A Tribute - AmyElizabeth

Yesterday, we had a going away lunch for a member of our software team at Xerox. AmyElizabeth had been with the group for around four years, but she wasn't able to dodge the latest expense cutting measure. :-(

The group asked me to "say a few words", so I dug through some of the many pleasant memories I had of the time AmyElizabeth was on the team. I thought it would be good to write the speech down while it was relatively fresh in my memory. On further reflection, I've added a couple more comments here in addition to what I actually said.

Oh, fair warning is that there are plenty of inside jokes, as one would expect from such a tribute....
------------

How many of you have read the book, "Peopleware" by Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister? I still consider that to be my favorite book on Software Development, or on almost any other topic. Rather than focus on the technological aspects of software projects and why the succeed or fail, they looked into the personal dynamics of writing software. What aspects of a development team make one succeed and another one flop?

One of the core concepts that DeMarco and Lister introduced was the idea of a "gelled team". More than just a group of people on a project, a gelled team is knit together as a single entity with a common goal. The success of the individual is tied to the success of the team. If you succeed, then I succeed. There is no challenge too great, no mountain too tall to climb. Nothing can stop a gelled team.

Now, many managers try to build "teams". They stage "team building events" until they are blue in the face, but until the team itself takes ownership of the bonding, nothing happens. The team is gelled by the actions of the members, and the bonds that they develop themselves. The best managers recognize the kind of people who tend to create gelled teams, and cultivate them.

Now, we have a lot of really good people here in this team, from top notch engineers, to "Big Picture" software architects, to managers who "get it", but we've also had something else. We've had a magic ingredient.

Now, it's not altogether clear what it was that AmyElizabeth did to create this magic. Maybe it was the vending machine birthday cakes that she always remembered, or the hair drier in the morning (when the power went out). It could have been convincing Wayne that that it really was his 50th birthday, or sending out three separate "meeting" invites to convince two different people that the get together was a surprise party for the other guy, when it really was for both of them together. Maybe it was, "I need penguins... I need lots of penguins," (all 756 of them). I'm sure the Zero Year cakes (complete with gummi-worms) had something to do with it, along with delivering 50 birthday balloons one at a time. Then, there were the sushi outings, the Pink Flamingo divas, and the Real Chet Yoder. I'm sure that walks around the buildings went a long way in helping us keep our sanity.

I'm sure AmyElizabeth has been accused of many tricks and "decorations" for which she was not responsible for, but then there are a few that I know of that were never figured out. However, it's not surprising that she developed a reputation for being behind most "disturbances" in the group. Any time there was something going on, be it in a hallway or at the Summer Picnic, chances were good that you'd find AmyElizabeth in the middle of it.

Now, most groups have a practical joker, but AmyElizabeth's teasing always had a different feel to it. Many practical jokes are meant to embarrass the victim, or there is a subtle put-down hidden in the laughter, leaving people feeling smaller. However, with AmyElizabeth, you were always left with the feeling that people were laughing with you, not at you. It was to draw people together, to let every individual know that he or she was noticed, important, a part of the family. It was important to remember and celebrate your birthday, even if she had to make a cake out of vending machine cupcakes or animal crackers. Creativity was a key, as was doing the unexpected. These were the kinds of attitudes that brought us together and made the team jell.

AmyElizabeth, now you are heading off to something new and different. I don't claim to understand the whys and wherefores, and I must say that the timing of this is change is uncomfortable to say the least, but I am confident that God has wonderful things in store for you out there in the future. Know for sure that you leave this group with our fondest memories of the time you have spent with us, and with our earnest hope for your bright future. Go with our blessings, and with the certainty that you still have a lot of friends back here to keep in touch with.

God bless you AmyElizabeth. We will sorely miss you.

Time to Come Together

I've often noticed that it's at times like funerals and workplace going away lunches that we finally take the time to get together with friends and family -- people whom we've often not seen for years. I used to think that was a pretty sad commentary on humanity, and the way-too-busy lives we lead, but I don't know if that's really true. If you think about it, those are the times when we've lost someone (even if it's just the relatively short term loss of not seeing someone on a day to day basis of a working relationship), and we are reminded of just how much we are dependent on each other. We are lonely, and we come closer to comfort each other.

It's times like these that we are reminded that we should take a moment to slow down and think about our friends and family. The world rushes by so fast, and before we know it, some situation or circumstance moves us apart. Maybe it's our children graduating or getting married and moving away. Maybe it's a friend passing on, or a good friend getting laid off at work, or making a change in their career path. They're here, and then in the blink of an eye, they're gone. Maybe it's not a permanent separation, but it's not the same as it was before. Don't let it catch you with regrets.