Life lie (Excuses)

Are there lies you tell yourself to face work each day?

“If you take the life lie from an average man, you take away his happiness as well” — The Wild Duck Act V, Henrik Ibsen

Developers often feel powerless in their workplace. At agile conferences I’ve heard:

  • it’s the nature of the business
  • it’s not my responsibility
  • I don’t have the authority
  • I do what I’m told

Yes, we have to pick our battles and yes we can’t always win. Fear is a hard thing. But it seems obvious that a way of working doesn’t mean anything unless we use it to change what we do.

Chasing Rainbows?

My life feels a little circular these days. Two job changes in four months.

During both searches, I asked myself the same questions.

  1. Limit my search to [agile] shops?
    • Yes.
  2. What do I mean by [agile]?
    • Scrum project management with the XP discipline.
    • Empowered, accountable product owners.
    • Collaboration and reflection.
    • User-centered product development.

Why such a narrow search?

  • I want to accomplish something.
  • I want to be inspired by my work and my co-workers.
  • I want to be part of a real team
  • I want to have fun.
  • I want to balance my work and my personal life.

I don’t claim my criteria are the only way to achieve these ends but they are my path to them.