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by finnthehuman
2232 days ago
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I can't agree more; say "no" early and often. But there are cultural forces, even moreso in software development workplace culture, that make saying "no" hard/uncomfortable, and receiving a "no" feel like a bigger deal than it is. It leads to the passive aggressiveness we're all familiar with, and that leads to a further slide, adding even more ambiguity to a rejection on the scale between "eh, maybe not right now" and "fuck off and die in a fire." |
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Then again, workplace is so different to OSS. It's different power dynamic. You're not a despot in the workplace if you're taking orders from above. In a real sense, when you work for someone, saying "no" to work tasks can mean getting fired.
But in another sense, you need to be able to talk to people in your workplace as peers (again different to the OSS situation we are talking about here), using NVC and what not, to make sure your needs are getting met, you feel heard, and you're healthy. A "no" as in "I'm not unwilling to do the work here" but "this doesn't work for me" and talking is necessary. A workplace where you can't say no does not sound very good.
Well, receiving a no that's a different story, and people need to get that it's their responsibility to get used to that, and it's okay to get a no.
Giving a no, that discipline is essential