Do you care what you are doing?

I have had this exact phrase being bounced around in my head for the last month or so. As I am out in the working world more it seems that the people who go farther and have a better attitude have one similar thing in common. That thing in common is caring about the work they are doing. Sure, they might not exactly like the task they are currently doing but over all they care about the overall goal of their work. It is very easy to just get a job and not move it forward and complain about how it is and not improve anything. It is another thing to try and push it forward or bring some positive influence into what you are doing. I know people who even think the profession they are in is B.S. but they want to change the field. Sure it might take them 10+ years but even moving one little step closer will keep them energized. I get this way at my day job, the development environment sucks and I will have my bad days where I am cynical but the majority of days I try and remember to improve it in some little way. I don't even think technical skills are as important as actually caring in a field, however, I have a hunch anyone who cares is not lacking in the technical area as well.

I am not saying everyone has to care about their job I am just saying this seems to be what I have noticed for the people who draw people together, seem to create the "cool" things and are known as being very good. Maybe this is what some people use the term "passion" for but I feel they are different. Passion to me seems more like someone who won't give up on an idea and that is the only thing they are focused on and will talk about it all of the time. Whereas caring just means you want to improve a specific thing and don't want to see it get any worse.

Well, it is just a thought that I have had for a bit it might be crap or it might be good, I am sure it isn't original but I figure I would write about it any ways :). Time for another coffee!

We only have one shot...

For the past 1 year and 2.5 months I have worked for a large company and it has been a trying experience for me.  Of the many things that I get annoyed with one tops the charts.  It is the "we only have one shot" type of mentatilty.  I don't mean that there is only one shot and the company will go broke rather we can only ask people to do something that is intensive one time or we only get a six or three month cycle for software and if isn't good then it isn't going to be good but it will be released.  Well I don't know about you but I rarely never get anything semi-complex correct the first time.  Either I work for unrealistic people, unrealistic management, super-stars, my IQ is deficient or ???.  Why can't large companies overall use a process like sprints.  Sure people could say it randomizes them, but you know what?  Getting an email every 2-5 minutes randomizes you too but people love that because it makes them feel important.  I know some groups do sprints and it works well for them.  I also realize it is hard to manage large teams (anything over 12) but there has to be a balancing act that gets fast iterations and still get the main goal done.