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Why Your Programmers Just Want to Code

posted by martyb on Monday December 04 2017, @05:18PM   
from the it's-easier-to-deal-with-computers-than-with-people dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

The Do's and Don't's of Managing Programmers:

Why are some programmers such jerks?

Too many managers believe the problem lies with [the disgruntled programmer]. If he was a better employee, dedicated worker, or at least cared more, then this wouldn't happen. Right?

Unfortunately, no.

The first suggestions matter a lot
How you handle ideas from new programmers sends an important signal. Good or bad, it sets the stage for what they expect. This determines if they share more ideas in the future... or keep their mouth shut.

Sure, some ideas might not be feasible in your environment. Some might get put on the back burner to be discussed "when we're not busy". Some ideas seem great, but they run against unspoken cultural norms.

No matter what the reason, dismissing or devaluing your programmer's ideas — especially in the first few months — is a bad move.

Damaged by all the naysaying, he'll try a few more times to present his ideas differently, aiming for a successful outcome. If he continues to feel punished, though, he'll realize that the only way to win is not to play.

Which is exactly what you don't want your programmers learning.

He will stop presenting ideas, asking to meet customers, and genuinely trying to understand the business.

Ultimately, it's a lose lose.

If you want programmers to become mere code monkeys, treat them like code monkeys.

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Original Submission

• Re:Not unique to programmers Re:Not unique to programmers (Score: 2) by Thexalon on Monday December 04 2017, @07:36PM (1 child)

  by Thexalon (636) on Monday December 04 2017, @07:36PM (#605233)

  he is known to be a "nanomanager", as in, taking micromanagement to the next level - he knows ridiculously low-level details, and your ass is in the hot seat if you screw something up, but he will also acknowledge you for your skills if he likes what you are doing, no matter where you are on the org chart. I wish more companies were like that - so much information is lost in translation upwards, and so many good ideas are mired in bureaucratic mediocrity.

  Bill Gates apparently was like that too: Because he was a developer, he regularly reviewed application feature designs, thoroughly, and would pepper whoever came up with them with detailed questions until he'd stumped them. He might have been better off using his coding chops for quality assurance, though, amirite?

  --
  The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.

  Parent

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• Re:Not unique to programmers (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 04 2017, @08:44PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 04 2017, @08:44PM (#605279)

  When the bugs are actually a secret feature there is no point in wasting QA time.

  Parent