Re: The non-learning organization?

[John Garison <john -at- garisons -dot- com>]

Hi Rebecca,

I call it "par for the course."

It happens. Usually it's because some customer (usually a major one) 
said that if Feature X isn't in the release, then they're canceling 
their orders, they'll stop paying support, and they're changing to a 
competitor's product, and oh, by the way, they'll be doing a press 
release to all the major trade magazines highlighting their switch to 
Company Z. Often the root cause of this is something someone promised 
them to get the order in the first place. If the company is on 
particularly shaky financial footing, it could be a case of literally do 
or die. What would you do if you were the CEO in that position?

Bottom line: It's not a good situation, but you do have options.
1) Deal with it as best you can, after all, it's not something you did 
and all you can do is try and apply the best band-aid you can to a 
spurting artery.  And if you keep at it, eventually you'll staunch the 
bleeding.
2) Find a new gig to keep the next year or so of your work life from 
becoming torture.

I usually go for option 1 until I absolutely can't take it any more. And 
it's better to be working and looking for work than to be just looking 
for work.

My 2¢,

John


Rebecca Stevenson wrote: