Stuck in a dead-end job…
During a recent conversation with on of our client, the project manager informed me of a new iPod Touch application they had just released. A few days later, I downloaded the National Film Board application from iTunes’ AppStore and installed it. As I browsed through some of their short films, I came across this one.
The Necktie is the story of Valentin and his quest to find meaning in his life. Stuck in a dead-end job, he has forgotten all about the things that used to bring him joy. Years pass, and boredom replaces all his aspirations and hope for the future. It is only on his 40th birthday, when he rediscovers an old accordion hidden in the depths of his closet, that he regains his lust for life.
Working with organizations to help them transition toward a more Agile work environment, I couldn’t help draw many parallels between this short film and some of the people we meet. Although some people count the days until their retirements, many decide to change the course of their career within their organization (and sometimes outside) in an attempt to enjoy life and have fun once again. I hope you’ll enjoy this short film.
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There are no parallels whatsoever to be made between this short film and clients transitioning to an agile approach.
That apparently confident character crinkling up an endless amount of paper can’t in any way represent an architect coming up with big designs up front while knowing that its value is less than optimal. It’s also difficult to draw any parallels between the main character and a functional analyst pounding out documents only to be left on a shelf. At least in the short film they have the decency to shred it.
Ok, I must admit – this short film is a pretty good representation of what we see in most organizations, big and small. And it’s a perfect representation of low value work simply being tossed to the next unit.
I wish I could say this short film is nothing but “over the top” symbolism, but it isn’t.
Thanks for the post!