Set Limits for Your Boss

I have been a programmer for many years, I admit I'm no where close to the best, but I kept plugging away and did accomplish some things that made people more productive, and maybe less frustrated. Along the way I learned that I needed to set limits on my boss, whoever they were at the time. Let me explain. One time the IT director told me I had gotten a bad review from a primary stakeholder. 'Never completed a project' I thought things were going along quite well, so how did that happen? This 'primary stakeholder' was always moving the end goal, or adding to the list of functions. Therefore, I was never finishing or reaching the end. How I fixed the Problem From then on I needed a protection against bad reviews. No one had told me before that I needed a contract for work accomplished. I started writing up a project plan and had the stakeholder sign off, before work started, and when completed. Then they could add or change anything they liked. Only they first needed to acknowledge that this task was completed. That put an end to bad the reviews, and made everyone happier, especially me. :-)

May 23, 2025 - 18:10

I have been a programmer for many years, I admit I'm no where close to the best, but I kept plugging away and did accomplish some things that made people more productive, and maybe less frustrated.

Along the way I learned that I needed to set limits on my boss, whoever they were at the time. Let me explain.

One time the IT director told me I had gotten a bad review from a primary stakeholder. 'Never completed a project' I thought things were going along quite well, so how did that happen?

This 'primary stakeholder' was always moving the end goal, or adding to the list of functions. Therefore, I was never finishing or reaching the end.

How I fixed the Problem

From then on I needed a protection against bad reviews. No one had told me before that I needed a contract for work accomplished. I started writing up a project plan and had the stakeholder sign off, before work started, and when completed. Then they could add or change anything they liked. Only they first needed to acknowledge that this task was completed.

That put an end to bad the reviews, and made everyone happier, especially me. :-)