Hate Your Fellow Coder? Here’s What to Do.
Photo by Mike Meyers on Unsplash
If you’ve ever disagreed with your tech colleagues, you aren’t alone. Software development seems to be full of those judgmental types you would cross over the road to avoid in your normal life. These clashes should be tackled professionally if you wish to keep your job in these tough times.
“I usually have disagreements with business people.
Because they are wrong. So much wrong.”
Help is Coming
This article contains the ways to deal with those more challenging software development workplaces. The techniques are then applied to three real-life situations that software developers often find themselves in at work.
“Still sounds like something my manager should deal with rather than wasting my development time on this stuff.”
The Clash Plan
If you have a software developer clash simply enact the following three-step plan. Soon your woes will be gone!
Reflect
Think about the people you are dealing with and their motivations.
Make a plan
Think about what you will do next time.
Avoid making it personal
Working with others is naturally stressful and you need to take a step backward from the situation and think about how to make it better next time.
“So, this is the plan. How can I get this into my daily coding life?
I hope the next sections help (pro tip: they will help).”
Communication
If you’re speaking with others, you might get into a communication clash with them. In fact, this can be true for all comms, including email and Slack. Some people need more time to consider their responses and consider a way forward. Others like to process ideas during a conversation and collaborate in a more extroverted style.
Clashes can occur since those who are more introverted can feel that they do not have the opportunity to speak, and the more extroverted can feel frustrated that others aren’t taking part in decision-making processes.
“I know there are a few introverted people where I work.
Probably not me. I just answered a spam call in Spanish for the lols. Why not?”
Reflect
Think about the tool you are using to communicate. If you have a clash over email, perhaps the problem is that you aren’t speaking face-to-face. Perhaps the communication style of your chosen form of communication does not suit either the person or the thing that needs to be communicated.
“My last performance review lasted 15 minutes and we had cameras off on a video call.
To say I feel like an expendable part in the corporate machine is an understatement. Managers, please don’t do this. I guess my manager just moved on and didn’t reflect on whether the meeting achieved his goals. I guess it did?”
Make a plan
To prevent the issue next time, think about the communication method, and what needs to happen to ensure that the message comes through with clarity.
“Coders should plan their work and their life. It doesn’t guarantee success, but it makes it more likely.”
Avoid making it personal
It might be stressful to have face-to-face conversations with some colleagues. The situation might be difficult, but it isn’t anyone’s fault.
“I think everything to do with my manager is their fault though. It could be, right?”
Culture
The Secret Developer’s racist colleague said that all Indian workers were lazy and this is no doubt unacceptable. A good culture doesn’t have overt racism like that.
“It’s about the culture that your company offers you to help get your work done. Unlike my current position where people seem to be dedicated regarding NOT getting work done.”
Likely you’re working with various people with various birth countries, races, and other characteristics. This doesn’t just mean that some have different hairstyles to you, people might have different values. It might even include people working in different time zones and physically absent from face-to-face meetings.
Culture presents a large challenge to many people in our working lives, and we work in an organizational environment. It would be usual for our personal cultures to fit into a wider organizational environment, and it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure everyone can fit into that wider culture.
Reflect
Think about what you have done in dealing with your colleague. How can you make communication better between you, and make sure that you are being inclusive in your company culture?
“Sometimes we make mistakes regarding culture. I found it difficult working in parts of Asia though when people wouldn’t say hello or goodbye at the office. Simply turn around and they’re gone.
Unlikely as it sounds, I was on the one out of step with the culture by being friendly.”
Make a plan
You might need to think about how you interact with people, and how the environment can be made to be inclusive.
“You can make things better even when a relationship seems bad.
I hope.”
Avoid making it personal
Even if one of your colleagues is in some aspect an “outsider”. If this happens it’s not one person, it’s everyone who will be in that position in the future. It’s not personal, it’s paving the way for people in the future to be their best possible selves.
“I guess calling my underperforming colleague sleepy was personal. Correct but personal.”
Working Styles
Some might work different hours, favoring the early morning or night. Some might spend more time thinking over their work and others might prefer action!
Creating a harmonious environment means accepting different ways of working and getting things done. Adapting to different working styles is a way to ensure you get the best out of everyone in your organization.
Reflect
We aren’t all the same and understanding that is important. We should think about how we differ in our targets and methods of progressing as well as fitting into our current organization.
“If you reflect and think that being lazy is the right thing you’re probably asking the wrong question.
Make a plan
There should be some non-negotiables while at work. Turning up to necessary meetings on time is important and required. However, changing things so all the important meetings aren’t in the sleepy afternoon is a reasonable adjustment that could be made.
These can be factored into an individual, team, or organizational plan.
“Isn’t the working style one where you make a plan. Is that it?”
Avoid making it personal
People work in different ways and making an organization that embraces neurodiversity is important, and something that we should move away from the individual(s) involved.
“Other people work in different ways. It’s just that my colleagues have a low-quality way of working and introduce bugs. That’s just how it is.”
The review
Communication
Consider your colleagues’ differing abilities and communication styles when communicating.
Culture
Understand that others might not have the same background and be mindful of what you say.
Working Style
People work in different ways. Accept it and change to accommodate.
Conclusion
It’s probably easier if everyone just starts to code and gets the work done.
“Meetings should really be left to others.
I have no idea why we are expected to even speak to other people.
Talking to machines using code is where it’s at. End of conversation. ”