Usually at companies when you start advancing in your career it will come a point when you are asked to give a presentation...to share your knowledge.
Giving presentations in front of an audience, is a great thing to do...you can learn a lot from that experience.
There are people who are complete naturals when it comes to giving presentations...they are just brilliant ...engaging ...funny....and of course there are some who are not so great at it....some of them are terrified...and try to avoid this experience as much as possible.
I like to think that I am somewhere in the middle...not a natural talent...but also not terrified of the experience...I tend to say I like it....I like the journey....the preparations...and if things go well also the excitement on the faces of the participants...that you managed to deliver the your message...and sometimes give them things to think about...that's the reward.
The company I work for, started organising internal conferences a few years ago...mostly for the staff...as a kind of knowledge share event. These are great opportunities to learn about what others do in your department...or even in other departments...a great chance to talk to others about the experiences...and share your knowledge...your craft...
I usually push myself to present something at these events...I did so at every event...just to extend my barriers...learn and experience new things. This time...for the first time in the history of the conference... I decided to do a live coding session...build something from scratch in front of the audience. Being a first time ...also for me... I think it went decently ... although I did not manage to finish what I planned to do... (lesson learned about that) ...but at least some people seemed to stay interested in the presentation...the room was packed...and they stayed till the end...and even asked questions...so I think the message went through.
Doing live coding in front of an audience is almost like doing peer programming...but with more people looking at your screen...way more people...and on top of that people who don't know the framework you are using...so besides coding you need to explain...a lot...and give context...about why you do things a certain way...
Someone said that at some point...when I was notified by the session chair that time is close to being over...the whole situation was like in the Swordfish movie, when Hugh Jackman is threatened with a gun to finish the work on a laptop..in 60 seconds...(https://youtu.be/mWqGJ613M5Y?t=78)...of course without the motivation factor...if you know what I mean ;).
It was fun...a great experience...and a great opportunity to learn...about myself...
Giving presentations will always teach you something...and I think everyone should do it...from time to time...you will not regret it....and if you have no audience at your disposal...there is always Youtube...do a presentation and record it...just for the sake of doing it.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Friday, July 19, 2019
Monday, July 15, 2019
Being a lone wolf
I have a lone wolf side in me... that makes me do stuff on my own...without asking for help.
Probably this is how I always been...but now I start realising what I have become...and there is a scientific reason behind it...apparently.
At the company I worked for during the past 11+ years I got several individual assignments...and I was really grateful for them...and until we switched to scrum, I was formally not part of any team...I was the framework team...alone.
Needless to say I like working alone...that's when I am in the zone...I can focus on the work...the challenge and get things done...quickly.
Working in a team is a different kind of beast...and I can argue that some things are harder to be done in a team than as a lone wolf... let me rephrase: some things are more efficient while done alone than in a team. This is what I learned in the past years. In order to have something done in a team, there is communication to be done...and if you have a complex idea you have to communicate it to others...and by the time they understand it...many long meetings will pass...and no real progress.
I am a software craftsman...I would say an efficient one... and some things do not appeal to me...like doing long hours of explanations to a team...not interested at all in my topic...just present because they need to...just so that you can feel that you made something in a team...In that time I would probably done it already...on my own...in my cave.
I enjoy working in a team if I am not leading...if there is someone else who takes the responsibilities of architecting and leading ... and I can fill in my work as a black box... I'll do my share...my chores...and help others while doing so...I am a good team member....asking the appropriate questions...but after so many years in leading...you cannot go back...they expect you to lead....you are trapped.
I think I could go back to that obedient mode...no more "lone wolf"-ing ...just get back in line...while I gather my strengths... and learn a few new crafts... and I find the things I lost in the past years...
Probably this is how I always been...but now I start realising what I have become...and there is a scientific reason behind it...apparently.
At the company I worked for during the past 11+ years I got several individual assignments...and I was really grateful for them...and until we switched to scrum, I was formally not part of any team...I was the framework team...alone.
Needless to say I like working alone...that's when I am in the zone...I can focus on the work...the challenge and get things done...quickly.
Working in a team is a different kind of beast...and I can argue that some things are harder to be done in a team than as a lone wolf... let me rephrase: some things are more efficient while done alone than in a team. This is what I learned in the past years. In order to have something done in a team, there is communication to be done...and if you have a complex idea you have to communicate it to others...and by the time they understand it...many long meetings will pass...and no real progress.
I am a software craftsman...I would say an efficient one... and some things do not appeal to me...like doing long hours of explanations to a team...not interested at all in my topic...just present because they need to...just so that you can feel that you made something in a team...In that time I would probably done it already...on my own...in my cave.
I enjoy working in a team if I am not leading...if there is someone else who takes the responsibilities of architecting and leading ... and I can fill in my work as a black box... I'll do my share...my chores...and help others while doing so...I am a good team member....asking the appropriate questions...but after so many years in leading...you cannot go back...they expect you to lead....you are trapped.
I think I could go back to that obedient mode...no more "lone wolf"-ing ...just get back in line...while I gather my strengths... and learn a few new crafts... and I find the things I lost in the past years...
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Goals...goals
A goal is something you would like to accomplish at some point...in a limited time...a target you want to hit.
Having goals in life ...and in work...gives you a sense of purpose...something to aim to...something to strive for. These are the light at the end of the tunnel...the ones you focus on when walking on the path.
With goals set ... you can always check where you are on the path...where do you stand...and the path leads to the good direction.
Goals can be either material or intangible but they need to be specific, motivating, attainable, relevant and most importantly trackable.
Setting goals is not an easy task but it is worth the effort.
When you work for a company and you are required to set some goals as part of a personal development process these goals need to be inline with the goals of the company...your goals need to be relevant for the company...
...and when a company stops having goals...or has goals that are not relevant or motivating for you...than things might be not too bright.
Should you reconsider your goals?... or should you be worried?...or just give in and pray for the best?
...or should you step in and push for bigger goals than paint a goal for the company too?...
Having goals in life ...and in work...gives you a sense of purpose...something to aim to...something to strive for. These are the light at the end of the tunnel...the ones you focus on when walking on the path.
With goals set ... you can always check where you are on the path...where do you stand...and the path leads to the good direction.
Goals can be either material or intangible but they need to be specific, motivating, attainable, relevant and most importantly trackable.
Setting goals is not an easy task but it is worth the effort.
When you work for a company and you are required to set some goals as part of a personal development process these goals need to be inline with the goals of the company...your goals need to be relevant for the company...
...and when a company stops having goals...or has goals that are not relevant or motivating for you...than things might be not too bright.
Should you reconsider your goals?... or should you be worried?...or just give in and pray for the best?
...or should you step in and push for bigger goals than paint a goal for the company too?...
Friday, June 28, 2019
Balance...
Being a developer with family is like trying to joggle with several balls in the air. When one falls down the whole show is ruined.
In the past few days I was engaged in an activity at the local Waldorf school and I had to put work aside. Thankfully I work in a position where you have a chance to be flexible...in this case I decided to make up for the lost hours in the evenings and in the coming weeks...partly because I have eaten up my vacation days...but also because I need to feel that this is not vacation yet. The tasks were not delayed, and I managed to close all my Jira issues so everything seemed to be fine...besides the missed daily meetings.
Spending time with my family is a great thing and maximising this time is an important benefit, this type of job offers, besides the monetary remuneration...of course.
But on the other side...I love what I do and not being able to do it for a longer time creates a certain stress ... and I feel out of balance.
The planned vacations...those two weeks when you close shop...are the ones when I completely disconnect from work...and focus on resting and maximal enjoyment of life. In that period the balance is kept by other things...work is not part of the formula.
Things need to stay in balance...regardless what you do. Too much of something will affect the other areas...and things will fall apart.
In the past few days I was engaged in an activity at the local Waldorf school and I had to put work aside. Thankfully I work in a position where you have a chance to be flexible...in this case I decided to make up for the lost hours in the evenings and in the coming weeks...partly because I have eaten up my vacation days...but also because I need to feel that this is not vacation yet. The tasks were not delayed, and I managed to close all my Jira issues so everything seemed to be fine...besides the missed daily meetings.
Spending time with my family is a great thing and maximising this time is an important benefit, this type of job offers, besides the monetary remuneration...of course.
But on the other side...I love what I do and not being able to do it for a longer time creates a certain stress ... and I feel out of balance.
The planned vacations...those two weeks when you close shop...are the ones when I completely disconnect from work...and focus on resting and maximal enjoyment of life. In that period the balance is kept by other things...work is not part of the formula.
Things need to stay in balance...regardless what you do. Too much of something will affect the other areas...and things will fall apart.
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