In my ten years as a software engineer, I’ve discovered a bizarre trend that smooth projects often get less recognition than chaotic ones. It may be due to a perception that it must have been an easy project if it was so smooth. On the other hand, projects with multiple day follows, dramatic reverts, etc get a ton more visibility. Have others seen this on their organization?
1
Yeah, it's been like that pretty much everywhere I have been. Once the org reaches a certain size, leadership tends to only know who you are if they have to find out there's a problem and it turns out you're either the person who fixes the problem or you yourself are the problem. Especially true during the pandemic when chance encounters and polite chitchat in the hallway weren't happening.
growth comes through conflict, not complacency. thus, as long as the outcome is overall positive, a violent project earns your stripes more easily than a smooth one - you are a known deliverer through adversity.
Yes, you get rewarded for putting out fires, not for being smart enough not to create them in the first place. Squeaky wheel gets the grease.