OT, but only sort of...

[Wojtek]

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137708/Opinion_The_unspoken_truth_about_managing_geeks

 

[Roedy Green]

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137708/Opinion_The_unspoken_truth_about_managing_geeks

Seems to me the worst thing a boss can do is say "I don't care if you
think this is approach is bound to fail. I am the boss and this is the
way we are going to do it."

I have seen armed rebellions where nothing gets done.

The boss has to make it clear he understands the objections. He also
has to convincingly explain his reasons that override them.

The smarter the people, the more stubborn.

One way to defang the perfectionists is to sell them the idea of
priority. We have to get at least this much functionality going by X.
We can later refine it.

I had to resign one job because one team member was so furious I would
not join him in armed rebellion that he harassed me to the point I
simply could not take it.

Circa 1976 I was horrified at the undisciplined, unmaintainable
approach our team was using. I expressed my concern at every
opportunity. The boss dug in his heels. The more I pushed the harder
he dug in, giving no reasons for his stance. I was making myself sick
over it.

Eventually I gave up, decided just to focus on doing my own code
properly to demonstrate the value of writing maintainable code. To my
astonishment, quietly, the boss put into effect the measures I
advocated. It then dawned on me the problem -- saving face. I had
cornered the boss so that he could not do the right thing without
losing face.

Another technique for pulling a team into consensus is peeing. People
will advocate for something if they have "peed" on it, made some small
change to it. You can even leave some deliberate minor flaws in an
idea for others to correct, and hence then own the idea.
--
Roedy Green Canadian Mind Products
http://mindprod.com

"The coolest thing to do with your data will be thought of by someone else."
~ Rufus Pollock (born: 1978 age: 31) in Talk.

 

[Lew]

You can even leave some deliberate minor flaws in an
idea for others to correct, and hence then own the idea.

I would try this advice, but for the fact that I really don't have to put
flaws in on purpose. Somehow they seem to happen regardless.

 

[Knute Johnson]

I would try this advice, but for the fact that I really don't have to
put flaws in on purpose. Somehow they seem to happen regardless.

And some of us are just flawed :-(.