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How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
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Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#2Is this at Oracle? :-)
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#3I did not have experience with the whole team or department consisting of such guys, my situation was just several individuals (and I could not just fire them) within overall good collective. My appoach was to be very straightforward in communications, no motivational bullshit and no teaching tone. Just straight to what I expect from them to deliver. And I tried to give them tasks that are less related to critical core functionality - more like admin tools, etc.
Do not expect any wonders from them, and you cannot just change them - try to reduce risks,harm, and demotivation they can bring and treat them as adults.
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#4Let's start removing "old" from the list of things we want to filter out of our workforce. Age discrimination is real and it surfaces in the most insidious ways such that adding it to a list of negative traits just seems natural.
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#5Let's start removing "old" from the list of things we want to filter out of our workforce. Age discrimination is real and it surfaces in the most insidious ways such that adding it to a list of negative traits just seems natural.
we don't want to filter out, but manage.
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#6Is this at Oracle? :-)
Sounds a lot like the other old school tech companies as well: IBM/Cisco/HP/Intel/etc...
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#7I’d type out an answer but I just saw Sandi Metz’ amazing talk on influence in the context of software teams.
Highly recommended.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VzWLGMtXflg
As for the rest, I’d take a step back and check if it is possible that the “old, unmotivated, change-resisting” could be possibly judgments (hint: they are) and what did they result from.
Example: I requested that we make changes X, Y and Z, and Peter refused on the premise that ... (to replace “change-resistant”)
Also, Peter is 45. (To replace “Old”)
Working with judgments is difficult because they close the possibility for dialogue. Working with observations opens possibilities for inquiry.
Also, even programmers can feel when they’re being judged, so there’s that.
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#8Let's start removing "old" from the list of things we want to filter out of our workforce. Age discrimination is real and it surfaces in the most insidious ways such that adding it to a list of negative traits just seems natural.
we don't want to filter out, but manage.
Could you define “manage” in more detail and possibly provide an example?
Right now this is very vague and it sounds like you’re facing an immovable obstacle.
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#9Let's start removing "old" from the list of things we want to filter out of our workforce. Age discrimination is real and it surfaces in the most insidious ways such that adding it to a list of negative traits just seems natural.
we don't want to filter out, but manage.
Old age is not something to be managed. People are old, not by choice, but by natural processes that no one can control. You will be old one day and hopefully no one will see that as something that has to be managed, but if we feed into this negative trend then it is likely you will be seen in that same light. In the meantime, make a positive move away from ageism and remove that attribute from your mental profile of employees who requirement more management than others.
Re: How to manage old, unmotivated, change resisting programmers?
#10What sort of change?
Have you asked them what they don't like about the change? - Just letting them say their peace to the right people will alleviate some of their anxiety, especially if the concerns are repeated and addressed or at least responded to.
Does it clearly solve problems in the existing system? - Show them the pain categories in the old system that the new one will address, features that work better or are easier to maintain.
Are you giving them enough learning/experiential on the new system? - Let them try out new methods on the new system such as testing solutions that they feel might not work, so they can see all is good, or really less impossible they may have thought.
Once they feel effective on implementing the change then they will better cope with what needs to be done and work toward it.