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Re: Neat try, but not really comparable.
04/29/13 07:26 PM
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> Offering up the possibility of doing something without a code change is putting your
> head on the block if that turns out to have a risk that you didn't think of. The
> manager will never take the blame.
Well, as a manager of developers, let me tell you that for one I tend to prefer code changes to workarounds, as you're better off actually fixing shit than adding support overhead, and if a developer does something that I made the final decision on, I will take the heat for it.
As a real-life example, I got a developer to implement a feature that reduced the need for manual clean-up of stale cache data on certain configuration changes (reducing support overhead). I went through a basic plan of how to implement it, let her code and and test it, then reviewed and signed off on the feature. Some time later, I overheard another developer criticising her over some implementation details. I interrupted and told him that if he had a problem it, he should raise it with me. I assigned and prioritised the issue, and I signed off on the implementation. If there was a problem with it, it would have been my problem.
Same goes for managing up - if higher-ups aren't happy with burn-down, projected schedules weren't being met, etc. if it's anything I've signed off on as a manager, it's officially my problem, and I have to justify the discrepancy. The developers shouldn't be exposed to that shit, they should just be allowed to get their job done without worrying about management crap, that's what their immediate manager is for.
Now if a developer isn't meeting expectations, that is an issue that has to be addressed, but one has to consider whether the problem is poor management, unrealistic expectations, unforeseen circumstances, or actual poor performance on the part of the developer. Management is a shit job. You're almost always going to be pissing someone off, but ultimately the manager's job is to be the one to take a hit for the team, and take the fall when things don't go to plan. It's about responsibility, and if you don't have that you shouldn't be a manager.
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Re: Neat try, but not really comparable.
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