Theory is great...until you add people

In software and database development since the 1990s, there have been a fundamental concepts like object-oriented architecture, relational components, reusable operations, blah blah blah. Extracted out, this means buckets of stuff are created and created in a manner in which they can be cross-reference, reused, and expanded upon without requiring unnecessary impact to the other pieces not related. These "things" become building blocks upon which multiple actions are enabled to occur in the most efficient manner possible (given the technology provided). Technical people grab their intellectual microscopes and laser in on how to make the pieces fit together functionally to accomplish their individual components in the best manner possible. These are the Technical People.

In corporate culture since the 1990s, there have been concepts like mission statement, vision, objectives, business goals,  blah blah blah. These are simple-to-grasp pictures and short phrases to which (hopefully), one may see realized by taking all the tiny little object oriented and reusable stuff and build them up to realize the vision. Visionary Leaders. connect these visions to their specific areas to realize the Ideal State by marrying up visions to technologies and espouse How Things Should Be. The target to aim for perfections, and are conceptually digested with Methodologies of the Day that simplify the strategy of their realization. These are the Visionary People.

Since the industrial revolution there have been concepts of shifts, teams, and organization of labor. Since the invention of the assembly line, there have been people funneled into areas of expertise in performing Actual Work and Getting Stuff Done according to the schedules of Visionary Leaders and using the tools of the time, which are always, always behind the curve of what Technical People and Visionary People really want. These are the Important People. They're the ones that make a company actual money.

I've been in this culture now for well over 20 years. I've spent time in the object weeds, time in the vision dreamscape, and I can express their connections. It's a clean picture....until you add people.

Visionary People, Technical People  and Important People are all different mindsets. They often dismiss or entirely ignore each other. In between these two categories are cadres of other entirely human conditions to add to the white noise of any project that involves people.

It is a rare indeed to find people who can traverse the Technical People world to the Visionary Leader world. It is even rarer to find people who speak both languages. I have encountered a handful of interpreters who can actually do this- and they have been in both camps. I treasure and learn from these people and try to do a little better each day to exhibit these behaviors also, and use them as a measuring stick to my own daily work.

A Technical People or Visionary Leader or Important People camp can also be completely decimated by strong and anti-people personalities. These may be unintentionally narcissistic or blatantly and unapologetically puffed up. This can blow a hole in the side of the ship and bring an entire voyage down. They belittle others, bulldog their way through entire teams, and no matter how much genius is inside of them, the ideas get lost in the flotsam in the sea caused by their destruction.

And of course, people by definition DO NOT fit in categories of people. People themselves are neither object-oriented entities nor living carbon-based walking vision boards. People have good days and bad days and sick days and emotions and issues and hangups. People, no matter how companies want to view it, ARE NOT ASSETS. They don't plug and play. They don't replace each other. Every team is dynamic. Relationships and trust takes time. People are not machines. They never will be, so don't expect them to be. Figuring out a way to work together is not fluffy nutter butter. It's mandatory.

So- anywhoo: my point of thinking about this all is the following:
1. Work as in life is messy an no matter what structure or point of view you personally hold, be open minded. For God's sake, listen.
2. Understanding where a person is coming from is not some nicey touchy feely nonsense. It is essential to actually accomplishing anything significant that shows up on a vision board.
3. Empathy is a giant pain in the ass.