Football pt 5

The next similarity between football and software development is that a great team player will always plan to have a successor. In any given season, a player may blow out a knee or separate a shoulder or have any number of other injuries. A backup will have to come in and perform just as well. A great team player will make sure that the incoming player will know everything he needs to know in order to play his best. A software development team is similar. People get pulled off projects, leave companies, teams, etc... At any given time, a programmer should make sure that his successor knows everything his mentor knows. This includes both project and non-project related knowledge. You can be a truly great player without doing this, but you'll never be a truly great team player.