Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#1

Post by startupfreak » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:01 PM UTC

I worked at tech-team-of-one startups for years. Now I'm working at a big organisation.

In the last sprint, I chalked up 41 story points. The rest of the team (3 other devs and a mostly hands-off tech lead) collectively achieved 9 story points. That's 1 medium-sized ticket each over the space of a fortnight. Everyone has a good excuse, but they ALWAYS have a good excuse.

It's driving me nuts. I'm a good coder, but this isn't about me being good, this is about them all being, on paper, completely ineffective. No one inside or outside the team seems to be batting an eyelid about this. I feel resentful and... confused.

It's hard to stay motivated when the bar is so low, but I would feel guilty slacking off all day. What do I do?

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#2

Post by mydriasis » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:03 PM UTC

I also work at a start-up, and I've heard from bigco friends that yes, it _really is that much slower at big companies_. Unfortunately I don't think there's much you can do besides be an ass-kicker and gather up some promotions, maybe?

Maybe some other startup-to-large-company folks will have interesting insights. I feel your pain, though. I'm also used to a fast environment, I can't imagine slowing down like that.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#3

Post by lantry » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:08 PM UTC

maybe just go back to a startup?

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#4

Post by fnimick » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:09 PM UTC

How can you be so sure all your colleagues are useless? Are they doing any important but non-flashy work (planning, documentation, cleanup, etc) that isn't captured by the "story point" metric, which is a pretty bad tool to gauge productivity anyway?

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#5

Post by crop_rotation » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:09 PM UTC

Everyone works slowly at a big company. What you should do is try to see how you can leverage your contributions to grow faster. People not only work very slowly at big companies, but saying something like that might land you in HR issues. People will work at different pace, and the company has decided that their pace is acceptable too. Just ensure that you get credit for your own work and rise fast.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#6

Post by itake » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:10 PM UTC

You’re probably optimizing for the wrong metrics. Look at the people that are promoted quickly and copy what they are doing.

It probably isn’t number of JIRA tickets.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#7

Post by superchroma » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:12 PM UTC

You're working too hard. And you're stupid. You set your own high watermark super high, now you can't back it off without getting questions directed at you.

At no point in your career is holding your peers to account part of the role of a developer. Get that through your skull quickly.

Either find a job where you're under the hammer more and the comp is what you want or learn to live with this. Or work on your own projects on the side. Do anything but what you are doing.

The best employees don't get promoted or celebrated for working super hard. I've never yet met one who was.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#8

Post by basicallybones » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:12 PM UTC

You are asking how to change the culture at a big organization. It is not possible unless you are C-Suite. This is true of most smaller organizations as well, though in smaller organizations the C-Suite may be more accessible.

This is the time to work on yourself. Do not let your team change you or slow you down. Do the work required, improve your skills, and go find a better team.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#9

Post by darthrupert » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:12 PM UTC

You should ask yourself what you are doing to help them become as good as you. And also, whether their poor performance is your fault.

If nothing else helps and you don't want to be the best guy, go work in another place with better people.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with 0.1X programmer colleagues?

#10

Post by icedchai » Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 2:12 PM UTC

This is generally a management problem, and there is probably nothing you can do about it. Enjoy your free time: pick up some new skills, manage your stock portfolio, read a book, etc.