Reply to: Changing course

[MrMarkyMark]

Ahh but to work out whether to do what PC or you say, you need people skills....

Very true, hence why I said sometimes.

There isn't a one size fits all for every situation, that was my point .

[washed up contractor]

[uk contractor]

Or you could offshore it for much cheapness and forget all that

Or you could onshore it here in London!!

[northernladuk]

I feel like I'm stuck in a kind of Cassandra Complex sometimes. I have a very good instinct for what's technically right, and this is usually proved by the way things turn out. The problem is, I'm often not very good at articulating why I'm right, so sometimes my approach is rejected. I then have to stand back and watch things go to tulip, knowing if it had been done my way a load of problems could have been avoided. I've learnt that all I can do is politely give my opinion, hope it's accepted, and not to say 'I told you so'.

Rejected.

[pauldee]

I feel like I'm stuck in a kind of Cassandra Complex sometimes. I have a very good instinct for what's technically right, and this is usually proved by the way things turn out. The problem is, I'm often not very good at articulating why I'm right, so sometimes my approach is rejected. I then have to stand back and watch things go to tulip, knowing if it had been done my way a load of problems could have been avoided. I've learnt that all I can do is politely give my opinion, hope it's accepted, and not to say 'I told you so'.

[SueEllen]

Sometimes the client does not know what they want or need.
They need to be told.

That's where your simple rounding up of the perceived situation falls apart.

Ahh but to work out whether to do what PC or you say, you need people skills....

[MrMarkyMark]

OP - no offence but it sounds like your giving the wrong impressions.

Here's my take....

Client has got a contractor on board because they need or think they need someone to help with something. If they've asked for someone to come in, rip it all apart and start again then fair enough. If they want someone to come in and do something else then do that.

No client in the world is going to happy with a contractor who comes in and starts tearing it all apart even if they are 100% right. Its will likely upset the permies in the first place. You could be a world leading expert on a subject but if you come in and make one of the permies whos been there 20 years look bad, and they start whinging to management, you'll be out the door.

Even if you know 100x more than the permies (not difficult in a lot of places) do not make it obvious. It will upset them. Not saying don't make suggestions to improve things but you've got to be careful.

On the flip side, if you're helpful to permies, get along with them, and don't cause grief this can go an awful long way. Remember you're coming in, earning tons more than them so its worth showing them that you're a decent person to work alongside.

In the past, I've had contracts extended when it looked like they wouldn't have been because the permies would rather I was there than not. In this case, they kicked off about the workload if I went.

Sometimes the client does not know what they want or need.
They need to be told.

That's where your simple rounding up of the perceived situation falls apart.

[psychocandy]

OP - no offence but it sounds like your giving the wrong impressions.

Here's my take....

Client has got a contractor on board because they need or think they need someone to help with something. If they've asked for someone to come in, rip it all apart and start again then fair enough. If they want someone to come in and do something else then do that.

No client in the world is going to happy with a contractor who comes in and starts tearing it all apart even if they are 100% right. Its will likely upset the permies in the first place. You could be a world leading expert on a subject but if you come in and make one of the permies whos been there 20 years look bad, and they start whinging to management, you'll be out the door.

Even if you know 100x more than the permies (not difficult in a lot of places) do not make it obvious. It will upset them. Not saying don't make suggestions to improve things but you've got to be careful.

On the flip side, if you're helpful to permies, get along with them, and don't cause grief this can go an awful long way. Remember you're coming in, earning tons more than them so its worth showing them that you're a decent person to work alongside.

In the past, I've had contracts extended when it looked like they wouldn't have been because the permies would rather I was there than not. In this case, they kicked off about the workload if I went.

[Pip in a Poke]

This is a recurring pattern now - over and over.
I take up a typical contract offer - I figure out the technology and environment way faster than others (and usually way better than those who have been there for years).
This leads to all sorts of issues as the more established bums on seats start feeling threatened.
They happily extract as much as possible from me (solutions, insights, knowledge - which I freely document and share) but I am then accused of not being a "team player" (which I realise is a euphemism for: either don't see through all the BS or if you do, just play along. "play the game").

How does one break in to a more niche and specialist type of contracting (if it exists) where one can "get in, get the job done, get out" and not have to deal with all the unnecessary baggage.

Pull in your own work and charge for deliverables.

Ready about - lee Ho!

[northernladuk]

People skills, perception of your surroundings & how you need to interact with the existing status quo are all highly valuable skills which cannot be taught academically they can only be learned by doing & having commercial experience of different teams & cultures. Most technical skills can usually be learned but the people skills are what allows experienced contractors to keep on billing!!

Or you could offshore it for much cheapness and forget all that

[uk contractor]

People skills, perception of your surroundings & how you need to interact with the existing status quo are all highly valuable skills which cannot be taught academically they can only be learned by doing & having commercial experience of different teams & cultures. Most technical skills can usually be learned but the people skills are what allows experienced contractors to keep on billing!!

[lukemg]

Don't underestimate personal skills.
I do a very average job all round, enough to get by. However, my instincts for people are very highly skilled, I know everything about any team I am dropped in within a couple of days and I am rarely wrong about how people will bounce. I expect many contractors are the same. I get on with everyone (even if I hate them) and am very low maintenance.
Consequently, they usually want to keep me, even over perceived harder workers who people find annoying. Whether it's right or best for 'the company' I would doubt but 20+ years in the game tells me this is true.

[northernladuk]

Some clients will tell you that they want the wall painted red, and when you deliver a red painted wall, they complain that it's not blue!

LOL. Well that's true. Just have to stick a quote in for painting walls blue then

[billybiro]

Surely a good supplier is one that delivers what the client wants in a timescale they want and to a price they want. Maybe learn from past problems and become a better supplier?

Some clients will tell you that they want the wall painted red, and when you deliver a red painted wall, they complain that it's not blue!

[MrMarkyMark]

Think you missed out a line about having the emotional intelligence to not give a flying ***** when your well presented, evidence based view is rejected in favour of using a marginal tech somebody at the client company read about in a blog and thinks it's amazing despite not being remotely related to the problem you're trying to solve...

In reality, it's walking the tightrope between caring too much and not giving a sh*t. You care enough to do a professional job, not give a sh*t enough to let client stupidity wash over you.

Spot on Sir!

How about inserting developing your own in house tech, instead of your "marginal" one, instead?