Are we in the wrong place?
It is quite a long time that I don’t post anything, fault of a lot of work, few climbing weekends and a lot of books. Despite all of that I thing that today deserves a post.
My lunch was a little bit from the usual, two days ago a friend of mine sent me a email inviting to go for a game testing session. It sounded like a good idea (sadly it was an iPhone game – bahhhhh).
Is my post about the game? Well not really, the idea of the game is nice: you have your phone and as long you walk around the globe you can collect things; in a mafia game style.
Is it about the iPhone? Are you kidding me, right!?!
It is about the working place, the atmosphere, and basically how demotivating could be a software professional working in a not software company. The game-company is small, there was 5 guys in small place but the place was full of that agile-extreme-programming-free-spirit air.
Ok I know that it is a romantic view of the thing, but it is not about the air itself (everyone was without shoes there); it is about the engagement. There is companies, due my experience most of them, that most of the people doesn’t work IN software.
I am not saying that they are not competent, productive or really good professionals; but they don’t care – imagine yourself as part of a motor club where no one around like car. This club can have the nicest car collection, but no one talk about them, share ideas about them; with the time the fact to be close to the biggest Ferrari collection is not enough anymore, you would prefer to be in a small town old Beatle club where people actually talk a about cars.
It is is the same in most of the software companies, when you work around people that doesn’t talk about software, it is difficult to keep the good will going…
Thinking about it know I guess that is the sextuple of the small software companies, you are among other fans.
The point of the post? Well I just wanted to write about the subject, a way to breath a better air! And put energy in the though of: are we in the wrong place?
What about to end the post with the 5th Symphony, in a little bit different way by David Garrett.
I agree that the office was cool, but don’t start crying now because
a) as a talented IT guy it is up to you for what company you work (which will normally be some compromise between a “cool” and a well-paying company, as those seem to be mutually exclusive at most times…)
b) it is also up to you how “cool” your company is: Start working barefoot if you like, just don’t forget to wash your feet 😉
Well it was just a though about how it would be to work in place, where the majority of people is as much interested as you…
Barefoot??? No thanks, in my earlier days working I tried it – I end up almost going back home 1 shoe, because some bastard took it and put at the boss office – not cool!
But you have your point! Maybe we need to review some concepts :-), by concept I mean….