Satellite

It took me too long to realize that the paper I just read was directly relevant to me. It was about teams. I was on a team. Why didn’t I get that? Last month I read and wrote about The Development Sequence of Small Groups, by Bruce Tuckman, who discovered the classic Forming → Storming → Norming → Performing sequence. After I read it, and in great arrogance, I thought, “Well now that I know about the perils of storming, I’ll be sure to look out for it and guide the team I lead through it.” What I didn’t consider is the storm that was going to hit me the hardest wasn’t going to be the team I was leading, but the informal team between me and my peers. ...

I’m doing this project from the top-down. It’s totally unlike how I normally work. But it’s also my first time leading a team, which is also unlike how I normally work, and has different needs. This job is my first time as a manager and a (formal) team lead. I finally understand what it means to get everyone moving in the same direction. I have very little idea how to do this. I’m just trying to get everyone to believe that this can get done from the top-down. Meaning, first they agree that the vision is possible, then the roadmap is a good ordering, then the epics are nice and contained, etc. ...

Three months ago I started a new job with a huge jump in responsibilities. I went from a comfortable Programmer and Occasional Scrum Master, to a panic-inducing Architect, Team Lead, and Manager. These are roles I’ve wanted for a while, so I’m happy to be here, but it’s a weird new world for me. I have a few things going for me: My boss believes in me, I’m working with a great devops guy, and my last job showed me what a sane development process looks like. I have a few things going against me: The company is just coming out of the chaos of a buyout and reorg, and my wholesale lack of experience. I was given a small project to manage, Satellite. It should take less than six months, with a team of four developers, one QA, and two UI/UX people. Unfortunately I only get them part time. ...