The Savant's dilemma occurs when the only reliable method of receiving recognition for your work is to cease working on it, thereby letting the project or effort die.
This typically occurs as a younger person of abnormally high skill is transitioning through the ranks but has not yet been universally recognized for their contributions.
It is particularly likely when such a skilled person is placed on a project that includes more senior people of broader influence and visibility. The outperformer may have no real path to gain visibility since people not on the project will naturally assume the success of the project should be attributed mostly to the person(s) who already have greater visibility. As the outperformer contributes more and more to the project, a greater share of recognition is diverted away from them.
Once this situation occurs, it may be in the savant's interest to leave the project, and let it die. In doing so, the savant receives recognition in hindsight. By not leaving, the savant expands the misconception and hinders his or her career.
To avoid this, invisible savants should avoid being on projects from their beginning, unless they are given the senior role. They can join a troubled project mid-way through, even in a non-senior role, provided the state of the project is widely understood. Their addition to the project will prompt questions of "what changed", thereby giving them visibility in spite of the lack of official title.
This typically occurs as a younger person of abnormally high skill is transitioning through the ranks but has not yet been universally recognized for their contributions.
It is particularly likely when such a skilled person is placed on a project that includes more senior people of broader influence and visibility. The outperformer may have no real path to gain visibility since people not on the project will naturally assume the success of the project should be attributed mostly to the person(s) who already have greater visibility. As the outperformer contributes more and more to the project, a greater share of recognition is diverted away from them.
Once this situation occurs, it may be in the savant's interest to leave the project, and let it die. In doing so, the savant receives recognition in hindsight. By not leaving, the savant expands the misconception and hinders his or her career.
To avoid this, invisible savants should avoid being on projects from their beginning, unless they are given the senior role. They can join a troubled project mid-way through, even in a non-senior role, provided the state of the project is widely understood. Their addition to the project will prompt questions of "what changed", thereby giving them visibility in spite of the lack of official title.
What happened to project X, it sounded like it was going so well?
Bob left.
But he wasn't the lead on that, what's the problem?
Well, he's the one who actually was doing everything. He moved to project Y, which was a mess till he got there.
So it was the savant's dilemma?
Yeah, but at least he won't be in that situation again.
Bob left.
But he wasn't the lead on that, what's the problem?
Well, he's the one who actually was doing everything. He moved to project Y, which was a mess till he got there.
So it was the savant's dilemma?
Yeah, but at least he won't be in that situation again.
by theEngineerGuide August 5, 2018
Get the Savant's Dilemma mug.by Michael put your shirt back on November 25, 2018
Get the Salvation Army mug.Related Words
salvant
• salvation army
• Salvatore
• savant
• salvatrucha
• savanth
• Salvation Fap
• salvator
• salvatori
• salvatrucho
An action can be described as salvatronic if an electronic device is spared from certain destruction through said action.
by VocabExpansion July 9, 2019
Get the salvatronic mug.“Salvatore Nicholas Roti is the sweetest boy that will come into your life. Whether your talking to them through the phone or in person, he automatically brightens your day. If you ever made a mistake that resulted in loosing him, you’d be heart broken forever and never be able to forgive yourself. He’ll never fail to make you feel better when you are sad, and when your with him your mood brightens. He reminds you each and everyday how important you are to him, which makes you feel wanted. He’s everything you’ve wanted and more; and there’s not a single thing you’d change about him. You fall more and more for him everyday.”
“Salvatore was so sweet to me today, he saw my crying and made me feel so much better” “Salvatore is daddy”
by Claire Rerselom March 2, 2020
Get the Salvatore mug.
by Salvationary man May 22, 2020
Get the salvationary mug.by the hatter boy November 5, 2020
Get the savantrash mug.