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Unneeded And Unuseful
On Bjarne Stroustrup’s C++ Style and Technique FAQ web page, he answers the question of why C++ doesn’t have a “universal” Object class from which all user-defined C++ classes automatically inherit from:
I felt the need to post this here because I’m really tired of hearing Java programmers using the “lack of a universal Object class” as one reason to stake the claim that their language of choice is superior to C++. Of course, there are many other reasons in their arsenal that undoubtedly show the superiority of Java over C++.
Downward Dependence
Almost everybody knows about, and behaves in accordance with, the concept of “Upward Dependence“. You know, the hapless dependence of the many toiling in the lower levels of a hierarchically structured org upon the few in the higher levels for financial, psychological and, in extreme cases (e.g. despot-commandeered governments), physical health. However, in CLORGs and DYSCOs, the reality of “Downward Dependence” is willfully ignored in the minds of the DICforce and the SCOLs who rule over them.
The term “Downward Dependence” captures the fact that the health of the whole org, which obviously includes its upper echelons, depends heavily on the quality and efficiency of the work performed in the lower tiers. As a minimum, a recognition of the reality of “Downward Dependence” requires:
- humility on the part of SCOLs
- assertiveness on the part of DICsters
In viable and cutting edge orgs, these behaviors are on display daily, but not in CLORGs or DYSCOs. In these types of monstrosities, the 18th century reward and punishment system they utilize requires the org’s SCOLs to don masks of infallibility and its DICs to be unassertive – regardless of whether the participants know it or not. Bummer for the “whole“, no?
Keep Outta The Kitchen!
… there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. For the reformer makes enemies of all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order… – Niccolo Machiavelli
In all companies, both leading and lagging, it’s only natural that people at all levels in the hierarchy will complain about various aspects of day-to-day operations that they feel are holding them and the company back. At leading companies, gripes are actively solicited, listened to, and thoughtfully evaluated. Those deemed to be valid are acted upon to improve performance and morale. At laggard borgs, all gripes that cry out for a deviation from the status quo are either pooh-poohed away as non-issues (especially if they bubble up from the bottom) or they’re outright ignored.
In the sad extreme, leaders toiling in laggard borgs who know that valid gripes are slooowly killing the enterprise, feel powerless to act. It’s sad because, even though they have the stature and power to influence change, they don’t feel it’s worth the effort to champion and diligently follow through on a much needed change initiative. By keepin’ outta the kitchen cuz they can’t stand the heat, they religiously follow Harry Truman‘s sage advice.
Rimshot
Research In Motion (RIM) is the creator of the wildly successful Blackberry phone. However, even with the recent release of the well-respected (but too late to the game) Playbook tablet, RIM’s financial and market positions have started to erode as a result of the iPhone and Android onslaught.
Either RIM is shot, or they’re well on their way to being shot – as in “out of business“. For the details, check out “RIM gets handed open letter from disgruntled employee, quickly responds in kind — Engadget“.
The interesting aspect to this “open-letter-from-disgruntled-employee-to-management” case is that the anonymous employee is a senior executive and not a DIC; nor even a manager from a flabby middle borg layer. This fact just about seals the deal – RIM is probably shot.
Another serious piece of evidence that forbears the impending implosion of the RIM corpricracy is the totally predictable and papally infallible response from the corpo spin team:
Of course, as the papal response implies, the open letter writer is a traitorous, agenda-seeking coward and “the senior management team at RIM is fully aware of and aggressively addressing both the company’s challenges and its opportunities“.
But wait! The flood gates have opened and there appear to be several more traitorous, anonymous cowards in the borg that are coming forward. Gee, RIM’s hiring processes must suck to allow all these unethical yellow bellies through the door, no?
Open For B’ness
Whoo Hoo! The “Frontal Assault Idiot” cafepress.com shop is now open for business. Scott Adams, eat your heart out.
Check out a sampling of the “must have” products that you’ve been waiting to empty your bank account for:
Unbelievably, and joyfully, I constructed this store and populated it with product designs in about six hours. Is that kool or what? However, each “free” storefront seems to only allow 12 designs to be posted for sale.
Here’s what my store dashboard look like at the moment (LOL!!!):
I’m gonna start a sequel, “The Frontal Assault Idiot II” shop, as soon as I finish totaling up my revenues from the debut shop. Don’t hold your breath, cuz it might take awhile to wash the green stank off of my greedy fingers.
These Guys “Get It”
In the freely downloadable National Academies book, “Critical Code: Software Producibility for Defense“, the dudes who wrote the book “get it“. Check out this rather long snippet and place close attention on the bolded sentences. If you dare, pay closer attention to the snarky Bulldozer00 commentary highlighted in RED .
An additional challenge to the DoD is that the split between technical and management roles will result (has already resulted) in leaders who, on moving into management, face the prospect of losing technical excellence and currency over time. This means that their qualifications to lead in architectural decision making (and schedule making) may diminish unless they can couple project management with ongoing architectural leadership and technical engagement. The DoD does not (and legions of private enterprises don’t) have strong technical career paths that build on and advance software expertise with the exception of the service labs. Upward career progression trends leading closer to senior management-focused roles and further away from technical involvement tend to stress general management rather than technical management experience (well, duh! That’s the way status-centric command and control hierarchies are designed.). This is not necessarily the case in technology-intensive roles in industry (not necessarily, but still pervasively). Many (but nearly not enough) of the most senior leaders in the technology industry have technical backgrounds and continue to exercise technical roles and be engaged in technology strategy. Nonetheless, certain DoD software needs remain sufficiently complex and unique and are not covered by the commercial world, and therefore call for internal DoD software expertise. In the DoD, however, as software personnel take on more management responsibility, they have less opportunity and incentive to stay technically current (<- this “feature” is baked into command and control hierarchies where, of course, caste and who-reports-to-who is king – to hell with excellence and what sustains an enterprise’s health and profitability). At the same time, there is an increasing need for an acquisition workforce that has a strong understanding of the challenges in systems engineering and software-intensive systems development. It is particularly critical to have program managers who understand modern software development and systems (If that’s the case, then the DoD and most private enterprises are hosed. D’oh!).
Could it be that unelected, anointed “managers” in DoD and technology industry CLORGs and DYSCOs are still stuck in the 20th century FOSTMA mindset? You know, the UCB where they “feel” they are entitled to higher compensation and stature than the lower cast knowledge workers (architects, designers, programmers, testers, etc) just because they occupy a higher slot in an anachronistic, and no longer applicable, way of life – no matter what the cost to the whole org’s viability.
In command and control hierarchies, almost everybody is a wanna-be:
“I wanna rise up to the next level so I’ll: make more money, have more freedom, be perceived as more important, and rule over the hapless dudes in my former level“. Nah, that’s not true. BD00 has been drinkin’ too many dirty, really really dirty, martinis.
New UML Apparel!
If you don’t know yet (and you prolly don’t, since about two fellow, hapless people read this blog and one of them uses the word “fish” in his sign on name when he occasionally comments on a post), my company, the Sensis Corporation, has been purchased by SAAB AB of Sweden. Since the deal concerns the purchase of an American aerospace and defense company by a foreign enterprise, the deal has yet to be sanctioned by the U.S. government. However, in preparation for a successful closing, I’m contemplating proposing the following logo and SAAB-Sensis subsidiary apparel for sale.
The SAAB-Sensis logo, which is anchored on the UML “has a” relationship, is intended to kill two birds with one stone. It’s intended to promote both SAAB and Sensis; and it promotes the UML standard for representing software-centric systems. The scheme is sort of like the SNL product that’s both a desert topping and a floor wax. (If you think I’m nutz, then you’re in the majority.)
Of course, if the logo gets adopted, the idea goes viral, and the orders start pouring in, I’ll fully expect a hefty percentage of the sale from each item in the portfolio.
Coffee And Ice Cream
I was listening to an Eckhart Tolle mp3 audio the other day and he started talking about the innate tendency of people to auto-label “others” with a concept and then to expect 100% behavior compliance with that label. In his case, he was told that “you’re a spiritual teacher – you shouldn’t be drinking coffee!“. Jokingly, he said that he now wears sunglasses and a baseball cap whenever he goes to Starbucks. D’oh!
Similarly, spiritual guru “poonjaji” said that he was scolded for liking and eating ice cream. I can’t remember exactly how he handled the situation, but I’m positive that he disarmed the fault-finder with grace and wisdom.
How about you, how do you handle being labeled by someone or, more ominously, by some group(s)? I used to, and still often do, get defensive and fire a retaliatory label right back at the source. In those wonderful moments where I serendipitously catch myself fuming up, I say “thanks for your opinion“.
Heartbroken, But Hopeful
Well, it’s done. The public announcement has been made. The aerospace and defense industry company that I’ve been privileged to work at for 22 years, Sensis Corp., has been sold to SAAB AB.
I’ve been extremely lucky to have participated in the birth and growth of a vibrant, successful, and sovereign company. In 1987, I was recruited away from behemoth GE Inc. by some great people to work at tiny Sensis Corp. I checked in as employee number 13. Before painfully contracting to 500+ people through recent layoffs and a post-layoff loss of some incredibly key engineering talent, the company steadily grew over the years from a core of 7 people to over 800+.
The second law of thermodynamics dictates that nothing stays the same forever. Like all natural laws, it’s impersonal and it applies to all people, things, and enterprises. Thus, it’s time to move on and work on new projects/products with new people. I’m heartbroken, but hopeful for the future because…..
“When you’re through changing, you’re through.” – Bruce Barton
The IR Ratio
Did you ever notice that as a project gets into trouble, the ratio of the number of people who are merely Involved in it to the number of people who are actually Responsible for a successful outcome, the IR ratio, increases? Of course, in all the projects that I’ve ever worked on, the IR ratio has never risen and I’ve always been one of the responsible ones. 🙂
“In a bacon and eggs breakfast, the chicken is involved, but the pig is committed.” – Ken Schwaber
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