Interruptions, Coding and Being a Team

Esoteric Curio – 折伏 – as it relates to coding

Our job as a team is to reinforce each other and make each other more productive. While I attempt to conquer some of the engineering tasks as well as legal tasks, and human resource tasks I face, I need concentration and it world certainly help to not be interrupted. I used to think I needed those times of required solitute pretty much all the time. It turns out that I have added far more productivity by enabling my teams than I have personally lost due to interruptions, even when it was inconvenient and frustrating. So much so that Ive learned to cherish those interruptions in the hope that, on serendipitous occasion, they turn into a swift, sprititual kick to the head. After all, sometimes all you need for a fresh persective is to turn out the light in the next room; and, of course, to not have avoided the circumstance that brought you to do it. Too often we confuse personal productivity, or even just the impression of it, for team productivity. So often though having individuals slow down is the key to making the team as a whole speed up.  See also Go Faster By Not Working and The Myth of Measurable Productivity.