Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Three guys and a project

Three guys are working on a project.
A stranger stops to ask: "What are you making?"

The first answers: "I'm making $20 an hour"
The second answers: "I'm making a wall"
The third answers: "I'm making a cathedral"
Anonymous
What are we to make of this?
I suggest:
  • The first guy is not personally committed and does not feel accountable for the task, team, or project success;
  • The second guy is a technician, very tactical in outlook, and likely dependable and predictable
  • The third guy has the vision in mind, even if he is also a technician, but perhaps also an artisan.
Perhaps also:
  • The first guy works for money (I wonder if he is also "eats to live")
  • The second guy is one among many you want on your project -- these lend credibility to estimates (#Noestimates not withstanding!)
  • The third guy may also have his head a little in the blue-sky domain, but every project needs a few of these -- they bring the passion!