Discussion on:

The human side of IT consulting

... if it weren't for all the humans involved.

Have you ever felt like that?

It's entirely too easy (and too tempting) to increasingly cut humans out of the work -- which tends to lead to cutting out the work, as well. There's a balancing act involved, to be sure.

We all need to get paid, and that requires people who will pay us to do something. But I shouldn't complain -- I get to do a lot more of what I really enjoy than most people.

At least you can duck your head and bury it behind a computer screen.

My job is focused on working with people.

You chose that though, didn't you? I thought I was escaping human contact, only to find that I needed more people skills than ever.

No Job

Remember that?

I read every word of it when you first put it out.

Resembles messing with high, human explosives.

Yes, human interaction is far less predictable than the interchanges of integrated circuits.

You run into the human that is integrated. Then, you have your hands really full of integrated unpredictability.

Excellent advice Chip. I like you prefer to sit at home and hack on an application but these reminders are valuable. Keeping that balance is important.

Avoid romantic involvement with your client?s employees, and don?t do anything embarrassing like drunken karaoke or slam dancing at the company party. Just trust me on those.

Sounds like you have a story here. Do tell.

I've *always* avoided the personal relationship thing at work. At one job, there was a woman who was interested in me. But, I don't mix business with pleasure. So, that never happened. And, it's smart to avoid that potential hazard.

Nothing worse than finding out the ex-girlfriend is the pet of the top boss at one of your major clients, and he/she starts giving you dirty looks and speaking in short sentences.

Gives me shivers just thinking about it.

Nice article, tho. Good points.

... I was significantly less careful about interpersonal relationships. I can think of at least five romantic relationships that began in my client's office. I was lucky and managed a graceful exit on most of them. But it only takes one really bad one to burn you.

The last one of the five became my current/final marriage. We've been together almost fifteen years now.

...way to end that streak.

Personally, I'm thinking about robbing a bank and then running off with some crazy gal into the forests of Italy.

This sitting in an office with my door shut because my co-workers are too disrespectful and not mindful enough of their blabbing...really drives me up the wall.

No wonder I want to work from home.

If you could manage the running off with that crazy gal into the forests of Italy without robbing a bank, you might avoid interruptions from the polizia.

..the story behind this statement; "Just trust me on those."

Can we have some details???



:o)
TCB

I tried to be more "social", tried to fit in.
It was like swimming up a s.creek without a paddle.
Everytime I went to bar, I noticed one thing ... half of ppl there were a half-brains and the other half tried their best not to stick out like a sore thumb.
I hate small talk ... waste of time.
Do not like kids, so family is out of q.
Hate office politics, so home-work serves me best.
Prefer way comps think to people ways ... sometimes wonder if ppl think at all, of is it just an instinct based actions mostly fuelled by evolution induced 3f (feed, fight, ****).

So again ... I'm a hermit and that suits me just fine.

Would never flaunt being a geek nerd hermit. You would never be heard from. Yet, I distinctly heard you.

The Internet isn't real life, and those words aren't real people. Hermitous types don't have any problem talking to *words*.

Even my own hermitous streak enjoys responding online. There's so much more control in a conversation where you can respond at your leisure and edit your words several times after they're first spoken.