Wednesday, April 20, 2005 7:51 AM
Perry
The amazing world of IT Professionals (that's an oxymoron)
The timing of this post by James Steele is amazing. My wife and I just spent last night comparing notes on this craptacular practice. It has manifested itself in every job either of us have ever had. (ok almost every job) It becomes laughable how similar our stories are. They all boil down to this BB factor.
I wonder if real professions have this problem. I'll tell you one thing: It's tiresome. Chose whatever metaphor you like -- but the IT industry has been overrun with dick measuring contests. I'll pass along some free advice that I got when I was a know-it-all 22-year old programmer: Be the first one in the room to admit you don't know. Just admit it. It won't cost you anything. Half the room already thinks you're an idiot anyway. Cut to the chase and see if you can head them off at the pass by NOT yanking the big D out. They'll respect you for it. And trust me -- this is the advice of a former BB'er, it works in the long run.
(Former because I had a mentor who mopped the floor with me one day and taught me the word hubris.)
Filed under: Geek Stuff