Farewell
I don't often explicitly state that I work for Quick Solutions when I post to my blog. Others that work with me talk about QSI all the time. I do this because I want the articles to be what 'I' have to say about technology, not what QSI has to say.
I started working for QSI in June of 2003. I was about to start my own consulting company, and they asked me to come in to help them start their solutions business (having built a high quality technical staffing business). I thought, why not? Getting to build what I want to build on someone else's dime definitely reduces my personal risk, and if it didn't work out, I could just pick back up the 'start my own company' thing.
Nearly five years have passed, and we have built a great team. A team that is considered one of the leading development shops in our region. Each, and EVERY person on this team would be considered a rock star at any company. We have a great culture for the team, and a deep seated ownership culture across the whole company. We really do own the company.
This is the best company I have ever worked for, and I truly love working for Quick. The ownership/business culture, the commitment to the people, and to the community is what sets Quick apart.
But...I have always wanted (since I was 13) to work for Microsoft. I was a boy, sitting in the hallway of my school, waiting for my dad to pick me up. I used to stay after school every day to use THE computer at the school to code (which I started when I was 10). While I waited for my dad, I read the MS-Dos manual (amongst other manuals and books that I could scrounge up). That day I decided I wanted to work for Microsoft. This was before I even knew 'computers' could be your job or career, or that I ever thought of college, or that I would ever even leave my hometown.
Recently I just accepted my dream job, as an Architect Evangelist at Microsoft (for the Heartland District). It was very hard to leave QSI. I love the team, and what we have worked so hard to build over these past years.
This will also be the first time for me that a new job will truly be a new job. All of the jobs in the past have been very similar in nature; leading a dev team or IT department.
Here are some words of wisdom I hope is remembered as I leave:
0 : Starting lists with zero is geek-cool. It confuses humans though.
1 : Don't be a plumber. Leverage frameworks from other smart people.
10 : Do more of what works, and do less of what doesn't.
11 : Focus on helping the user kick ass.
100 : Don't think like an owner. Don't act like an owner. Be an owner.
101 : Perception is reality.
110 : Feel. Felt. Found.
111 : Passion. Learning. Problem Solving.
1000 : Eat like a bird, and poop like an elephant.
1001 : Don't ever let the bozo's grind you down.
1010 : Always tell the truth, so you don't have to remember what you said to whom.
1011 : Invest in the community.
1100 : Architecture is about balance.
1101 : The effort is the effort is the effort.
1111 : Don't play BioShock in the dark.
10000 : Put staff first. Before the company and before clients. When you do this, they will feel empowered to put the client and the company first.
10001 : Humans do have value. You just have to find the right ones, and assign them the right delegate.
10010 : Project management isn't about spreadsheets or plans. It's about communication.
10011 : work together, play together.
Ok, I have a million more. :)
I wish luck to my team at QSI, I know you guys will go further than we have ever dreamed. And I expect to stay in touch.
On to a new adventure!
Comments
I'm sad I'm losing a mentor and a friend at work, but I'm overjoyed that you're moving into a perfect spot at Microsoft. Josh did great things in the AE role; you'll bring an incredible view and experience to that role -- and the community in the region will benefit tremendously.
Good luck with Microsoft, and make sure you send some of your architectural wisdom this way!
You'll be missed as a leader in our group, but we'll probably see more of you now.
Countdown to Alexei going to Microsoft in 5....4.....3.....
Also, I second Alexei.
Although I am sure there is at least twice as much yet to learn I can only hope that the new leadership is half as good.
I would second Jim's statement in that I am sad you are going but very happy for you that you are accepting your dream job.
I can only think now of a picture in my mind; four strong arms with no head. What will become of our group?
You are the only boss that I have ever liked. Most of the time you have a boss over you that knows little about technology and sends you in crazy directions. The other opposite is a boss that is technically sound but is wishy washy with their leadership. It was a true joy to have a a leader that was technically sound.
We will miss you dearly.
You created a group of amazing professionals, whose passion and sense of community is the main reason QSI was on my shortlist of places to work.
I never thought I would go back to consulting but the chance to be a part of the solutions group was something I couldn't pass up. I'm sad that I won't get a chance to work with you on a project, but I still look forward to working with the people you forged into a team.
It’s great to see people succeed at their dreams and I wish you the best. You've helped build a great .Net community in Columbus and you'll do the same in your new role, just with a wider audience.
Having almost been a "quickie" myself at one point there is a small part of me that regrets not having experienced your leadership... There is however a much larger part of me that is know maniacally thinking of ways I can exploit your new position to help foster positive changes at my current employer.
Congrats man on an awesome new position. I hope you'll still be heavily involved in thins like CodeMash and CONDG.
Having almost been a "quickie" myself at one point there is a small part of me that regrets not having experienced your leadership... There is however a much larger part of me that is know maniacally thinking of ways I can exploit your new position to help foster positive changes at my current employer.
Congrats man on an awesome new position. I hope you'll still be heavily involved in thins like CodeMash and CONDG.
Here's another good reason not to do your own plumbing. I've worked on a system that was highly custom. The previous developer had definite ideas about the "right" way to do things, and the rest of the industry be damned, he was going to do things the "right" way. Even if he could boast a 20% performance increase over something like NHibernate, the mere SECONDS of difference this would make on the average day were utterly obliterated the first time a developer had to pause, scratch his head, and say "WTF?"
That time will NEVER be recouped, even if this system stays up for the rest of our lives.