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Powering the runtime rundown podcast site
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episodes/get-better-at-leading-software-projects #19

Open utterances-bot opened 1 year ago

utterances-bot commented 1 year ago

Runtime Rundown

https://runtimerundown.com/episodes/get-better-at-leading-software-projects

mattmacneil commented 1 year ago

Good episode.

It took me way too long in my career to absorb criticism on behalf of others. While in the moment it may not be the best thing career-wise as you mentioned, I think overall it ends up helping a lot. Deflecting might get you out of a temporary jam but hurts your reputation in the long run with both your team and with management. I still cringe at my earlier self for not knowing that, so it was good to be reminded that it's a skill that other people need to be told of.

I also need to use this space to complain about demos, I am in the anti-demo camp. My feelings about it come from not working in a technical organization - I'm at a place where the concept of a demo is really really hard to convey to certain people.

For some stakeholders I could go to their house the night before a demo and scream in their face "style and copy aren't done yet, this is just a demo for the feature, don't worry about it", then present while wearing a t-shirt that says "style and copy aren't done yet, this is just a demo for the feature, don't worry about it", and I could legally change my name to "style and copy aren't done yet, this is just a demo for the feature, don't worry about it" so it appears that way in their calendar invite... and then the second I start sharing my screen, they pipe in asking where the logo is and what lorem ipsum means. Of course I'm going a little overboard with this fake example, but the point I'm making is real - there is no "quick demo" where I work, well-meaning but non-technical people just can't envision a web component as a prototype. So I just take the coward's way out and pretend they don't exist.

This makes me think I should be more inclusive and thoughtful when I loop in stakeholders. Evan pointed out that demos can uncover crucial unknown information and he was right - I know I'm missing critical feedback by not having them. I intend to change that now and so I am hereby classifying this as an official Runtime Rundown Learning Moment©. Thanks dudes!

ps - fireside format haters don't know what they're missing. FOOLS.

Cooperbuilt commented 1 year ago

Matt. First off, thank you for being the best and most prolific runtime commenter of all time.

Second, you bring up a fair point. I'm pro demo because for the most part I've only ever been on teams that understand copy and styling aren't final. If I wasn't, I'd probably scream into a pillow anytime I heard the word demo.

Cooperbuilt commented 1 year ago

Another thought. The "give credit, take blame" mantra is super culture dependent too. It was easy for me to say but it's hard to do. I've fallen short of the mark probably more than I've hit it with this.

helloitsjoe commented 1 year ago

"style and copy aren't done yet, this is just a demo for the feature, don't worry about it" made me laugh, because of the number of times I've run into this exact situation. Most of the time that disclaimer will just not sink in.