Thursday, July 12, 2007

Gordon Ramsay's Lessons for Software Take Two Gordon Ramsay began a new season of tasty lessons for gourmet software chef's trying to run their own restaurant, err software development group. You may want to read what we learned in the first season of Gordon's tough love school of restaurantary. What new chicken nugget size bits of wisdom have we learned so far? Always put the nights earnings in the bank. Don't cook everything on the same grill. Use separate pans or flavors from last weeks fish will be in today's veggie medley. Don't double book. You can't turn more than one table an hour. Pride and arrogance are what stops you from learning from the provocative lessons dancing in front of your face. Lazy ways of cooking taint everything you make. Don't piss off the locals. If the locals aren't happy then you won't make money during the off season. Create vivid experience based learning sessions. To reduce pride in a charge take them to a bullfighting ring and have them fight an angry bull with nostrils flaring for vengeance. Arrogance fades when a giant multi-horned bull tries to kill you. And once the arrogance melts some learning can occur. Don't be too clever. Use local ingredients and cook cleanly and simply. Let people taste the food. You know you are doing well when you aren't stressed; you are communicating; everything seems easy; dishes come back clean; customers leave happy; and you make money. Eat your own dog food. Eat at your own restaurant and experience what it's like from your customer's perspective. Do you like what you experienced? Run your pub, not your kitchen. It's easy for a cook hideout in the kitchen. You own the business, so run the business, let the chef cook, and let your people do their jobs. Don't try to be something you are not. If you are a pub then act like a pub. A pub serves well cooked, simple, traditional food. Don't be a fancy restaurant if that's not your market. Working a lot of hours doesn't mean you are doing a good job. It just means you are working too hard. Don't hord junk. Keep what you need to do your job and get rid of all the clutter that keeps you from your main purpose. Do any of these lessons apply to building software in a team? I think some of them do. But you're the chef. Hey, Pat Kennedy caught the Gordon Ramsey bug too in his post <A HREF="http://www.gurtle.com/ppov/2008/02/04/gordon-ramsey-is-a-great-consultant/">Gordon Ramsey is a great consultant</A>. Pat's say Gordon exhibits several key traits: confident – the meek might inherit the earth but they’re rubbish at getting the job done experienced – having done it all before he knows what he’s talking about and everyone knows it well rounded – it’s not just about the cooking, to run a successful restaurant you need to know about every aspect of the business eager to teach – he’s not a pompous prat who refuses to share his knowledge and experience, he gives it willingly And he: Demonstrates simple ‘tricks of the trade’ that can be the difference between staying afloat or going under. Breaks the dire straits situation down to individual problems which make answers become simple. Gives the outsider’s perspective is a big advantage. Identifies actions having the greatest impact in the shortest possible time. Gets people skilled-up and self-confident. Ramsey may be a total a**hole, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from him. comment[] 9:26:42 PM       digg   reddit

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