In 1935, Boeing had a new bomber prototype, the Model 299, which later became the B-17. It was impressive, and it was also easy to mess up because it had more switches and steps than pilots were used to. During a demonstration flight, the aircraft lifted off, climbed, then stalled and crashed. The investigators did not conclude that the pilots […]
Most of what we call progress in software is just motion. New tools, new frameworks, same problems. Maybe fancier logos. Our industry always has this collective thrill that a new fancy method, framework, process will make things infinitely better. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. I’ve watched that excitement enough times to recognize its cycles. Years ago, a colleague was setting up Apache […]
The other day, someone asked me why we even need managers. What do they actually do? I think it’s a fair question, and honestly, people get it wrong a lot. You can throw usual fluff to this question. Managers make sure things get done, keep people on track, and handle logistics. Obviously, that’s part of it. But you know yourself, […]
There are plenty of skills you can pick up along the way. Some come from books, some through experience. A lot of it is just trial and error. And some from self reflection. You figure things out such as writing a better email, managing your time, and so forth. If you’ve done even a little research, you’ll hear the usual […]
When I wrote this piece on setting goals, I focused on the practical side: clarity, motivation, breaking down complexity. But here’s the thing. Even the clearest goal doesn’t mean much if you don’t understand who you are. It’s beyond MBTI kind of stuff. I’m referring to a closer look at yourself. That’s where the Johari Window comes in. It’s a […]