Don’t like it, then go build it

Back when I worked for the Australian Federal Government I read a book called Rework by Jason Fried and DHH. They presented ready-to-go implementable methods to work better in a team and as a business. It left a profound impact on me to this day where I arrange my business around several of those methods.

As a junior-fresh-out-of-uni working for the Australian Government, I met with my manager every week in a fixed meeting that drained my soul. Week by week nothing changed in a significant way, therefore the meeting consisted of nothing meaningful but instead it always led to a general chit chat. After I read the Rework book it presented a better method: daily write ups about what a team member worked on for a given day. This type of automatic check-in allows the whole team to receive situational awareness on what everyone else worked on, without the constant and redundant meetings.

I felt excited and brought it up with my manager. Back then I thought if I discovered a revolutionary idea to work better in a team then everyone would be super keen to implement it. I told him about the book I read, the method, and my idea to implement it for our team. I remember his face to this day: he nodded his head, said “wow, what a great idea”, and then progressed to say “I prefer meetings, but thanks”.

I felt shocked! He asked not one question about the method and automatically dismissed it (I express why you shouldn’t do that in another post). I walked away shocked and annoyed, my naivety shun bright that day. For several more months I continued with these redundant meetings. It felt like several tortuous months, each meeting a slow drop of water on my head like the Chinese torture technique. However, it burned a red hot fire in my belly that contributed to me starting my own business.

All around me at my job I saw wastage, poor team dynamics, and poor work output. Team members that booked back to back meetings to evade work, who then went for 5-10 coffee breaks a day, that read ABC News as I walked past their computers, and that lacked technical competency but received job promotions based on tenure instead of merit. I saw the potential for a better way but instead I felt boxed up and shoved into a corner, like a caged eagle with its wings clipped.

One day I stood up and said no more. Screw this incompetency, lack of passion for work, and distain for new ideas from young people. I shall create my own business with my brother Dom and shape it how we want. On our terms, in our way, in our vision.

We started a software business that implemented every method and idea bottled inside of my brother and I. It proved difficult and hard but we prevailed and created a successful software business. Sure not all the methods and ideas worked out, but at least we tried them. In the end we created the business that we always wanted. No BS meetings, hyper focus on technical excellence, slow and premeditated growth, listening to the thoughts of young team members, and much more.

This post served one purpose, to say: if you want change then go build it yourself.

Don’t wait for the permission slip from someone else, beg the manager for change, or give in to helplessness.

Start the business you want today instead of suffering another drop of torture tomorrow.