Lots and lots of stuff going on here- family stuff, music stuff, work stuff.....just lots of stuff. Since, apparently in the blogsphere I'm something of a malcontent, I have to share one thing- but I think that this topic transcends more than just the obvious.
Lately, I've been working on a side project- I can't go into too many details about it, but it's an online music education system that, if it's done right, will be a total game changer. The concept is something I've never seen before, and it's truly revolutionary. It's been dreamed up by two players who are in that strata that can only be described as "the best of the best" (and, no, I hardly qualify in this company) and will be something that will be emulated- I guarantee it. If it's done right.
If.
The problem is that in the "inner circle" of this project is one person who I'm not sure really understands what is being attempted. He has a modicum of technical knowledge, but that knowledge is really limited to his skillset (he's a marketing dude) and how to hook this piece of barely functioning software to that other piece of barely functioning software in kind of a "cobbling" methodology. And, the gameplan seems to change day to day, minute to minute, and I'm partially convinced that this happens for his own amusement- but, I'm more convinced it's because his knowledge of what's being attempted is at such a high level that he can't get down into the weeds (where I am) and worse than that- he doesn't want to, nor does he see any value in it.
We've all experienced people like this in our personal and professional travels. They've experienced a small amount of success in doing something a certain way, and that certain way becomes their hammer. The trouble with always wielding a hammer is that everything else begins to look like a nail. Pretty soon, all the identity of what you're trying to do -be it a web site, band, widget - goes out the window and what you're left with is something that is far, far less than what you started out envisioning.
Why am I telling you, my gentle readers, about this?
In this day of microwave society, everything anyone does has just become mediocre. It only has to be good enough, and no one expects or wants craftsmanship. They don't see the value in deferring to people who have been doing things for years and years at a level that they don't understand. Some of that mindset is actually good and warranted- it keeps things simple- but when the person who is directing your efforts has no interest in the value that you are providing, you're faced with only two options: Educate or Eradicate.
I like to err on the side of Educate first. That's where I am right now with this thing. I'm extremely passionate about how this thing is supposed to work, and I'm passionate about working with the two owners of the project. The marketing guy seems to see our passion as unnecessary- and we're having a devil of time convincing him otherwise. If we can't convince him that the passion is an absolute requirement in order to do this correctly, we'll have to move to Eradicate. Hopefully it won't come to that- unlike him, I see the value that he is providing in his misguided way.
The next time you're faced with someone who's "know-it-all" attitude just doesn't have the juice to back up what's trying to be attempted, my fondest hope is that you'll remember this and identify it for what it is. Misguided.
Lately, I've been working on a side project- I can't go into too many details about it, but it's an online music education system that, if it's done right, will be a total game changer. The concept is something I've never seen before, and it's truly revolutionary. It's been dreamed up by two players who are in that strata that can only be described as "the best of the best" (and, no, I hardly qualify in this company) and will be something that will be emulated- I guarantee it. If it's done right.
If.
The problem is that in the "inner circle" of this project is one person who I'm not sure really understands what is being attempted. He has a modicum of technical knowledge, but that knowledge is really limited to his skillset (he's a marketing dude) and how to hook this piece of barely functioning software to that other piece of barely functioning software in kind of a "cobbling" methodology. And, the gameplan seems to change day to day, minute to minute, and I'm partially convinced that this happens for his own amusement- but, I'm more convinced it's because his knowledge of what's being attempted is at such a high level that he can't get down into the weeds (where I am) and worse than that- he doesn't want to, nor does he see any value in it.
We've all experienced people like this in our personal and professional travels. They've experienced a small amount of success in doing something a certain way, and that certain way becomes their hammer. The trouble with always wielding a hammer is that everything else begins to look like a nail. Pretty soon, all the identity of what you're trying to do -be it a web site, band, widget - goes out the window and what you're left with is something that is far, far less than what you started out envisioning.
Why am I telling you, my gentle readers, about this?
In this day of microwave society, everything anyone does has just become mediocre. It only has to be good enough, and no one expects or wants craftsmanship. They don't see the value in deferring to people who have been doing things for years and years at a level that they don't understand. Some of that mindset is actually good and warranted- it keeps things simple- but when the person who is directing your efforts has no interest in the value that you are providing, you're faced with only two options: Educate or Eradicate.
I like to err on the side of Educate first. That's where I am right now with this thing. I'm extremely passionate about how this thing is supposed to work, and I'm passionate about working with the two owners of the project. The marketing guy seems to see our passion as unnecessary- and we're having a devil of time convincing him otherwise. If we can't convince him that the passion is an absolute requirement in order to do this correctly, we'll have to move to Eradicate. Hopefully it won't come to that- unlike him, I see the value that he is providing in his misguided way.
The next time you're faced with someone who's "know-it-all" attitude just doesn't have the juice to back up what's trying to be attempted, my fondest hope is that you'll remember this and identify it for what it is. Misguided.
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