It's okay to be a zealot!

I was starting to think I'd been coming on too strong recently. Too much faith in the agile ways, not enough compromise.

In some ways, I was right.

You can't coach or mentor if you don't listen to others. You can't sell an idea if you don't mold it in a way that adds value for your listener. You can't be the catalyst for change if you ignore where people are coming from.

At the same time... it's okay to have strong beliefs. It's okay to KNOW that your way is better (assuming you've experienced and proven this before). Life experience is about learning and growing. Wisdom is about sharing that with others. Knowledge is only valuable if it is passed along.

Uncle Bob posted a retort that will probably start yet another flame war between the agile community and a non-member who didn't think through his words completely enough. But his points about being a zealot, and it being an okay thing, are very interesting.

We are a problem only if we start to believe our views are the final perfect answer.