Lessons I Learned from Testing Week

Last week, I was responsible for coordinating a labor intensive effort related with testing a few hundred trainees. At times, I lost my temper, but I learned a few lessons.

1.Gauge your words wisely.
You can be as mad as hell inside, but don't show it unless it might help to solve the problem (which is not often). Getting angry complicates issues and creates resistance within other people who you might be dependant on whether you like or not. Unfortunately, many people take things personally and don't think in terms of doing what's right regardless if they like you or not. Right, to some, is their ego. So, like my brother says, don't go against the tide; make the tide work for you.

Additionally, I have to remind myself also that it's not about how I feel; it's about a responsibility to a job that I have to complete in the best way I can. If venting my frustration doesn't help, then I would not be upholding my responsibility. Leaders give others; they don't take for themselves.

Related to the point of carefully calculating your words, I've noticed that when a person is emotional he tends to exaggerate, which doesn't fair well with others, EVEN IF THEY ARE WRONG. When someone makes a mistake and you respond harshly, you give that person an excuse for continuing to do wrong. He will start thinking of the hundreds of reasons why he isn't "a donkey", starting with fact that he walks on two and has no long ears, and ending with all the intelligent things he has achieved. A wiser approach would have been to be as specific as possible. It is much more useful to a person since it gives him something concrete to work with and because it is in fact an objective assessement of what happened.

2.Think of the outcomes

In some cases, it is just not worth it to change and improve something. Yes it is wonderful to put hope in achieving audacious goals and solving complex problems, but face the brutal reality as it is; haveing to much hoping in a sinking ship can cause you to drown with it.

3.Wisdom, in many cases, involves the ability of choosing the better of two good things and the less harmful of two bad things.

It's not always black or white; especially when you have more complex responsibilities and you can see the broader picture. It becomes more of a trade-off of relative than a choice between absolutes.

4.Emotional intelligence is very important.

People tend to rationalize what they WANT to do. This can work for you and it can work against you. Treat the wrong people badly, and they will find (consciously or subconsciously) a way to help you (like sending you on a very important and charcter-development assignment in SIBERIA ). In other words, all systems can be abused and there are all sorts of ways TO punish you. And you won't be able to do anything about it. Always respect others and think win-win. Accept that some people have limitations in Will and Competence (including yourself), but always question your assumptions about others. It might well turn out that you were wrong.

Always be humble is probably the most important lesson of last week. Think of others, and do not forget how weak and ignorant you essentially are.

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