Squeaky Wheels

I am a squeaky wheel. I identify problems and risks and have a pretty good sixth sense about how things will go wrong and I want to share it to make things better.

It takes a particular workplace environment to appreciate and nurture a squeaky wheel. I have worked in organisations where I was regularly invited to be involved in conversations to give feedback on the context before there was too much investment. When I worked at Government Digital Service in 2014 this was a standard to which many of the teams worked. Things were often pinned up near to the lifts or in the kitchen asking for feedback.

The opposite is also true, I have been left out of conversations when people did not welcome any identification of risk and saw it as criticism. An egotistical person may react negatively or dismissively to any feedback that is not overwhelmingly positive, as they may have a strong need for validation and admiration. I also believe that it is a symptom of simplistic thinking and not understanding when things require diverse groups with different experience to ensure that something works for more than one individual.

I regularly hear from people who worry that their colleagues are fed up of their comments despite how well meaning they are. I would encourage them to find ways to…