I’d like to reflect on a meeting that I had, a few weeks ago. Our new task is to take-over an existing project. As you might expect, we’ve found some tech debt and some awkward business rules (no big surprise, of-course). As we dove-in and tried to “get our heads around it”, it has become apparent that there is a lot to take-in. It maybe even feels a little overwhelming. After several knowledge-transfer meetings, my colleagues and I were feeling fatigued. We all discussed some concerns, because we (optimistically) were expecting it to go-quicker/be-easier up-to-now.
After venting a little, we regrouped and assessed our direction and plan. The project actually was still on-track. We were just feeling a little weary and needed to take a moment to check ourselves.
Learning Curve
The upward part of a learning curve always feels bad, because initially, it creates more questions than answers. It is an expanding list of unknowns, and humans naturally have a fear-of-the-unknown. More unknowns = more fear. So as you make progress, the road ahead seems to grow quicker than the road behind you, and it is hard to see-beyond the curve in front of you sometimes.
One thing that can help is strong leadership. Good leaders typically have a lot of experience. Which means they’ve been through stuff like this and know it can be overcome. You just need to focus on making progress, staying-the-course, building a plan and following the plan.
When I am in the role of a technical leader, I have the unique responsibility of leading and following. It isn’t really something that you can do simultaneously. It requires me to occasionally pull-my-head out-of-the-work and objectively assess, “How we are doing? Do we have the right plan? Are we making adequate progress. If we need to adjust, what/how do we change/improve?”
Regardless of your experience level, some of this is not always automatic. I have probably forgotten each of the times that I overcame the steepest part of a learning curve (or maybe I even repressed it). I’d rather forget my discomfort, and dwell on the success of surmounting it. Which is why, the next time I face a steep and lengthy learning curve, I will probably feel uncertain and nervous again, every time. I just need to overcome it, once again.
If/when you find yourself in this position, let me leave you with this advice: Hang in there. If you prevailed before, you (likely) will succeed again. Just apply yourself with the same focus and diligence that brought you here. The obstacle is the way.
Aah, the pain of being an elitist 