Companies Aren’t Progressive (But People Are…)

Something was recently said to me that struck a small nerve:

You know Max, one thing you don’t get is that you have worked for a ton of progressive and agile companies. There are tons of developers stuck in crappy process and code working for companies that just will never get it…

Although it would be a company’s best interest to be involved in process improvements – is it really the responsibility of the company to invoke process improvements?

A business (in a nutshell) needs to concentrate on one thing – stability. With that realization many thing become apparent; however, for this argument hopefully it is clear that most [successful] companies will not make radical changes to the same processes and procedures that caused success in the first place.

Additionally, because most of the company employees are “so deep in the forest, they can’t see the trees” it is hard for most companies to see their inefficiencies. Even worse, some companies have identified their weaknesses and after years of inaction towards a solution have written off the inefficiencies as the cost of doing business.

With no reason backed with business value all companies will actually resist change. Therefore, it is your responsibility to start the change from within the company.

First off, you most understand the pain caused by the inefficiency, and therefore can best translate the relief of that pain with a given business value. Secondly, if not you then who? If you have enough courage to talk badly behind someones back, but can’t muster the courage to confront the problem, that makes you a coward. Nobody is going to fight your fights but you.

I have worked for some crappy companies, but I have never left a company without leaving it in a better place. The company didn’t change me, I brought the change with me.