Not Slow, But Deep: A Programmer's World Through Ayurvedic Elements

We are all different, not only in our abilities, but also in our perception, communication styles, and ways of doing things. Ayurveda, a nearly 5000-year-old wellbeing system originating in India, helps us understand these individual differences through the five elements (ether, air, fire, water, earth). This approach reminds us that everyone's nature is unique. Each individual is composed of a combination of these elements in different proportions, and this combination determines how we think, feel, and behave.

This element-based approach contributes not only to self-awareness in the workplace but also to understanding differences within a team, reducing conflicts, and making task assignments more efficient.

If you're ready, let me explain the practical application of this approach in the workplace, using the example of a programmer (Mustafa) whose ether and earth elements are dominant.

Our main character, Mustafa, is 36 years old and has been working as a backend developer at the same company for 7 years. He's quiet, disciplined, and keeps to himself. His colleagues describe him as "introverted," "careful," and "good at his job, but a little slow." Sound familiar?

What does Mustafa complain about?

• Because constant revisions and updates distract from the focus.

• from interference in his work and interruptions while writing code

• Job applications that are poorly planned, even if done "in good faith".

• inability to express oneself correctly when having to explain technical details

• Because speed is seen as more important than quality.

• From not being fully understood what he's doing and not being visible

Through our test, we identified two dominant elements in Mustafa's being: ether and earth. So how do these elements manifest in his identity as a software developer?

Ether

• They have a high capacity for abstraction and design the system from scratch.

• It thinks about the future and produces visionary solutions.

• Simplicity and functionality are important to him.

• They may have difficulty putting their thoughts into words and summarizing them.

  
  

Soil

• He is detail-oriented, systematic, and works in an organized manner.

• It values rules, processes, and stability.

• They work patiently, but this patience can sometimes be perceived as sluggishness.

• The project focuses more on the "infrastructure" side rather than the "humanitarian" side.

 

Areas of Strength

• Software architecture and infrastructure design.

• Establishing sustainable systems in large and long-term projects.

• Database design, data integrity, performance optimization.

• Technical quality and organization of the code.

Areas where they might struggle

• Showing flexibility in the face of constantly changing demands.

• Communicating effectively with non-technical people.

• Completing projects quickly and providing immediate solutions.

• Being assigned simple tasks

  
  

When we evaluate Mustafa in terms of time management, the combination of the ether element's strategy-oriented planning and the earth element's attention to detail can lead to him being perceived as slow and impractical.

Despite being deep inside, they may appear indifferent to the outside world, making them quite susceptible to misunderstandings within the team.

Corporate Observation

Mustafa possesses deep technical knowledge and a reliable personality. However, within modern team dynamics, he might sometimes be perceived as "slow" or "cold."

Assigning him to stable and demanding tasks, sharing communication responsibilities, and including him in planning will increase his productivity. It establishes a structure that guarantees the quality of the code even years later, but understanding this may take time.

How should a strategic message be delivered to Mustafa in the Ether + Earth profile?

1. Avoid unprepared, improvised communication.

• Mustafa wants to feel safe and have time to think.

• It's helpful to give a briefing before the meeting and share the agenda in advance.

2. The message should be conceptual and systematic.

• Ether wants to understand the concept and the big picture.

• The soil, however, wants to know the details and the method.

Therefore, messages like, "The long-term impact of this project will be this... To achieve this, we first need to systematically establish these three steps," ensure that Mustafa completes the work expected of him by his manager/team and produces a high-quality result without becoming disoriented.

3. Clarity is important, but shallow expression is unsettling.

Communication by establishing cause-and-effect relationships:

Wrong approach: "You must write this code immediately."

The correct approach: “Since this module will affect the entire system, it’s important that we clarify this part by next week while maintaining quality.”

4. Instead of creating time pressure, the emphasis should be on "steady progress".

• Instead of simply saying "You need to train them," it would be more effective to structure the process together.

• He becomes more creative and productive when given "time".

5. The need for visibility should be acknowledged, but not directly praised.

Mustafa wants to be seen, but he doesn't want flattery.

The right approach

"Thanks to the infrastructure work you've done, the system is so stable. This long-term thinking is very valuable to us."

In summary, it is possible to unlock a person's potential in the workplace through approaches that align with their nature. The Ayurvedic elemental approach reminds us that each individual is a balancing and building block.

Individuals with dominant ether and earth elements bring values such as stability, infrastructure, and sustainability to organizations, and under appropriate conditions, create work that has a profound, trustworthy, and long-term impact.

If approached with expectations and communication styles that are not in line with their nature, these individuals will either withdraw or be misunderstood. However, when given the space to work at their own pace, they can be the quiet but most solid pillar of a team. This approach not only improves the individual's well-being but also enhances employee engagement, organizational satisfaction, and sustainable productivity.

Every orchestra has an instrument whose sound isn't heard, but which carries the melody. Mustafa is one of those instruments. And to truly hear it, one must first recognize the elements of musical notes.

If you found a piece of yourself in Mustafa's story, know that you are not alone.

And what about you? Are you earth, fire, or a bit of ether?

Or is it that half your team is water element, and you just don't realize it?

If you're curious, write to us and let's decipher the language of the elements together.