I see an interesting parallel in the debate over practices in the running world and practices in the software development world. Indulge me for a moment while I attempt to share my thinking.
5 Tips for Building Trust
In 5 Tips for Building Trust | Globoforce Blog, Darcy Jacobsen suggests the following steps for building trust within your organization:
Jungle Gyms, Not Ladders
I've worked for essentially two types of companies - those that have clearly defined job ladders and those that don't.
A clearly defined job ladder provides people a clear picture of what they need to accomplish and what skills they need to display in order to move into a new role. A clearly defined job ladder provides a baseline for performance appraisals. Everyone in the organization knows what is expected of people in each role. Are you displaying these attributes with a level of proficiency requisite for the role, or are you not? Job ladders make the expectations of progress and the opportunity for advancement clear and consistent.
SCNA 2010 - Training Software Professionals; just what the doctor ordered
Forever Forward, Reprise
It is with absolute jubilation and optimism that I announce March 7, 2014 is my last day at the Groupon Chicago office.
I've been part of Groupon for just over a year now. I remember chatting with H about companies he could help me connect to as he surreptitiously mentioned Groupon (over and over again). I remember interviewing with "Cheese Sandwich Guy"; a dude in a t-shirt that diagramed the architecture of a cheese sandwich. I recall wondering if I'd enjoy working with him. As it turned out, he was my new boss. And, yes, I do sincerely enjoy working with him.
The journey has been valuable and has left an indelible mark on me. I've learned about people, teams, leadership, mentoring, and collaboration. I've loved working with the folks in the Chicago office. I've made some close friends, brought some old friends closer, and for the first time in my life, I've made a deliberate effort to keep in touch with people.
If I've not done well keeping in touch with you, don't hesitate to let me know. I'm still working on it.
On October 12, 2012, I wrote a post announcing my departure from LeanDog and my new opportunity at Groupon. Today, I can hardly contain myself as I announce my next adventure.
No, I'm not leaving Groupon (that would be foolish). I have taken on a new role as Groupon's Global Director of Engineering Culture. This is not only a new role for me, this is a new role for Groupon. So we'll learn as we go.
I've a fantastic team member in Connie-Lynne Villani who takes on engineering orientation, education, and diversity along with public outreach. I will be focused on engineering standards, branding, and engagement.
And those newly-exercised skills keeping in touch with friends will be put to good use. As part of this new role, Jennifer and I will relocate to the Palo Alto California area.
I am incredibly fortunate to have a companion like Jennifer by my side. Together, we've raised two wonderful children. Together, we've navigated numerous challenges. And together, we take the next step.
I don't know precisely where this path leads. I simply cannot see that far ahead. But I know two things with certainty; I will never be alone in my journey and the only direction is forward.
Fist to Five
Fist to Five (a.k.a. Fist of Five) is a simple tool for measuring level of agreement in a team. Often, this is far more expedient than discourse, even among those in agreement. Secondarily, it helps to overcome “silence means consent” for teams where this may be an issue. This is not a replacement for discussion, merely a way of getting a quick check to determine if more discussion is actually warranted.
Unit Testing is to code coverage as Exercise is to weight loss
This is a quick post, following up on a tweet from a little while back:
"Unit testing is for code coverage like exercise is for weight loss. You're actually missing the point."
A great number of people in the software field appear to think the primary benefit of unit tests is test coverage. Some even talk about them as if they were one and the same. "No need for more unit tests, we have plenty of coverage already."
Best Practices are Subjective and Fleeting
I've long had an aversion to the phrase "Best Practices". As I started out writing software, I looked to my mentors and industry leaders to inform my decisions about how things should be done. If they shared their "Best Practices", I took them to heart. I wanted to be the best coder I could possibly be.
Coaching Anti-Patterns: Prescriptive Agile
I saw a tweet this morning that got me thinking about a coaching anti-pattern I frequently see:
"Without knowing you, your Agile coach knows you use should start using stand ups, TDD and pair programming, etc.
Taylor would be proud."
THE PRESCRIPTIVE AGILE COACH
The Prescriptive Agile Coach is armed with a reliable set of practices. The practices have been documented, vetted, and implemented successfully on a number of teams. They are inarguably proven. To the Prescriptive Agile Coach, those not following these practices are not truly Agile.
Being a Boss
In some manner or another, I've served in roles frequently referred to as "boss" for over 20 years. In a few cases, I owned the company, in whole or in part. In many more instances, I held some rank that granted me authority over the work-lives of others. I've learned a great deal over the years. And I am definitely still learning.
If you'll indulge me, I'd like to share what little I have learned about being a boss.
Management by Magazine
I think there is great value in reading books on business management. That is, there is great value in reading them with intent, considering their points, thinking through the details, doing some research, assimilating, and drawing your own conclusions.
But there is another approach I see taken far too often.
One on One Meetings
About 15 years ago, I started a simple practice with my fellow co-workers and employees. Every so often, we'd meet to discuss stuff and things. Nothing too formal, just a touch-point to make sure we were staying connected. I called the sessions "touch-point meetings". Over time, I made adjustments to the format of the meeting as various structures proved more or less valuable.