Team dynamics - A developers monologue
The monologue of a developer going through a journey with a growing team
So, here I am, about to jump into this new team. Excited? Heck yes. A bit scared? Definitely. I've heard a bunch about this project and everyone on the team, and it's like that jittery feeling before the first day of school. I'm wondering, will I fit in? Are my skills good enough? It's this crazy mix of looking forward to what's ahead and kind of worrying about it. But hey, I'm all in, ready to make a splash and see where this adventure leads.
Alright, I'm in the team now. Everyone's super welcoming, and there's this good vibe all around. We're all being friendly and polite, sort of feeling our way around, you know? It's like we're all trying to find our place in this big puzzle. I'm getting the hang of the project, figuring out my role, and getting to know everyone. There's this buzz of excitement like we're onto something big. But I won't lie, there's this little voice of doubt, too, wondering who will lead and follow; and can we pull this off.
It’s been a few weeks now and man, things have gotten tough lately. Our meetings? They're like walking into a minefield – tense, full of disagreements, just waiting to explode. The whole team is on edge, and the vibe's just... tense. The managers are piling on the pressure, and their expectations are like this huge cloud over us. Every day feels like a battle. The stuff we built is now breaking down, and there's a lot of finger-pointing. Problems we thought were small are now these huge roadblocks. I keep asking myself, "Did I make the right choice coming here?" We started out good, but now? It feels like we're just clashing all the time. The hope I had at the start, is slipping away fast. Maybe I should get my resume updated.
It has been a tough few months, but things are looking up. We're getting real with each other, giving feedback that actually helps. We've started to find our groove. There's this new sense of teamwork that wasn't there before. We're getting used to each other's ways and quirks. I'm feeling more chill, and more part of the team. Our goals are lining up, and we're all about getting things done. Sure, it's not all smooth sailing – we have an odd blowout – but we bounce back quicker now. And a little tip: don't bother John on Mondays, he wears his cranky pants.
Time has flown past now, and things have changed. It's like we're in sync now, finishing each other's sentences and all. Our work? We really understand our product and getting to now the business well. Our quality is superb, and ideas are just flowing. I kinda feel that we shifted from just doing the work to more about figuring out how to do it better. Managements backed off a bit, trusting us to just get it done, it’s awesome. Some days, I'm blown away by how well we're doing. The amount of work we're cranking out is just crazy compared to those first few months. Just yesterday we revamped our deployment process, and it's faster than ever. Every day is a new win, a new reason to be proud. I am learning so much too. I gotta say, I love what I do. These folks I work with? They're more than colleagues – they're amazing. We’re building something special, and it's a feeling I've never had before in my career.
So, the project's wrapping up, and so is our time together as a team. It's this weird mix of feeling super proud and super sad. We're all heading off to new things, new teams. Looking back, I see how much I've grown, the bonds we've formed. It's an ending, sure, but also a fresh start. I'm taking with me not just skills and knowledge but memories of a journey that's really shaped me, as a developer and as a person. I'm gonna miss these guys.
Now, onto the next gig. It's like Groundhog Day, back to the first day of school vibes. Excited? Absolutely. Nervous? You bet.
📢 "Share Your Story": Have you faced a similar journey where you started out rough and then made it awesome? ✨ Share your experiences and insights in the comments below. 🖊️💬
This is not the end of this post; there is much to discuss about the journey, the dynamics and what it takes to help a team become hyper-productive. I will chat more about it in a community I am setting up - https://cohort.womplers.com/