In January, I moved from Texas to North Carolina. When I was in Texas, I flew to client sites around the country. But the last few months I’ve been spending more time at clients on the east coast, and have been driving more often.
Now, my brain considers flying an opportunity to catch up on sleep. Driving on the other hand, is an opportunity to tiptoe-through-the-tulips, or anyplace else it seems. No map, no rhyme, no particular reason, even…..just random thoughts, reflections, conversions, explorations, and discoveries.
And if the day is sunny and bright, the traffic light, the scenery beautiful, and the music inspiring, I’m filled with the same freshness, optimism and excitement I felt as a kid on a road-trip. Yet at the same time, quieter, easier, more comfortable being with myself. I thought I’d periodically share a few of my observations from these road-trips. Not because they’re brilliant, or deeply philosophical, or earth shattering or anything, but because sometimes random thoughts are all I have.
Last week as I was driving back from NOVA (Northern Virginia), this song by Lee Brice came on the radio. I was singing along (not well, mind you), and it occurred to me (randomly, of course)….if the conversation took an Agile view, what would it say? So, I took a shot:
Today, outta the blue
Driving along, singing with the tunes
I heard him say, “What would you do,
If you’d never met me.”
I laughed, and said, “I don’t know,
I could make a couple of guesses, though.”
I breathed deep, my thoughts ran free
I said, “Well, Agile, let me see,
I’d do a lot more estimatin’,
I’d probably spend more time project plannin’,
Play the same ol’ schedule game
If I’d have never known your name
I’d still be doing that ol’ waterfall,
I probably never would have heard the call
Of a different way.
Now, I’m just a simple man
Unaware, yet pretty astute
And, I’d be looking for an option like you.”
I could tell that got his attention,
And I said, “Hey, did I also mention,
I wouldn’t trade one single day
For a hundred years the other way.”
Agile smiled and raised his brow,
‘Cause of course, he’s heard it all
I said, “Come on Agile, don’t you see,
If I hadn’t been so lucky, I’d be
Managin’ meetings for team members,
Reportin’ status to senior leaders,
Stockin’ up on ibuprofen,
Plannin’ stage gates every so often.
There’d be a project schedule in the hall,
And not one index card on the wall,
I’d keep candy in my desk drawer,
But I’d be in an office on a different floor.
And honestly, I don’t know what I’d do,
If I’d never met an answer like you.”
Well, that’s my version….how would your version go?