The Tao of the Software Architect

Today I read about the Software Architect role in the SEI website, and I found a lot of very useful information:

• Books that an architect should read
• Essays
• Ways to become certified or accredited as a person than can create or evaluate architecture.

And, the essay that I liked the most was "The Tao of the Software Architect" (That can also be found in IBM website)

From the "The Tao for the software architect" I specially liked this part:

When the process is lost, there is good practice.
When good practice is lost, there are rules.
When rules are lost, there is ritual.
Ritual is the beginning of chaos.

I have seen places where ritual has taken control of everything, and people there believe they are doing things right, because they are following the ritual, but they don't realize that they are in chaos,  because they no longer understand why are they doing what they do... and that is really bad, because they don't look for ways to get out of the chaos, because they think that what they do is fine, because they are following the ritual (even if the ritual  doesn't achieve anything valuable for the organization)

Another part i also liked a lot is this:

If you want to be a great leader,
stop trying to control.
Let go of fixed plans and concepts and
the team will govern itself.
The more prohibitions you have,
the less disciplined the team will be.
The more you coerce,
the less secure the team will be.
The more external help you call,
the less self-reliant the team will be.

I believe I have that problem, sometimes I become a "control freak" and want everything to be built the way I say it, in the time I say it, exactly as I say it... but, as I gain experience I am starting to realize that is not the way to build a system, to be a good architect I have to help set a process that will be used to build the system, and make sure that the process is followed and that the processes evolves with the team and the system being built and at the same time get out of the way and let the team flourish...

As with most of this Zen-like things.. the truth is somewhere in the middle:

Too little control and you will have chaos, too much  control...specially just for the sake of following the ritual... and you will negatively affect the team motivation, creativity... and productivity.

I guess I need to find the Middle Path for Software Architecture...