It’s been some time since I posted something new; and the longer it has been the harder it seems to get back into the groove. The perception of the task is that it gets bigger and bigger. So I’ve decided to try and get back in with small steps. This mindset also helps frame some of the overwhelming things going on right now. Small steps.

More is not always better. Consider whether “more" adds the value it should.

We tend to view our choice on what we do as we run late through our own lens. Take a moment and think about the other meeting attendees and what they perceive from your response to running late. It may be different than what you would in their position.

We face adversity almost every day. I had a boss who used to say our job was to deal with adversity. Progress was not the absence of adversity, instead it was dealing with different adversity over time. As leaders, we should not ever expect it would go away.

I work with all sorts of teams and people at all levels of seniority. I am a huge fan of providing feedback. I fall into a common trap of only finding fault or seeing what I want to be different next time. I need to be reminded of the power of positive feedback.

How often are you asking for help? Do you have a professional network you can lean on? How often are you simply going-it-alone and doing your best without first asking “who can help me?”

What tactics do you use as a technical leader to gain insight into the health of your organization? Your technology?

I find that one place I start with a software development team is the commit history. The best technical leaders I have worked want to see the work as it is committed to the project. The source code is the heart of what your team is creating. How it changes can tell you a lot about your team.

We talk about work-life balance as something to aspire towards. We can be self critical that we have not succeeded in the right balance. Do you achieve balance in your daily life? How do you go about achieving balance? Is it a destination and a continuous pursuit?

In a fifteen-minute standup the technical lead on the project spoke for thirteen minutes, explaining details that did not advance the sprint and kept others from checking in themselves on their work. Do you consider how much you are talking, and whether it adds value and improves communication?

Have you ever been asked to take on a new project by your boss that involves managing a bunch of different stakeholders. Managing a project is a core competency for any manager. Often times you are managing stakeholders outside your organization. Sometimes you are managing people who are totally new to you. This one trick can dramatically increase your success.

Maybe your boss quit, the company re-organized or you are being acquired. Bottom line is you have a new boss. Do not just sit back and wait to see what happens. Be proactive and take action. What can you do to ensure you have the best chance of getting off on the right foot?

Have you noticed sometimes you are more receptive to new ideas than others? Sometimes you are prepared to receive feedback, and sometimes you just are not. Be aware of your emotional state and that of others to maximize your ability to get things done.

We strive for comfort; we like things that are easy. From mobile ordering our Starbucks to the autocomplete on our search in Google. As we achieve comfort, we do not often ask ourselves what we lose by becoming more and more comfortable.

Keeping options open is an important strategy for any executive. Are you effectively managing your options, and realizing when you lose them?

Have you ever struggled with a developer on your team that is used to doing everything themselves? Isn’t experienced at working with others? Has trouble with conflict? Maybe they missed their opportunity to go through developer kindergarten.

We hear all the time that there are no stupid questions. That may be true, but there are some questions you shouldn’t ask. Not all questions should be asked. 

We are leaders, and that means we are models for behavior. Consider your actions and what they tell others about what you expect from them in your organization. Do you set a good example for some of the best-practices you want your team to embody?

As a technical leader, your job involves communication. Sometimes it’s easy to think about communication as the act of sharing our decisions down to our team. Communication is more than just top-down sharing. We need to be thoughtful and creative about who we communicate with in order to be most effective.

My post last week about backpacks and suits struck a nerve with a number of people. People commented that they have had similar observations, and some observe the behavior in themselves. We are all responsible for our brand. What is yours?

The choices you make about what you wear and the accessories you choose to carry speak volumes about you. If you don’t think about how you are perceived based on those choices, you are communicating something (and probably not what you want).