Some time ago I wrote that “Teams first have to not only deliver, but also be seen to deliver.” I was thinking about that general idea again recently, but in … Continue reading Being seen to do the right thing
A hiring mistake to remember
Last week I was privileged to speak at CTO Craft Con with Hung Lee. The theme of that first day was hiring, and Hung—who is a long-time recruiter and host … Continue reading A hiring mistake to remember
Everyone thinks they’re special (and they’re usually wrong)
There are many times when I’ve been involved in introducing an internal system to an organisation, and one of the user representatives has pushed for changes to the default setup … Continue reading Everyone thinks they’re special (and they’re usually wrong)
Quality up and down the stack
The other day I heard someone use that well-worn phrase, “Quality is not negotiable.” They were talking about the reliability of the software their teams write, and were keen to … Continue reading Quality up and down the stack
Discovering governance
I discovered the importance of project and programme governance several years ago. I was working with an empowered and effective team delivering a project to a distinct budget and deadline. … Continue reading Discovering governance
Learning to be specific
When I first became a hiring manager I had to learn to say No about people. Because we tended to use recruitment agencies I didn’t have to No directly to … Continue reading Learning to be specific
When there are questions about inclusivity
I was once in a discussion about one of those topics that might, if we were over-dramatising it, be considered part of so-called “culture wars”. That is, on the one … Continue reading When there are questions about inclusivity
Structuring ourselves for the right workload
One of the constant challenges software engineering organisations face is not just how to prioritise the work, but how to prioritise the different kinds of work. That is to say, … Continue reading Structuring ourselves for the right workload
Focus your message
Last week the British Prime Minister stood in the United Nations building, in front of an audience of other world leaders, and talked about climate change. As part of the … Continue reading Focus your message
When it’s difficult to decide
I discovered the other day about the etymology of the word “decide”. The “de-” comes from the Latin for “off”, and the “-cide” is from the same word that’s found … Continue reading When it’s difficult to decide
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