Agile Lessons: Navigating Shifting Priorities in a Tech Career

I was recently working independently on a PoC for the first time. An existing feature needed significant changes to accommodate new requirements in our product. This eventually grew into a platform-level feature implementation across all our products.

After working for more than an year as a junior, this was my first independent task of real significance. As I was 3 weeks into the work, the initial discussions and study were just completing.

Before I could get the approval for the next phase of the PoC, a new client signed in for a new product development. While I was preparing for my next meeting presentation, we were called in for a discussion.

After the meeting, all our tracks and tasks were put on hold until the new product was ready.

This is normal in a tech company. A few months ago, I would have been devastated to be taken off the work I was so invested in. It has happened before, but perhaps now I know better, because this time, I felt nothing.

We all know what happens when product enhancements clash with the client’s requirements. The enhancements will be blocked until someone takes them up voluntarily. And yet in a fast-paced environment, it’s not likely that someone will find the time to take up work on top of their existing load.

So yes, my first independent PoC might just go under the rug and never get implemented.

But now I think this is what experience teaches us. This detachment is professionalism. The ability to shift from one track to another without feeling sad or angry because you know that’s how it works, that’s what comes with experience.

This situation showed me that I am an asset to my company because this is the second consecutive time that I have been assigned to a completely new project.

And for now, I’ll go with that.After working for more than an year as a junior, this was my first independent task of real significance. As I was 3 weeks into the work, the initial discussions and study were just completing.

Before I could get the approval for the next phase of the PoC, a new client signed in for a new product development. While I was preparing for my next meeting presentation, we were called in for a discussion.

After the meeting, all our tracks and tasks were put on hold until the new product was ready.

This is normal in a tech company. A few months ago, I would have been devastated to be taken off the work I was so invested in. It has happened before, but perhaps now I know better, because this time, I felt nothing.

We all know what happens when product enhancements clash with the client’s requirements. The enhancements will be blocked until someone takes them up voluntarily. And yet in a fast-paced environment, it’s not likely that someone will find the time to take up work on top of their existing load.

So yes, my first independent PoC might just go under the rug and never get implemented.

But now I think this is what experience teaches us. This detachment is professionalism. The ability to shift from one track to another without feeling sad or angry because you know that’s how it works, that’s what comes with experience.

This situation showed me that I am an asset to my company because this is the second consecutive time that I have been assigned to a completely new project.

And for now, I’ll go with that.