The Power of Vulnerability
What does it mean to be vulnerable when you work in the IT department of a major corporation? This is where most technologists stop reading. We don’t use words like vulnerable — it is equated with weakness. Hang on with me for a quick story… It was a typical Thursday morning in the office, and […]
The Project That Fell on Its Face
My team and I completed a year-long project to implement a new technology solution for our customers. It was hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of work. We were ending a long slog, and finally, we could see the end. Things weren’t perfect, but the cutting edge technology was working the way we thought it […]
How Getting LESS Feedback Can Help Your Career
It is well established that getting feedback can help your career advance.You’ve seen articles like, “5 ways feedback can boost your career” and “Top questions to get better feedback!” If you’ve worked in a larger organization, your Human Resources department may have encouraged a ‘360-degree feedback’ program, where you gather feedback from your peers, your […]
The Sports Bar Confusion
My wife was at a grocery store we don’t often shop and she was having trouble locating an item on the shopping list.She spotted a staffer down the aisle and she said, “Hi, can you help me find the sports bars?” The young associate perked up quite a bit, “Sure thing Ma’am, I’ll take you […]
Too Soon!
If you’ve spent any time in IT, you’ve likely been a part of a significant change that either introduces a new system or replaces an existing one. Change is difficult – even the simplest difference in a process or how a system works can result in challenges. However, one tricky issue that befalls larger projects […]
Negotiation: Getting to Yes
Over the past few weeks, Kirsty and I have been in the midst of a move from the suburbs back to the city. Now that we’re just about settled in, I had the opportunity to do a little exploring in my new neighborhood: Denver’s Park Hill. While looking for a local coffee shop, I stumbled […]
Emotional Intelligence for Technologists
In the early 2000’s, I ran across a book called Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman, Annie McKee, and Richard Boyatzis. I was a new technology manager at a large bank, and I was hungry to learn more about how to become a more effective leader. What I didn’t know was that the concepts in this […]
You Don’t Have to Know Everything
There’s a common misconception among technology professionals that to be effective, you have to know everything. The desire to know a little bit about everything in the technology world is a tempting idea, especially early in your career. However, in my experience, you are better off focusing on a specific discipline than having a little […]