Defend Professionally!
Don’t argue blindly. Be ready to get convinced as much as you are to convince others. Read on to know the blunder I made.
Bootcamp Day 10
Paired with Prajval (yeah again :P). I don’t exactly know why we paired again. We had to complete the new problem given on Day 8. In fact start over, because we didn’t actually get much time to work over it. The day started with the same drill. Following Baby Steps, being professional and doing all this in 20 minute code and review cycles.
Somehow, after lunch, our team came up with three different approaches to the problem at hand. I found two of them equally suitable, but Sidu made me (like literally) choose one. I had to. You don’t have choice when he asks you to do something. I talked to him over the break, he gave me the insight about his decision to make me do so.
When on floor, you simply cannot afford to be confused! You have to choose an option, and be accountable of its influence over the further project building. You simply cannot say that both of them seemed equal, and so I tossed a coin to choose one. You have to make an informed decision. Millions are at stake over every decision you make.
This was a real eye opener.
Further, I discussed with him my arguments of both the approaches, wherein he gave me a slight hint that I was on the right path. This made me confident about my decision. Post break, the discussions over the three camps were to follow. It went a bit loud. Everybody went religious about their camp, not ready to listen others. And such situations are harmful for me, since always. I simply cannot bear arguments. My short tempered brain has to convince the other person, and mostly by inadvertently raising my voice. The worst thing I can do is to not let others speak, and predictably, I did the same. Though I was consciously trying to be polite and soft, it probably went bad. My biggest weaknesses, intolerance, and short temper, which I have been consciously trying to fight for years, took over again. And it was a bad day. I need to learn things, I need to learn being polite and controlling anger and being tolerant and patient and learn to listen to others in an argument.

Bootcamp Day 11
Paired with Saurabh. I was to facilitate today. After the blunder I did the day before, I could not afford to lose temper again. I had to be polite, and most importantly listen to people. Trust me, for a person like me, this is tough, very very tough. Basically I decided to stay out of all the arguments for the day, and simply listen to people’s views. I was to reiterate the conclusions of the argument the day before. It was not easy to state the pros and cons of each argument in an unbiased manner. I tried to do my best. This is when I realised that the point I fought upon the last day was a bit faulty, and basically I was arguing for shit.
Though, as the discussion grew, Sidu proved the camp I supported to be the best option available, and successfully convinced all others to follow the same, the best take away for me was not the technical cognizance, but the way he argued for the point, stated his views, simultaneously listened to all others and not went rude or dominant. It was a lesson learnt.
Yes, I learn this lesson after every blunder I make owing to my short tempered dominating attitude, but this was the first one in professional world. I hope this is the last one too.
The day went good. But the event was a real epiphany. You can simply piss off people by not letting them speak or not listening to them. And this probably is the biggest harm you can do to yourself in the professional world. Be equanimous in a discussion, don’t ever be religious to your line of thoughts, because you are no holy grail, you can be wrong any time. Keep your mind open and listen others’ arguments. Be ready to get convinced.
