How consistently can you maintain a calm and collected demeanor while management and team-members cry for resources, solutions, and answers?
I have recently found that the surest path to insanity is to search for find reason in a place where there is none, for you will never find it. The same thing comes from trying to control a source of pure anarchy where a defined process does not exist. Or trying to rationalize anti-design. Sad, but true. My stress comes not from the factors I am exposed to, but failing to rationalize or control those factors. So I have finally figured that out and decided not to, except occasionally from an outside-observer perspective. That is, I only play politics when I feel like I can win, and when I will enjoy it...almost like Orson Scott Card's "Demosthenes and Locke" in Ender's Game -- detached but still manipulatory. Otherwise, I am trying to be more laid back and let the current go where it will if it doesn't affect my job security or serve my purpose. Not caring is hard... it's against my nature, but it's a cluster**** as dragon has said.
Though Wargames was a horrible movie, it remains true that the only way to win "Global Thermonuclear War" is not to play the game. Such is the way with project managers and arbitrary deadlines -- yet I still play the game a bit. As hard as it is (heck, I score "ENTJ" on the Myers-Briggs personality profiles -- I live to command & control and NEED that feeling) to avoid straightening the solution out, try to become more layed back, begin providing rope, and let the errant parties hang themselves. If I find myself dealing with bad code, I'll let folks know, and I promise nothing but that I will follow my own process.
Lately I have been getting marginal results by asking for requirements documents, defect numbers, and asking meta-questions like "Are we following the process?". It's not very effective, but at least it allows me to feel like at least *I* am governed by a process, even if no one follows it. Usually the things I ask for don't exist, but it gives me the illusion that I am in control, or brings me closer to it.
My last tip is the best one -- a good audio player, decent headphones, and loud rock music, turned to 11. May I recommend Van Halen? There has even been a bit of research about how music provides isolation from external factors while providing an orienting experience that increases concentration -- sounds like psychobabble, but it works for me. Runnin' with the Devil...
