Chapter 15. A Deep Breath
I admit it. I love it when the sky is falling. There is no more delicious a state of being than the imminent threat of disaster.
During these times, Iâve done great work. Iâve taken teams from âWeâre fuckedâ to âWe made it.â Yeah, we had to cancel Christmas that one time, and there was that other time I didnât leave the building for three days straight, but it was worth it because thereâs no more exhilarating place to hang than the edge of chaos. Weâre wired to escape danger.
Thereâs a reputation you get after successfully performing the diving saves. Youâre âthe Fixer.â Youâre the one they call when hope is lost, and while thatâs a great merit badge to have, itâs a cover story. Itâs spin. See, someone upstream from you fucked up badly. When the sky falls, it means someone, somewhere underestimated the project, didnât make a decision, or let a small miss turn into a colossal disaster, and while fixing a disaster feels great, youâre not actually fixing anything.
Management by crisis is exhilarating, but it values velocity over completeness; it sacrifices creativity for the illusion of progress.
Still, right now, the sky is falling and rather than let it fall, immediate action is necessary, and my first bit of advice is that everyone takes a deep breath.
Sigh
When you see an impending crisis, your body has a distinct natural reaction. In your consideration of the crisis, you take a long, deep breath. You often donât notice ...
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