I’ve never encountered this problem any place I’ve worked at; people learning too much, so much that they never get around to finishing things. I’ve seen not finishing things but not because of too much learning! Still, this article at Gadgetopia does make a lot of sense and bring some good points, especially the conclusion which in my case (and I think a lot of people’s) has more to do with “stop procastinating” than “stop learning”. I can see where there is overlap and where he’s coming from though.
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This is all related to the architecture of a project. Once the decision is made and understood by everybody to use a certain type of technology, the team should make it happens, no questions, no changes, no nothing. On another the search for new technology, new knowledge must therefore be made by employees that are not currently on projects, this is a great tool by any enterprise to retain and motivate its personnel. If the VP of Moral.com tells everybody that if you want to include a new concept in a future project it will be possible, but you will do it only on spare time, and will have to bring forth proofs of concepts. Then what you really need are a management team that listens to its employees. If the idea is not practical says so, give reasons, but if the idea is good, say it loud. Praise Joe Dev. so others will try to follow in his footsteps.
Learning can be as bad or as good as the enterprise makes it. Left unchannelled the learning will turn to procrastination and will often never have any link with the core business. But channelled by energetic management, the benefits will always outweight the employee lost time.
Agreed!
Wow, it’s almost like we’ve already talked about this in another life! ;)