Industrialised Learned Helplessness

We often call something “industrialised” when we wish to suggest that it happens on a large scale, and has been dehumanised in some way. 

In many of my Organisational Psychotherapy gigs over the past decade I have seen learned helplessness writ large in individuals organisations, especially in development teams.

Curiosity Died

Ten or twenty years ago software folks seemed interested in new ways of doing things (in particular Agile software development). Curiosity was widespread and optimism too. There was a sweet scent of change for the better in the air. As far as I can tell, this has all but entirely disappeared now. 

Software folks seem more and more resigned to the fact that organisations – to wit, management – will just NOT do those things necessary to making software development successful. 

Is there any hope left in the software industry? Or are folks simply resigned to endless frustration and ineffectiveness?

– Bob