When I read the Cutter Advisory (reprinted below) by Dwayne Phillips titled "Celebrations," I began to reflect on the softest underbelly of software services: its people; and also on the ‘human’ interactions that touch us ........ even hardened technologists and managers.
Phillips says how we should not -- must not -- ignore events in our lives. . . . Stop work. Grieve.
In an offshoring context there are moments where “Stop work. Grieve” alone does not suffice.
A few weeks ago, I was talking with a colleague of mine who had just rolled off from a project for a client in California where his team had to come to grips with some human grief. News came one evening that a colleague’s father in India had passed away. Unlike a regular bereavement situation, his manager couldn’t stop at sharing the grief and signing off on the requisite leave. He had to ensure that the well oiled ‘organizational emergency’ machinery kicked in: calls to travel desk, emergency flight bookings to Delhi etc etc. Smoothening the logistical challenges and ensuring an early flight for the colleague was a part of the grief sharing process. Other colleagues helped pack the bags and drove him to the airport.
And only after that the other part of the logistical ‘challenge’ was addressed: informing the client and account stakeholders that a key member of the team would be unavailable due to Force majeure (not really sure if the term applies in this context?), ensuring business continuity etc.
Though the example quoted above is rare, other ‘human’ challenges, unique to offshoring do surface occasionally. Most service firms have developed policies and guidelines to ease the pains of expatriate/international staff but even an excellent policy and flawless execution is meaningless without the ‘personal touch.’ As Phillips puts it succinctly “He survived his wounds and grief to celebrate. I urge managers to do the same at work. Grieve with your coworker. Grieve personal tragedies and professional setbacks. … And celebrate as well.”
******************** "Celebrations" by Dwayne Phillips ********************
I attended my son's graduation from college yesterday. That should be an unqualified joyous celebration, except my son graduated in engineering from Virginia Tech University, in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. Twenty-five days earlier, a student killed 32 people on campus and then killed himself (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Tech_massacre).
There was joy and celebration at the graduation ceremony, but there were many tears as well. I cried; my wife cried; all the people sitting around us cried. As one commencement speaker put it, "You are the most famous class in the history of Virginia Tech. You didn't seek this fame, but it came upon you."
Sadly, I wrote about something similar some five years ago when the "DC Sniper" was shooting people in the Washington, DC, USA, area (see " Working During a Community Crisis," 20 November 2002). Many of this weekend's graduates lived through that while in high school.
Virginia Tech awarded degrees posthumously to those students who died. Honors were given to the faculty and staff who died. The most emotional moment for me was a presentation to a widow of a young faculty member.
Terrible events happen sometimes in our lives and the lives of our coworkers. As managers, we try to keep the workplace working even though work is the last thing on anyone's mind. How do we do that? How do we keep our unit productive without being an insensitive monster?
The answer is: we don't.
We should not -- must not -- ignore events in our lives. As one colleague told me years ago, "We will not leave any bodies on the floor. We will delay things so that we first attend to what has happened." When he said that, he was speaking of addressing strong emotions in the workplace, not physical bodies, but his advice applies here.
Stop work. Grieve.
Celebration is a part of grieving. The vast majority of Virginia Tech students and faculty were not harmed physically on 16 April. They continue to live. They celebrated during part of this past weekend. The celebrations send them into the rest of their lives instead of leaving them stranded in the sadness and horror of the tragedy.
Most of us ensure that we celebrate at work to mark our accomplishments. We deliver a product early -- we celebrate. We solve a difficult technical problem -- we celebrate.
More of us should celebrate at work when things don't go so well. A project is canceled because of continuous schedule delays -- let's celebrate because we are no longer saddled by it. A project is canceled because current technology provides no method of building the product -- let's celebrate because we no longer beat our heads against the wall in vain. Celebrations during those events can help us to move forward instead of lamenting what might have been for years.
At the engineering commencement at Virginia Tech, one student climbed the stairs, walked across the stage, received his diploma, and walked back to his seat. His graduation above all others brought thunderous applause, a standing ovation, and tears. What was different was that he needed a crutch to make his walk. He was shot on 16 April but survived his wounds to graduate.
The thousands attending learned of this the same way I did, through a flood of whispers swarming the building, "He's a survivor."
He survived his wounds and grief to celebrate. I urge managers to do the same at work. Grieve with your coworker. Grieve personal tragedies and professional setbacks.
And celebrate as well.
-- Dwayne Phillips
This excerpt is reprinted with permission from Cutter Consortium. It appeared in the May 16, 2007 Cutter IT E-Mail Advisor. All rights reserved. Copyright 2007.
