/i-no-longer-file-expense-reports-so-i-no-longer-experience-the-pain/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [Inside a company, you can mandate that everyone use the same technology, which means you can go a little bit, I don't know, higher-fidelity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/inside-a-company-you-can-mandate-that-everyone-use-the-same/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [One advantage that I think Slack has for most people who use it is, you pull out your phone, you look at the home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/one-advantage-that-i-think-slack-has-for-most-people-who-use-it-is/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [If you work at a 10,000-person company, and you're using e-mail as the primary means of communication, then you probably have access to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/if-you-work-at-a-10-000-person-company-and-you-re-using-e-mail-as-the/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [We created materials to explain Slack to individuals - what it was for, how it worked, what you're supposed to do - but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/we-created-materials-to-explain-slack-to-individuals-what-it-was-for/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [I don't do too well at waiting around and not pulling my end of the slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-don-t-do-too-well-at-waiting-around-and-not-pulling-my-end-of-the/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [Though it has plenty of competitors, Slack claims to be the 'fastest growing business application in history'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-mossberg/though-it-has-plenty-of-competitors-slack-claims-to-be-the-fastest/) [Walt Mossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-mossberg/) > [I myself am also a small investor in Slack, and one can count four to five IM platforms that were launched by Skype alumni…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaan-tallinn/i-myself-am-also-a-small-investor-in-slack-and-one-can-count-four-to/) [Jaan Tallinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaan-tallinn/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) ## More by Stewart Butterfield > [Every customer interaction is a marketing opportunity. If you go above and beyond on the customer service side, people are much more likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/every-customer-interaction-is-a-marketing-opportunity-if-you-go-above/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [We're still at the beginning of a major transition in how people communicate and work together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/we-re-still-at-the-beginning-of-a-major-transition-in-how-people/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [I see all kinds of people work hard all over the world, and some of them are barely making it. I don't just mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/i-see-all-kinds-of-people-work-hard-all-over-the-world-and-some-of/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [What motivates me is just to do a really, really good job at something. If I were a better musician, I probably would've ended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/what-motivates-me-is-just-to-do-a-really-really-good-job-at-something/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [The most productive employees, from my experience, are those who go home at 5:30 P.M. but are hyperfocused at work. People can only think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/the-most-productive-employees-from-my-experience-are-those-who-go/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [People think I'm smart because Flickr was successful. I'm lucky. Maybe I'm smart, too. But, I'm lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/people-think-i-m-smart-because-flickr-was-successful-i-m-lucky-maybe/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [The outward expression of empathy is courtesy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/the-outward-expression-of-empathy-is-courtesy/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [We created materials to explain Slack to individuals - what it was for, how it worked, what you're supposed to do - but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/we-created-materials-to-explain-slack-to-individuals-what-it-was-for/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [People tend to overestimate the short-term impact of technological change. In the short-term, it's not going to make that much of a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/people-tend-to-overestimate-the-short-term-impact-of-technological/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [You have to figure out what conversion means in your case. What does retention mean? What does activation mean? For every business, it's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/you-have-to-figure-out-what-conversion-means-in-your-case-what-does/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [It’s hard to imagine the revenue from selling the prints will cover the cost of lost goodwill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/it-s-hard-to-imagine-the-revenue-from-selling-the-prints-will-cover/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [I'm going to make more money than I need in any outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/i-m-going-to-make-more-money-than-i-need-in-any-outcome/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [There's a lot of automation that can happen that isn't a replacement of humans but of mind-numbing behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/there-s-a-lot-of-automation-that-can-happen-that-isn-t-a-replacement/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [Flickr was designed partly to market itself. There are a lot features, in place early on, that let people take their photo, upload it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/flickr-was-designed-partly-to-market-itself-there-are-a-lot-features/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) > [I was born in a little town called Lund in British Columbia. It's like a fishing village. My parents were hippies. They tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-butterfield/i-was-born-in-a-little-town-called-lund-in-british-columbia-it-s-like/) [Stewart Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) [Explore all 63 Stewart Butterfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-butterfield/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. 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When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. 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