From "Under Promise, Over Deliver" to thinking in systems

This is a submission for the 2026 WeCoded Challenge : Echoes of Experience Back in 2019, Being an avid reader, I used to brag about having 120+ books in my mini library. Yes a mini library, a quit, sacred space for an introvert me, It was my den; the place where I used to declutter my mind, recharge, and think. Years of Chaos Then came the year 2020, during Covid Lockdown, chaos happened, and there was uncertainty all around. Amid fears of layoffs and ambiguity of working from home, collaborating remotely, I was promoted to lead a team of 4 entry-level developers. I threw myself into it, by upskilling the team in modern web technologies and remote collaboration tools. Word got out, People from other teams who wanted to learn JavaScript also joined my daily after-office classes. But then, reality bit. My organization underwent a massive restructuring, and a team of 40 got downsized to 22; I survived, but that survival came with a hidden tax. Cost of Survival The survival comes with a co