The Gift of Time [Paperback]

"The Gift of Time" is a career retrospective on Gerald M. (Jerry) Weinberg, one of the pioneers of computing. It is composed of chapters contributed by colleagues and students each addressing one aspect of Weinberg's work. The book is really a collection of stand alone essays, each an introduction to a topic that Weinberg has investigated and taught. Together, they provide both a collection of different lenses for understanding and prescriptions for action. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved in software development or is interested in how people interact in business organizations.

I was impressed that Weinberg's students thought enough of their teacher to create this book to honor him. One of the contributors, Jim Bullock, is a colleague of mine who has been able help me with work challenges many times; often attributing the advice to Weinberg. So, I eagerly ordered this book expecting to learn new ways to understand organizational interactions.

Reading "The Gift of Time" I started with the chapter "Solving the Groupthink Problem". The chapter author first introduces Virginia Satir's five freedoms and congruence model - to see, feel and want what is here and now, and engaging simultaneously with self, other and context. He then describes how he used these tools in working with groupthink while organizing a technical conference. I could see immediately how I could use these tools myself.

Next, I read "To Measure Process Improvement, Look at How People Behave." The title caught my attention because I have seen people follow the letter of a process while ignoring the intention. The author calls this "Pathological Box Checking". He then brilliantly summarizes the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and typical behaviors encountered at each level. One example is observing whether people are on time to meetings. If they are not, it is clear that they are at Maturity Level 1, regardless of what an assessment has said. The other behaviors mentioned were as easily identifiable and as telling. The chapter makes it is easy to see whether the formal maturity level and people's behavior are consistent.

Then I read "Time - and How to Get It." The chapter begins beautifully by stating that time is the most important gift you can give to other people. The author points out that humans value time so much that they define it using a nuclear event multiplied by a 10 digit number. I was also challenged to write down my definition of time. I said: "Time is a resource to be allocated via prioritized to do lists which are adjusted for life events." Before reading further STOP and WRITE YOUR DEFINITION of time. It is enlightening. Lastly, the chapter provides some perspectives on time, for example, contrasting a boat's mandated 5 mph cruise versus the mad rush to the airport by car. This chapter made me truly appreciate how to allocate time as opposed to just responding to events. Also, I am now aware of the human perception of the tempo with which time is allocated.

The writing style makes for quick and easy reading. The individual chapters are bite sized. The only mild annoyance were the undefined acronyms. In one paragraph on page 67 I found: SEI, PSL, MBTI, and AYE. Perhaps if I had read the chapters in sequence, I would have avoided looking up acronyms.

Over a couple of weeks, I have taken 3 bites and thoroughly enjoyed each. Sometimes the snacks were prescriptive while others provided perspective. I can't wait for the full meal.

I highly recommend the book.

I started reading "The Gift of Time" with certain expectations, but as I kept reading, I found those expectations challenged.

I thought I would have a nice easy read about tributes to Jerry Weinberg. Instead, I found myself jotting down words and phrases as I was reading each of the essays. As a life long learner and a dabbler in the areas of systems thinking and organizational behaviour, I found so many tidbits of information and from so many perspectives, that my thoughts started running rampant. I wanted to go start researching and reading more.

And it wasn't only about systems thinking. For example, the essay by James Bach got me thinking again about basic testing premises. The one by Naomi Karten about experiential workshops made me think about my own tutorials and workshops and how I could improve the exercises I use. Congruent feedback by Ester Derby gave me a new way of thinking about giving feedback and understanding the importance of context... yet again. The list goes on.

I am sure everyone who reads it will pick up new ideas to research or will revisit some that need renewing. So much of what Jerry Weinberg has given the world is summed up so nicely in this small book of essays.

Fiona Charles has masterfully crafted a selection of essays from various authors and professionals who represent a sampling of Jerry Weinberg's "lineage" (to use a term I learned from an essay in this book) - a lineage that spans generations! I have collected and learned from many of Jerry's books over the years as various opportunities presented themselves. I have even met him a few times and heard him speak on various topics - e.g. computer technology, quality, personal development, problem solving, writing, sci fi, family therapy, consulting, and others. And yet, through this book I learned more new things about him, the work he has done, and the impact he has made on various professionals in different fields.

This book was different from similar books that I've read. The essays were written in a personal way that almost gave the book a kind of documentary feel to me. I liked that because it made it easier to digest the essays compared to similar, more technical essays that I have read in other books. Having said that, I still learned many new things from many of the stories within these pages and have made a list of more books I want to pick up, people I want to meet, and things I want to learn more about.

The Gift of Time will make a good addition to any software professional's library. Like most of "Gerald M. Weinberg's" collected works, there's a little something for everyone in this book. I can see myself re-reading it. I'm glad to have a copy.