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Great Software Management Blog

May 18, 2004 5:44 PM
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I have been reading Esther Derby's stuff for months now, and it's got some really great insights. It's among the scarce management writing that isn't too dry to be readable or too far-removed from day-to-day work to be taken seriously.

Today's analogy about a coworker who chose not to work overtime is great:

So. Sometimes when I'm driving, I don't notice that the windshield is dirty until I drive into the sun. The sun isn't making the windshield dirty, it's just creating the conditions where I can see the dirt.

We each chose, and Bob chose differently. Bob illuminated a different possibility. Resenting Bob made as much sense as resenting the sun causing a dirty windshield

I've been on both ends of that resentment plenty of times. And, yes, I do get pissed off when I drive a dirty car at sunset.


Comments: Great Software Management Blog

I once got yelled at by Vlatko at Bethesda for only having 50 hours for a one week period on my time sheet. He talked about how much others were there, blah blah, but he failed to notice how those lingering around after 5:00 usually didn't work much... They'd eat, play games, screw around, all the while creating the picture that they were "committed." Which they may have been, I'm not saying otherwise.

The guy in the story also got on the bus... People with vehicles need to spend a week doing everything by bus and on foot and see how their schedules work in that situation.

In the end, I've come to realize that life is too short to give away to greedy execs who could care less about your well being... Lots of people work so much unpaid overtime, getting nothing in return, and are often laid off when the project is done. Those at the top benefit, of course. So I say, fuck them, fuck that.

Posted by: O'dell on May 19, 2004 3:20 PM | permalink

Yeah, and Douglas kept a tally of how many times he "caught" Olga going to the kitchen.

What imbeciles.

I agree that, in a non-service industry, hours spent in the office are a terrible metric of work done (never mind the quality of that work).

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on May 19, 2004 4:23 PM | permalink

Was Douglas on something or was he just naturally messed up?

Posted by: O'dell on May 19, 2004 5:51 PM | permalink

I don't want to get into libel territory here ... but I heard him referred to as a "cokehead" on multiple occasions by multiple people. I can't confirm that first-hand, though, and you'd think it would show up on his black shirts every now and then.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on May 19, 2004 6:54 PM | permalink

Oh... Can we talk about the physical abuse there?

Vlatko used to rough me up (slaps on the back of the head, shaking, other whacking). One time he grabbed me, threw me to the wall, got in my face, and (with the worst breath on the planet) told me that I was going to be his bitch [when Zenimax Tech was dissolved].

I remember one time Weaver smacked you on the arm during lunch. Five hours later, I saw you outside, showing everyone the hand print he had left.

Stories on the acts of sexual harassment that I've seen Vlatko commit could fill a tome...

Posted by: O'dell on May 19, 2004 7:59 PM | permalink

Yeah, the sexual harrassment was the most egregious thing -- it was jaw-dropping in its openness. I'm really amazed no one sued them.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on May 19, 2004 9:39 PM | permalink

No more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.