Workday started with a catch up meeting in the office of my first manager and technical lead Ventsi. As updates were given an ask how to solve problems would come up. Me and Ventsi would engage, look at different angles, hypothesize edge cases, determine outcomes, things to avoid, and soon enough we’d get in debate as our opinions diverged. Rest of the team went back to their desks, but we wouldn’t stop without a decision.
We argued, pointed out fallacies, vented our frustration, but never took it personal.
And I was treated like an equal, as Ventsi never gave orders.
Our goal was to devise the best solution.
And we did.
Then I’d go and implement it.
As I worked, if I’d come up with a non-considered situation, we’d gather and discuss asap.
Ventsi had an open door.
There were no time capped updates.
Or design docs with pre-scheduled reviews.
Just passion to get things done.
Without compromises.
The final solutions were perfect. And we celebrated them.
After I left the company, my wife, part of the same team, gave a report.
Ventsi would ask for opinions, but the room would be silent.
Asking members one by one didn’t help.
There were no debates.
And ideas from Ventsi were accepted without questions.
So the meetings became quick.
A gap had formed. A hole. And a desire for interactions that I most likely will never experience again in my career.
I continued acting the same way. But the environment was not the same. Culture was different. So unaware of the implications I loitered for 10 years through a dark road full of confusion and closed career doors…