Yes, I worked in business software consulting and can affirm that people in my industry, too, do not want to hear the plain and simple truth, regardless of the implications of doing so.
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| Photo by Floriane Vita on Unsplash |
A VP outsources software development to a distant country for pennies on the dollar, saving their organization millions of dollars over hiring domestic engineers and project managers. Years later, he comes to me for some extra work, requesting bug repairs and additions.
I advise them of the significant, major defects in the software caused by the cheap outsourced contractors' ignorance of (or disregard for) domestic laws, regulations, or third-party service conditions, weaknesses that put personal customer information and payment information at risk of leak.
Is there any chance that VP would be grateful to me for pointing out these flaws in a project he oversaw, the "savings" from which he received a large bonus, probably the cause for his promotion to VP? Is there any hope that the VP will do the right thing and bring these facts to the CEO's attention? Obviously not. They are unconcerned about the risks or the potential consequences for their clients.
The simple truth is that there is a threat - a threat to individuals with decision-making power and a threat to the organization's financial viability. It costs money to correct these problems, and it raises the question of who is to blame for the bad decision-making that led to these problems in the first place.
It raises a slew of awkward questions, such as why these issues were not recognized sooner. Who approved this architecturally unsound design? Is there already a data breach involving customers? Who is legally responsible if there is a breach? Who can we blame?
When you encounter this type of thing time and time again as a consultant, you have to ask yourself: do I tell the client about issue X, knowing that it would irritate them and possibly result in them pulling out of the project and risking my job? Is it really my obligation to tell them stuff I wasn't hired to tell them?
If you have a conscience and attempt to do the right thing, you won't stay in the industry for long. Nobody likes hearing the truth. Nobody wants to deal with the genuine issues. And the folks who fill your shoes when you're gone, the ones who stick around, couldn't care less about these things. Apathy has become the institutional norm.
I've seen the same thing happen in public education when the wrong people are in charge: brilliant, passionate teachers are either shattered or driven out.
The ongoing battle for the moral high ground is too much for most people to bear. You can only fight for so long before giving up. Pick a random industrial tragedy or commercial breach, and you're almost certain to come across a story like this.
A messenger was shot, warnings were ignored, and inconvenient questions were not addressed.
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