We shipped the first release of our ultra secret, classified, eyes only, touch this and die, product yesterday. The parallel run has been on for the last 10 days. Yesterday we finished configuring our client’s server, packed the box, delivered it to the client site and turned it on. Monday morning, July 2nd, we will ship the second upgrade this year for our bread and butter product Alchemy Risk Manager. This marks our transition to a two product/two platform practice in three years. Work is now on for making the jump to a three product family by calendar year end 2007.
So the real reason why I have been posting so frequently the last few days is very simple. Early June, I was told by my team that if you want us to meet these absurd and impossible deadlines you have committed us to, please confine yourself to your room. Do not come out, do not disturb us and whatever you do, please do not try to motivate us. We will be fine, thank you very much, STAY IN YOUR ROOM.
The first ten days were fine, since we were trying to wrap up our last deal of the year that would help us make our sales numbers for this quarter. Then there was the year end closing bit and a few last minute proposals for the first quarter of the new fiscal year. But once that list got wrapped up, there wasn’t really much to do but to vent and rant. I showed up for work, but didn’t really do any work. Hence the venting and ranting…
Come Monday, the New Year begins, the shipment ends and my confinement is over. Come Monday you should see a dramatic decline in the pearls of wisdom I have been sprouting for the past one week.
Moral of the story: When your team tells you to shut up, sit down and listen, it is time for you to shut up, sit down and listen.