Deviant OllamApr 19, 2025

"Learn the difference between 'helping' and being 'helpy'"

~ @wendynather at #BSidesSEA

(If all you are doing is pointing at things and saying "look I found all these problems" you're not helping, you're being helpy... Being "helpy" allows you to claim that you're part of the process and a valuable part of the team and it makes you visible in meetings but doesn't actually improve anything.)

Show threadSeán Fenian
@deviantollam @wendynather With the proviso that there is a distinct difference between "Look, I found all the problems" and "I think that this is the set of problems we need to solve." You can't progress on solving problems until you first understand what the problems to be solved are.
Apr 19, 2025 at 5:47pmWeb
Show threadDeviant OllamApr 19, 2025
@zakalwe @wendynather This is true, but it's important to recognize that no one's job should be limited *exclusively* to "finding" problems
Show threadSeán FenianApr 19, 2025
@deviantollam @wendynather Absolutely. The next step should be "Here's what I think may be a good approach to solving this particular problem."

(And if I had a buck for every time the response was akin to "We don't consider solving that a priority, we're focused on adding this new feature [which will make the problem worse]"...)