So here's a question I have been battling with for weeks. Some of these things are definitely things that are wrong with the system, but how reasonable are some of these other points? Like wanting to work on interesting projects, wanting to work with smart people, etc. Is it selfish to want a lot of these things? I quit my job a few weeks ago because of some of these reasons, and I can't help but think that maybe sometimes you have to just live with some stuff.
I guess what I'm asking is where is the line between being that guy who's always fighting management and being a yes-man? And are all of these things really actionable issues?
One thing that has happened with me is, as I progress, my expectations about what is reasonable have changed.
I used to get really unhappy about being asked to just "get a quick fix" out the door. At my next job, I wasn't nearly as internally angsty about this, given that there is a tradeoff between what the business needs ("this bug needs to be fixed now so that merchandise can arrive by Christmas") and core engineering.
I often wonder, then, if my previous position would have been less stressful to me had I a different expectation about the tradeoff between engineering-vs-business needs. To me, working with smart people was something I wouldn't compromise on. But doing non-interesting bugfixes? Less of an issue than it was previously.
Many of them are. Firing people who should not be there for example, culling the middle management horde always helps.
Living with stuff is needed I think as long as you have some sort of hope, once the hope is gone person checks out and will leave or turn into dead weight himself.
I guess what I'm asking is where is the line between being that guy who's always fighting management and being a yes-man? And are all of these things really actionable issues?