As some of you may know, I'm a huge fan of Gordon Ramsay and the many TV shows in which he's featured in. There's many reasons why I love his character. We both share a bit in common. We're both Scottish (I'm a bit more of a mutt though), love good food, and have very little patience for wasting time. Also, a lot like me, he's extremely up-front, tells it exactly how it is, is not afraid of confrontation, and at times can be EXTREMELY brutal. (But that doesn't mean we're not really nice guys when it comes down to it. 
) There's definitely methods behind his so-called madness, and I respect his methods greatly.
In the TV show Hell's Kitchen, for example, he pushes will-be chef's to their breaking points (and sometimes beyond them) for the purpose of reaching perfection in their craft. Although this method can make some people really mad/upset/crazy, it certainly works like clockwork. The concept is explained perfectly: point out peoples flaws in a way which is obvious, deliberate, and even sometimes condescending, and it will push them to fix their flaws and become better at what they do. This helps the team as a whole become more efficient, and at the same time helps the person themselves perfect their craft. It is in everyones best interests to become better at their profession.
A great article written in late-2007 explains a bit more and is a must read: What Gordon Ramsay can teach software developers; the article is a bit more about lean software development and design, but still has very good points related to this.
So, if I'm berating you for the way you're writing your code or the way in which you're conducting your work-flow (sorry to those who I have been doing this to lately!!), please realize I'm doing it for the good of the project and yourself! Please think of the bigger picture...PERFECTION!
More Info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Ramsay
