Comments on: The hero of the workplace – the indispensible worker http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/ by rikard edgren, henrik emilsson and martin jansson - with torbjörn ryber and henrik andersson Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:36:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Martin Jansson http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-149 Martin Jansson Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:58:36 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-149 Good point in Lessons Learned. Still, my point above is not about heroes in general but instead about the ones that are infact working against the organisation. Good point in Lessons Learned. Still, my point above is not about heroes in general but instead about the ones that are infact working against the organisation.

]]> By: Henrik Emilsson http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-148 Henrik Emilsson Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:32:53 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-148 There is a big difference between being a hero and being indispensable. And there is a big difference between growing excellence and growing mediocrity. As I see it, the similarity between being a hero and being indispensable is when "being a hero" is self-proclaimed. There is a big difference between being a hero and being indispensable.
And there is a big difference between growing excellence and growing mediocrity.

As I see it, the similarity between being a hero and being indispensable is when “being a hero” is self-proclaimed.

]]> By: Rikard Edgren http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Rikard Edgren Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:50:18 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-147 I am re-reading Lessons Learned in Software Testing, and thought of this blog post when I read the last sentence of Lesson 210, Mediocrity is a self-fulfilling prophecy: "If you declare there shall be no heroes in your company, you won't get any." I am re-reading Lessons Learned in Software Testing, and thought of this blog post when I read the last sentence of Lesson 210, Mediocrity is a self-fulfilling prophecy:
“If you declare there shall be no heroes in your company, you won’t get any.”

]]> By: Martin Jansson http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Martin Jansson Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:54:46 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-23 Let me rephrase how to avoid these traps... you should ask... can someone else do this task? Acceptable answers is in line with: Yes, I've explained it to this and that person, Yes, i've written down the fundamentals of the task and it should now be doable, Yes, i've automated the whole process no need to come in late fridays to patch up the system... basically a solution not to get trapped by them not being there. Let me rephrase how to avoid these traps… you should ask… can someone else do this task? Acceptable answers is in line with: Yes, I’ve explained it to this and that person, Yes, i’ve written down the fundamentals of the task and it should now be doable, Yes, i’ve automated the whole process no need to come in late fridays to patch up the system… basically a solution not to get trapped by them not being there.

]]> By: Michael Bolton http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Michael Bolton Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:02:27 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-21 Your point about indispensability is well-taken. In workshops that I've attended, Jerry Weinberg has often pointed out the urgency of getting rid of the problem of indispensability. If someone appears to be indispensable, it's a great risk to the organization; it either has become or will become severely maladapted to existence without that person. And that person will disappear eventually. <i>As a co-worker you avoid these traps by requiring documentation enough for someone else to perform the task or that you have at least a backup for the critical tasks.</i> I'd put that in the opposite order. If you've got a backup (in the form of a person who can do that task), then you might not need documentation at all. This is why commercial airlines tend to have a captain and a first officer, rather than a pilot and a book on how to fly an aircraft. ---Michael B. Your point about indispensability is well-taken. In workshops that I’ve attended, Jerry Weinberg has often pointed out the urgency of getting rid of the problem of indispensability. If someone appears to be indispensable, it’s a great risk to the organization; it either has become or will become severely maladapted to existence without that person. And that person will disappear eventually.

As a co-worker you avoid these traps by requiring documentation enough for someone else to perform the task or that you have at least a backup for the critical tasks.

I’d put that in the opposite order. If you’ve got a backup (in the form of a person who can do that task), then you might not need documentation at all. This is why commercial airlines tend to have a captain and a first officer, rather than a pilot and a book on how to fly an aircraft.

—Michael B.

]]> By: Martin Jansson http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Martin Jansson Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:59:23 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-16 True, nobody is indispensable. Still, many try to become so and are in some cases promoted by managers in going that path. My idea is that you should look for the signs of it and try to work against it. True, nobody is indispensable. Still, many try to become so and are in some cases promoted by managers in going that path. My idea is that you should look for the signs of it and try to work against it.

]]> By: Joe Strazzere http://thetesteye.com/blog/2009/03/the-hero-of-the-workplace-%e2%80%93-the-indispensible-worker/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Joe Strazzere Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:03:51 +0000 http://thetesteye.com/wordpress/?p=22#comment-12 Nobody is indispensible, although sometimes misguided management acts as if they were. Nobody is indispensible, although sometimes misguided management acts as if they were.

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