Sometimes our code doesn’t work the way we thought
It was my first time rolling out production code. Cindy, our client, was helping us get things set up. First, I had to help Brian power up the server.
Once we got it up and running in their server room it was my turn. I logged into the server. I ran through some initial configurations. Then Cindy wanted to test the reports I created.
The reports were printed out successfully. We had Cindy review the printouts and she was happy with them.
Payroll?
“Tom, how do I run the payroll on the new system?” She asked.
“I thought you tested that out?” I replied.
“I was too busy to test it out. Plus, it’s Friday tomorrow and we need to get payroll out.”
Mistakes
Don’t get me wrong I like getting paid on time. However, at this point in my career, I didn’t know how critical it was.
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” — Eleanor Roosevelt.
Software development requires good communication. Cindy and I didn’t talk through my responsibilities. I assumed too much.
Wabi-sabi
In Japanese art, there is a principle called Wabi-sabi. It includes an acceptance of imperfection. There is an emphasis on asymmetry and roughness.
Learning something new like a new language we must be ready for imperfections. This is part of the journey.
Stress
We can insulate ourselves from stress. That can be hard. Also, is it helpful? Kelly McGonigal shared the benefits in her book The Upside of Stress.
“Stress leaves an imprint on your brain that prepares you to handle similar stress the next time you encounter it.”
Like muscle training at the gym, we can build our ability to handle stress. We can keep things rolling when we recover quickly.
Look for the smooth handle. Instead of letting life get you down see the growth opportunity. It’s there you just need to see it.
Lessons Learned
When you make a mistake like I did with my initial rollout we need to look for lessons learned. My son’s basketball coach says, “Don’t lose the game and the lesson.”
As a developer, we need to test our work. I thought others would do that. Dead wrong on that. Even if you have Quality Assurance teammates we need to test and check.
Retrospect
Scrum teams take time each sprint to reflect. They ask simple questions. What is working? What isn’t working?
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
― Blaise Pascal, Pensées
Are you taking time to reflect on yourself? Get some time by yourself and ponder your performance. A pen and paper work best. Leave your phone and computer.
Our life is filled with many obstacles. In Ryan Holiday’s book, the Obstacle is the Way he shares why they are important. Learn the lesson and keep moving forward.