The last half of December is when the professional world goes to sleep. The Christian holidays, the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, and the commemoration of Kwanza take the wind out of the global economy's sails. For a brief period, business people spend time with family and friends. It is a chance to rest, recharge and take stock of the previous year. Today, I want to attempt that same activity.
If you look at measurements, 2022 was a strange year. Since the end of the Second World War, the Russian army has been fighting in Europe for the first time. Inflation rose in response to growing demand after COVID restrictions but is starting to cool. Authoritarians worldwide seem to be on the rise, with the 2022 Olympics in Beijing becoming the high point of the global arrogance of that worldview. The world is still smoldering from the previous year's wildfires, and politics in the United States and the United Kingdom looks like a dysfunctional mess. Finally, any man that had any cultural influence made themselves look like a nitwit. Amid all this background noise, I was working as a technology consultant attempting to coordinate the activities of development teams across three continents.
Working as a technology consultant is an exhausting career. It is not for the weak and takes a mental and emotional toll on anyone who does it well. You spend your time getting incompatible systems to work together. While dealing with these engineering challenges, you confront the confusing world of office politics and leadership. I stumbled into the vocation because I was good at computers. It also occurred to me that I can lead other developers and business people to get work done. I am a weird kid with nerdy hobbies who grew up to become one of the many anonymous figures who keep the global economy spinning. I cannot imagine doing anything else for a living. Over the years, I have experienced plenty of disappointing situations. Still, I have come out of these experiences more dedicated to making the world of work more sustainable, satisfying, and sane. In a way, it has become my life's devotion.
First, I want to recognize my colleagues from CAPCO who have been there when I needed them. I could only do my job with a great support network. Michael Guerrero has been the best coach, and I look forward to being under his mentorship for a long time. Casey Schaffer is the woman who took a chance on me and taught me the importance of animal rescue daily. Beth Yiznitsky is a serious professional woman who does not take herself too seriously, and it inspires a loyalty that is difficult to understand. I am also grateful to Owen Priestley and Kyle Chavers for letting me be myself at work and allowing me to help others. Together with my fellow CAPCO employees, we are a "merry band of pirates," which I work with daily.
I also feel like I need to recognize some people outside my company. Monica Guillory at Surestaff and I go back almost ten years, and even though we work at different organizations, we still keep in touch. We are both committed to diversity and inclusion. We both know that work can be a source of dignity and power instead of alienation and despair. Thanks for helping me keep my chin up. I also need to recognize two people I know through the Chicago Agile Coaching Exchange; Ryan Ripley, the Agile for Human's podcast host, and James Carpenter. Both are fighting to make agile real in organizations and doing it one client at a time: nerdy respect, folks.
I consider myself fortunate. I have people in my professional life who support me, but where I am most lucky is at home. Carol Zelaya is a great life partner who loves me the way I am. My parents are still alive, so I often enjoy their company and wisdom. Finally, I have a group of friends who allow me to be childish around a board game table a few times a year. 2022 was a strange year, but I am grateful for all the people that made it worth living. I will take a week off to enjoy the holidays with my family. Next time, we will look ahead to 2023.
Happy holidays and until next time.
The last half of December is when the professional world goes to sleep? That's the start of my busy season.... I'm doing something wrong.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Ed. It is important to remember that we're all fortunate to do what we do, and that finding people you enjoy working with can be difficult.