May 12
ErinGarbage Garbage, general politics, musings
Philippines is the prime example of a modern day Babel.
Calls for unity is a running and expensive gag. Political opinions are like assholes, 99.99% of the people have one; most of them different in varying degrees; and each group hell bent in believing that they are in the right. The best we can aspire for is a ruling majority as even consensus is too far fetched of a goal.
Make no mistake that I love my country. Its people, not as much. But the weird part is that we make good citizens but only if it is in a foreign land. I am still puzzled if it means those who have the qualities of being a good citizen tend to migrate out of frustration, or if the endemic political system in the country is really an engulfing viral machine immune to vaccinations. Maybe it is both?
Patriotic but tribalistic; the combination is a bitter sweet pill to swallow. It is like mixing oil and water which is possible with the right emulsifier. If only we can agree on what that is.
Jan 08
ErinGarbage, Top of my head, Work agile, Garbage, Work
I came across a leadership podcast a few weeks back wherein there was a description of leadership that seems to fit the type of leadership that a ScrumMaster or agile advcocate needs to exude. I lost my notes on which podcast it is for the necessary attribution but the notes that stuck with me contains the following (paraphrased) content:
During a performance show, an orchestrator (conductor) is somebody whom everybody in the group looks up to, following every flick of the wrist for the correct entry into the symphony. The choreographer on the other hand only teaches the vision of the dance, corrects any mistakes during the practice sessions, and then sits back in the audience to see the dance troupe interpret the visions, sometimes in ways that even exceeds what was practiced.
Image credits goes to freerangestock.com
The choreographer aspect seems to fit what the agile advocate needs to do. This follows the mandate that in an agile team the scrum master is a servant-leader, a person who influences without any direct mandate. For those who finds that hard to comprehend, it is the same type of authority that friends form over their experiences, wherein a select few of the pack is looked upon for inputs on what to do next. That only comes with trust that the “choreographer” knows what they are saying and that they will not lead the pack into ruin.
The only resistance is the inherent inertia that most of the corporate organizations still pine for the command-and-control structure which gives the “feel good feeling” that everything can be boxed into a specific plan. This makes organizations make more open to the idea of putting seasoned managers as conductors of delivery in order to control every aspect and cadence of the team. They are not entirely wrong but the unpredictability of the human mind and real life means they are also not entirely right.
The conductor can still be a person of trust but normally the conductor’s authority is proportional to their perceived reputation. The reputation is a double edged sword as that can be the initial hump that the team needs to overcome to start being comfortable with having the “conductor” as part of the team.
Nov 24
ErinGarbage Garbage, general politics, human nature, life, musings
I saw this phrase in a social media comment : “idealistic and gullible”
Two words that are dangerous when put together. These words are what mobs are made of. The gullible aspect will feed the idealistic side with enough high the same way that adrenaline can mask pains and injury that would have triggered the common sense to stop the body from hurting itself.
It is not a matter of age but more of experience. Be idealistic. Don’t be gullible. Learn to recognize and keep the two apart. I know it is not easy as it took me a while to recognize it myself.
Nov 19
ErinGarbage, Top of my head life, pov
And the stupidity and zealotry continues. Each side spouting points on a whimsical issue.
When I die I want to be wrapped in the cheapest, flimsiest banig (straw mat) and buried six feet under in an unmarked rice field. So that in my passing I will go back to the earth that nourished me and in turn I will contribute in nourishing the next generations.
https://goo.gl/photos/PDjJf8n2LRXcM17eA
However my loving wife and commander refuses to acknowledge that so I will compromise on being cremated and my ashes placed inside a hollow coconut shell. The shell is to be buried under a patch of land where a fruit bearing tree will be planted on top.
If possible please make it a mango or chico tree. 🙂
ciao!
Jul 21
ErinGarbage life, musings
Every working day I usually have a 30-minute walk from my workplace to my wife’s office where our car is parked. I pass through a busy intersection under a criss-crossing elevated highway. I saw something today that made me think of the paradox that asks “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?”
Let me try to describe the scenario to set it up.
More
Jun 28
ErinGarbage, Top of my head opinion, rant, shithappens
Sometimes giving up is the only option. Shelving it. Lowering the priority. Putting it in the backburner for a later time.
Give up with the hope that someday might be a better day to try again; that on that fateful day you will have the numbers and support to cross the pitiful gap that for all it’s worth could be the chasm between two continents.
“He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight”
– one of the essentials of victory, Sun Tzu, Art of War
Jun 27
ErinGarbage life, musings
“I can still fix this!” is the battle-cry of the resilient or the delusional. Most of the time it is the difference between salvaging the current situation or predicament over spending a commensurate effort in going back to square one and starting from scratch. More
Jun 21
ErinGarbage Garbage, life
Why settle for mediocrity when you always have the potential to be great? Finding yourself being the big fish in a small pond is a great feeling. However the intent on staying there is a disservice to yourself. Do not be afraid to start as the average fish in the open sea as that is where you will expand your horizons and discover new things about yourself.
More
May 02
ErinGarbage, Work communication, Garbage, Leadership, life, people management, Work
Holding a ball in one hand in front of you illustrates the common fact that two or more sides of the truth can exist without negating other truths. This boils down to perception; and managing the perception of the other viewers.
My co-lead in the project was getting some reputation flak for his leadership style. When we talked about it he raised a good question: “I used the same tone and method you used a few days ago when you addressed the team. What makes my delivery different (and unacceptable)?”
It was good question because I agree that our leadership styles have a lot of similarities. How come one can get away with using that style while other people have a negative reaction? Is it the context/personality of the person using the style and the preconceived notion of the audience about the person that makes a difference? This makes me think of the social experiment wherein random people were made to taste cakes. In one experiment there was a tag price in front of the cake where the slice came from and one is expensive while the other is affordable. In one variation there are no price tags but one of the cakes were placed in a plain platter while one was in an ornately gilded tray. A lot of the people said they preferred the more expensive cake (or the one in the more expensive looking tray) better stating that it is finer and has a more chocolaty taste. The catch is that all cakes used in the social experiment were IDENTICAL.
Presentation and context may be the critical factor in play here.
Oct 30
ErinGarbage, Work Leadership, opinions, policies, Work
At any given point we are either a follower or a leader. In some rare scenario we fulfill both roles.
I am getting a reputation at work for a troublemaker when in fact I am only clarifying glaring holes in policies that are too specific or useless. These are the same policies that, to paraphrase one of my recent statuses, people wield like a paper shield that wont even muster against the slightest reason. Pitiful that the instigators of these policies are the same people that I should be relying on to look after my welfare as a follower.
In these cases I take up the mantle of being Captain Obvious. It may come across as troublesome but being a leader means you need to take the road that is not going to be comfortable. If nobody complains then it is the same as being complicit to something that you do not believe in.
Follow or lead? Do you take a chance in participating in a battle that can be the turning point of the war; or sit quietly in the corner reminiscing the “what if” of an opportunity that has long gone by? Choose your own poison.
ciao!
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