Smoothing off rough edges is more appropriate as a metaphor for static Confucian institutions than for a 21st century IT company. The latter centrally depends on a dynamic, flowing dialogue along with combative debate. Furthermore, the "friction" should involve a dialectic, ever-transformative process, not mere polishing.
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But it was a thing that happened to him when he was young, and it stuck in his mind as a metaphor to him. So see, whether it "impresses" you or not ....
Well anyway, the thing I noticed about that metaphor was I think he caught himself in a contradiction. He had just talked about how getting caught up in "process" was not a good thing, but then he said that the process of smart people working together was where the magic was. Then he shifts gears to some story about an old widower.