Today I had some users request for an implementation that would have gone against the best practices set up by me and my team. They actually had a very good use case, and if I did not make an exception for them, their application would stop functioning.
I told them that if they acknowledged the risks and sent me a written confirmation, I would implement the change pending my manager’s approval. My manager replied to me within five minutes to let me know that we wouldn’t be making any exceptions. This is what she said:
I don’t like it when we break our own standards. The minute you start compromising, you set a precedent and bad things start happening.
I don’t know why, but I really liked it when she said that. A lot of people are going to be angry with us today, but we stuck to our expertise and experience. I feel like being able to judge whether or not to compromise is a great skill to have, and I will strive to get better at it. It’s funny, the conversation I had with her was professional in nature, but I feel like this can apply to all aspect of my life.