4 ms·

Instead of "hit by a bus," I prefer the term "win the lotto." Any member of your team could win a life-changing amount of money in the lottery, inherit it, win

Instead of "hit by a bus," I prefer the term "win the lotto." Any member of your team could win a life-changing amount of money in the lottery, inherit it, win a gambling bet, etc. Frame it as a good thing rather than a death or a change of hire - somebody might just flat out retire because they don't financially need your employment anymore.

dgritsko 6y ago
I'm a fan of "hit by the lottery bus" myself.
- dang 6y ago
  That poor person would then need rocket surgery.
nkrisc 6y ago
Sure, but even someone retiring after winning the lottery might deign to write a few things down for you. The point of the bus scenario is that there is not even the possibility to ask them a question you might get an answer to. I don't really see why framing it as a positive thing or negative thing matters, no one is actually getting hit by a bus, it's just a hypothetical scenario.
- BrentOzar 6y ago
  > Sure, but even someone retiring after winning the lottery might deign to write a few things down for you. Might, or they might not. Just as if someone were hit by a bus, they might be able to communicate from their hospital bed...or they might not. Hope is not a strategy.
  - nkrisc 6y ago
    > Hope is not a strategy. Well yeah, that's why the whole scenario in the first place is that they're hit by a bus and instantly killed. Maybe it should be rephrased as "blown to a million pieces" then there's no question you're discussing a situation in when there's an immediate and irreversible loss of knowledge.
MattGaiser 6y ago
I see this one as a different problem. If your team members who won the lotto would just give their two weeks and quit, then your company/team has a substantial morale/motivation problem. Such a company is not creating an environment where people enjoy being a part of it.
- jdmichal 6y ago
  Yea sorry that's bullshit. I certainly don't need the stress of a job in my life if I have other options. I don't care how much I like my job, it's still a job and the only reason I'm doing it is to make money. Otherwise I'd be spending time with my family and doing hobbies, of which one would likely still be writing software. And I wouldn't expect anyone in that position to give me two weeks. Two weeks is about not burning bridges. If I never need to cross that bridge again, what do I care if it burns?
  - ghaff 6y ago
    >And I wouldn't expect anyone in that position to give me two weeks... If I never need to cross that bridge again, what do I care if it burns? IMO that makes them an asshole. But, to your point, sure. If I have FU money then depending on a lot of things including what arrangements I could make with an employer, I might well choose not to work for someone else.
    - jdmichal 6y ago
      Agreed. A rich, independently-wealthy asshole. But there's also a difference between my moral judgements and my preparations. I can hope someone won't be an asshole, but I will prepare for it.
      - ghaff 6y ago
        Sure. And again this comes back to the bus factor. If someone disappears off the face of the earth for whatever reason that will hopefully not precipitate a major crisis at any company with more than a handful of people.
mac01021 6y ago
If I win the lotto, I'll give 4 weeks notice. If I get hit by a bus, not so much...
neomindryan 6y ago
I love this, thank you

dgritsko 6y ago

I'm a fan of "hit by the lottery bus" myself.

dang 6y ago
That poor person would then need rocket surgery.

nkrisc 6y ago

Sure, but even someone retiring after winning the lottery might deign to write a few things down for you. The point of the bus scenario is that there is not even the possibility to ask them a question you might get an answer to. I don't really see why framing it as a positive thing or negative thing matters, no one is actually getting hit by a bus, it's just a hypothetical scenario.

BrentOzar 6y ago
> Sure, but even someone retiring after winning the lottery might deign to write a few things down for you. Might, or they might not. Just as if someone were hit by a bus, they might be able to communicate from their hospital bed...or they might not. Hope is not a strategy.
- nkrisc 6y ago
  > Hope is not a strategy. Well yeah, that's why the whole scenario in the first place is that they're hit by a bus and instantly killed. Maybe it should be rephrased as "blown to a million pieces" then there's no question you're discussing a situation in when there's an immediate and irreversible loss of knowledge.

MattGaiser 6y ago

I see this one as a different problem. If your team members who won the lotto would just give their two weeks and quit, then your company/team has a substantial morale/motivation problem. Such a company is not creating an environment where people enjoy being a part of it.

jdmichal 6y ago
Yea sorry that's bullshit. I certainly don't need the stress of a job in my life if I have other options. I don't care how much I like my job, it's still a job and the only reason I'm doing it is to make money. Otherwise I'd be spending time with my family and doing hobbies, of which one would likely still be writing software. And I wouldn't expect anyone in that position to give me two weeks. Two weeks is about not burning bridges. If I never need to cross that bridge again, what do I care if it burns?
- ghaff 6y ago
  >And I wouldn't expect anyone in that position to give me two weeks... If I never need to cross that bridge again, what do I care if it burns? IMO that makes them an asshole. But, to your point, sure. If I have FU money then depending on a lot of things including what arrangements I could make with an employer, I might well choose not to work for someone else.
  - jdmichal 6y ago
    Agreed. A rich, independently-wealthy asshole. But there's also a difference between my moral judgements and my preparations. I can hope someone won't be an asshole, but I will prepare for it.
    - ghaff 6y ago
      Sure. And again this comes back to the bus factor. If someone disappears off the face of the earth for whatever reason that will hopefully not precipitate a major crisis at any company with more than a handful of people.

mac01021 6y ago

If I win the lotto, I'll give 4 weeks notice. If I get hit by a bus, not so much...

neomindryan 6y ago

I love this, thank you