seeya, boston

I finished my first coaching project today, and am leaving the lovely little city of Boston tonight. It’s exciting to imagine what will happen next, both for the teams I leave and for me. It’s a little sad, too: I’ve spent time with some pretty fantastic people, both the tiny ThoughtWorks team (in other words, Patrick Turley, with a little Ron and Greg for seasoning) and the gang from the client side. They’re swell, even when they’re a pain in the ass, and I’ll miss them.

People who rescue wild animals probably feel a bit like this. You like them, but ultimately the point is to send them back out on their own. The whole effort is impermanent by design. I’d like to install little tags on all these folk (painlessly, of course, and with their consent) so I can check in on everyone. Flying ok? Still favoring that frail left wing? Check it out! They met mates and are laying new generations of birdlets! [Er... maybe I'm taking the metaphor a bit far.]

Unlike wild animals, though, the best outcome from consulting and training is that we grow our future peers. I hope to see these client folk – especially the PM’s, if y’all are reading – at conferences and such in the future. Or writing books; whatever, I just want them to succeed and give back later.