the blog
Smokin' Aces
- Entry
- I had a 'confrontation' w/ a product manager today. I reckon, just one of 'em days. I get really snappy at people who try to push my buttons. If someone asks politely, there is a 96-98% probability that I will oblige. Those who demand or bark orders don't receive a kindly response. And again, it falls back to my relationship w/ my father. Oh daddy, you were too proud and still are =)
The argument turned into one of those Parent-child dialogue. The product person shifted the argument, asking questions and making statements that I couldn't respond appropriately (lose-lose situation). I just left the building to take a timeout.
(Transactional Analysis is a fascinating theory on group dynamics and communication. I've only read "The Games People Play." If you have the time, read some. It'll open your eyes to overlooked aspects of human interaction.)
Overall, I'm burnt out. I'm tired of being just the 'implementer.' There is too much stress daily. Not from the Y! peanut butter fiasco, but rather the "need" to squeeze everything out of the engineers. Sprints overlap each another as QA and patch releases run into design or development from the next. Some of my peers work late nights and weekends to fix bugs or production issues because of the need to "go, go, go!" There's not a moment to breathe normally; it's fun and beats complacency, but not for several months straight.
I am building nothing cool. I am innovating none. Oh, the pleasures of being a corporate worker bee in a top-down organization; all because I need direction and nudging to work =)
Ha. At least I have my health. -
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George P.: i just took a course at work called emotional smarts - it's damn good. initially i thought it was going to be total bullshit, but then i told myself if ibm is offering it, then THEY must think it has some value. the person who taught it was June Donaldson, she's not bad and wrote a book on the topic. you seem burnt out and from what you said, considering the stress ur under, you handled it well. take a read of her book 'emotional smarts' i think it'll help you in the long run.
Thursday, March 01, 2007 8:23:00 PM