They also have failures, but the hand does not rise, the voice does not rise to criticize or sand. You seem to understand - this person definitely did everything in his power.
They rarely ask for help. It happens that resources are requested to do the job. But the refusal to help them does not upset, but, it seems, on the contrary, makes them happy and invigorates. As a challenge - to solve a problem with limited resources.
You've probably seen such people. Perhaps in the mirror. I thought for a long time what is the reason for this behavior. Particularly embarrassing is the fact that they were not always like this - something, once, happened to them, turning them from "I will do if I can" to "I will do my best."
Having scanned all the acquaintances for 15 years who fit the description given, incl. myself, I came to the conclusion: the reason is that these people were once left alone. Only its forms were different.
Sheer loneliness
It is found mainly among programmers - those who do things directly with their own hands. Previously, this was encountered all the time, and - in any technology, programming language and business.
There were dudes who implemented, sawed and supported 1C. Before them, there were people who wrote ERP systems in FoxPro, MS Access, Delphi, Builder, Adabas and the devil knows what else. There are a lot of guys who, if not created, then supported and developed company sites developed by the first "studios" (students instead of a diploma created a CMS, a cunning teacher sold the development of sites on it).
All of these programmers were fully responsible for all aspects of the system, including design, performance, accuracy of calculations, usability, scalability, integrity, etc. Because there was no one else. Either you will, or no one.
Their key goal was, of course, "to make it work." Then life divided these stand-alone programmers into two threads. Some remained gnomes in the forest - they still sit in their native plant and generate the wildest in quality, but workable code. Most of them have been working in companies and teams for a long time, where the quality of their programming (including all its aspects) has long been pulled up to the level of "you don't need to check for it."
Implicit loneliness
Another type of loneliness that is more common among managers is implicit. This is when there are a lot of people around who, theoretically, can help you, insure you, but you know for sure that they won't do a damn thing.
An even more common situation is when not only will they not help, but also substitute. Or, let's say, they will be a little happy about your failure. And they will sell it as their own achievement.
It is good if such a culture - hit the recumbent - is explicit and open. But more often it is latent, hidden. Everyone is so kind, they smile, they say pleasant and smart words, but if something happens, they will not hesitate to drive a carnation into the coffin of your career.
A person can create and strengthen ties, help others, help out in difficult situations, even save his colleagues from being fired. But what if he himself gets into trouble? Deep blue loneliness.
At such moments, many make a conscious choice in favor of loneliness.
Conscious loneliness
I really love this, because there is no other way to achieve any outstanding results. As long as you are in the team, there is a safety net. It seems like it's good when someone can lend a shoulder, spread straws or provide a vest for tears.
But this safety net is a double-edged sword. And he won't let him fall, and he won't be able to run away. You won't even be able to move faster, as if connected by one chain with the rest of your friends. How to be in this case?
In utopian theories it is written that it is necessary to teach everyone else to move at the speed you require (here "speed" is a conditional, collective term). Well, there, some methodology to introduce, for the management of development, projects or people. How it works, and whether it works, you yourself can imagine. For me, this will only strengthen the linking chain - now you not only work together, but also “develop”. You no longer even have a moral right to leave the unfortunate to their fate.
Better loneliness. Not absolute, of course - just create and maintain not all connections in a row, but only those that are necessary, that really support and help, without burdening with unnecessary obligations.
Alone, in any position, consciousness and understanding of their work seem to be cleared. You clearly understand what you have to do. And most importantly, you realize, you literally feel responsibility for the result and the process. Why?
Because the responsibility is something - to oneself. You're lonely. Yes, the task or goal came from outside, along with the responsibility to carry it out. But there is no one to share the burden with. You accept the goal as yours and do it. You do it yourself, you answer it yourself.
Never stand-alone
There are people, especially young people, who have never worked alone - there has always been some kind of team, support, at least the Internet. But there has never been an understandable, conscious personal responsibility for the result.
The guys are great, only they are difficult to rely on. A completely typical situation - you give such a person a task, he sits, is silent, he seems to be doing it, and when the deadline comes, he gets up and says that nothing happened. It’s not that there’s a little left, or there’s a problem with finishing - no, it’s nothing. Help, he says, is needed. In such a situation, it is too late to help - you have to take it and do it yourself.
True, such a situation can be attributed to a management error - like this, a young and inexperienced employee found himself without intermediate control, a meetup, a stand-up or something like that. Although, this situation also happens with quite adult employees.
Okay, let's add intermediate controls. We know in time that a person needs help. Suppose I found out in the morning, and you say - right now, there is no time, meetings, then this, I will help after lunch, and while you try to figure it out on your own, it will be useful for you.
What will happen after lunch, in what state will the task be? Well, exactly the same as in the morning. And the browser history will show you well what the time was spent on. Okay, if the person was still trying to Google a ready-made solution.
There are especially many never-stand-alone managers - those who seem to be, go to work, sit in a chair, yawn at meetings, and there is exactly zero responsibility, as well as results. Because they have overgrown with connections - there is nowhere to put a test, and, in fact, they already (or still) do not know how to work. There are always people who will cover up such a leader. And the results will not be required.
Temporary stand-alone
It is clear that loneliness in work is always temporary, but the length of the segment can be determined either by circumstances, or by the person himself, or by a good boss. If the segment is determined in advance, then stand-alone turns into an exciting and incredibly fast-paced challenge, thickly filled with adrenaline.
An artificial stand-alone from a manager usually looks something like this: you are personally responsible for completing a task or project. It is clear that there will be people around who should help you, due to their responsibilities or the charter of the project. But they are not responsible for the outcome, and their poor performance will not serve as an excuse. Organize, force, beg, strain everyone you can, but do it. Acts magically.
Another option is when all the same is offered not by the manager, but by the employee himself. Something like jumping into the pool with your head. You come to the manager and say - I can and want to solve such and such a problem, with personal responsibility for the result. The bosses from such proposals directly spread into a happy smile. True, having received approval on such a stand-alone, it is better to bring it to a result, otherwise they will no longer agree, and you still have to build connections, settle in and yawn at meetings.
However, in my opinion, staying in a stand-alone state for a long time is unhealthy - or adrenaline will gobble up from the inside, or you will become a dwarf in the forest - a lonely producer of boring, useless garbage. Sometimes you need to take a break from loneliness and hyper-responsibility.
Take a break from stand-alone
Sometimes you just want to dissolve in mutual responsibility and irresponsibility, when everyone seems to be doing something, but it's impossible to figure out who is responsible for what. You sit next to me, and you also seem to be doing something.
Such a situation can and should be used for personal selfish interests. For example, programmers in such warm places are often engaged in pumping the required skills. Especially if the company pays for all kinds of courses and self-development.
You can upgrade connections, only the goal is a little different - to use them not now, and then, when you go to stand-alone and you need some resources, incl. human. Something like blanks for the winter - roll up a couple of good developers into three-liter bottles, pickle a traveling team lead and salt a promising manager.
The main thing is not to forget that this is not forever. And then you will like it and there will be another Dogville.
Total
I am not claiming, of course, that I am right. It is likely that decent, responsible, goal-oriented employees were already born like this, and no external circumstances influenced them.
But I myself periodically find myself stand-alone. Previously, the reason was always external, now it is a personal choice. It's more interesting and, it seems, more effective. Only in stand-alone can I feel love for what I do. Because it is mine, like a child. As Artemy Lebedev once said: "It is known that children are like toothbrushes: you endure your own, but others are disgusting."
And what do you think? Not about children, but about stand-alone.