Reminder to self: spend time regularly with people on the software product team you work on, trying out and appreciating what we’ve produced. Find that missing satisfaction in the Gestalt Cycle of Experience.

I was faced with the question of why would I normally feel drained even during the day. I didn’t find the energy to process notes I’d taken during the week of open loops. Quite a horrible experience, to put it frankly.

It was put to me that in Gestalt theory, life is modelled on a cycle of experience. You do work, you go about your day and week, and you naturally find a sense of satisfaction. If you’re not getting that satisfaction, then ask what’s blocking you from sensing that.

Leading a software product team is a lot about facilitating and empowering our team members to do the best work they can do. Leaning on their strengths for them to do their best work.

I had trapped myself in this facilitation so much so that I didn’t regularly experience the impressive output of my teammates, which was to no-one’s benefit. Instead, I can use the time to say “Let’s see what you’ve been working on; Which bits have you figured out? What are the main challenges you still face? Let’s see it in action.”