arcready - professional patterns on the job
DESCRIPTION
You're smart. You deliver. What more could your company want from you? Why don’t they come to you for the big technical decisions? Why won’t they listen to your proposals? It seems like everyone has an agenda and they’re doing everything they can to kill your great ideas. We focus on the soft skills that architects need to master. Learning these skills will boost your emotional intelligence and help you become a more professional, well rounded contributor. You’ll gain insight into the architect’s role as leader, influencer, and business professional and learn how to leverage your position to become a positive force within your organization. Session 1: Mastering the Soft Skills In this session, we’ll discuss key interpersonal skills and how they can affect your projects and career. We cover how to positively connect with humans, how to participate in and influence the business processes you support, and how to transcend your technical role and maximize your connections with all members of your organization. Session 2: Organizational Dynamics This session examines the dynamic nature of large organizations – their structures, decision making processes, and political landscapes. We’ll discuss the goals of key business and technical decision makers and their influence on architects and software projects. We’ll conclude with some strategies for maximizing the soft skills from Session 1 to ensure successful outcomes for your projects and career.TRANSCRIPT
Professional Patterns Professional Patterns on the Jobon the Job
ArcReadyArcReady
AgendaAgenda
Session 1: Mastering the Soft SkillsSession 1: Mastering the Soft Skills
BreakBreak
Session 2: Organizational DynamicsSession 2: Organizational Dynamics
Drawing for prizesDrawing for prizes
Session 1:Session 1:
Mastering the Soft SkillsMastering the Soft Skills
Part 1:Managing Your Career
At times, my career has At times, my career has been like this…been like this…
George JetsonGeorge Jetson
His ‘button pushing finger’His ‘button pushing finger’
Rails are cool,Rails are cool,unless that’s what your career unless that’s what your career rides onrides on
"You are in charge of your "You are in charge of your career, your company is in career, your company is in
charge of your job" charge of your job" @dmarsh@dmarsh
Learning… Problem Solving…Passion…
Manage your own career, iteratively
Set Goals
Be Introspective
Set a Plan
ExecuteExecute
Iterate
change where you work
or
change where you work
Avoid Companies that focus on Avoid Companies that focus on SATSAT interviews.interviews.
Find a Company that tries to get to know Find a Company that tries to get to know YOUYOU!!
Manage Your ResumeManage Your Resume
• Don’t job hop• Less than two years is a problem• Be ready to take advantage of opportunities• Have story for each job in your career• Update it every three to six months
Change creates opportunities
Part 2:Let’s Talk About the Humans
It’s all about people!It’s all about people!
0 : Starting lists with zero 0 : Starting lists with zero is geek-cool.is geek-cool.
It confuses humans though.It confuses humans though.
Humans don’t care about technology.Humans don’t care about technology.
Communicate Like A HumanCommunicate Like A Human
This Takes Practice!This Takes Practice!
Perceptionis
reality.
What’s in it for me?What’s in it for me?
Part 3:Skills for Success
No agenda, no attenda
No agenda, no attenda
If you’re not early…If you’re not early…
… … you’re late!you’re late!
Be preparedBe prepared
Scrounging skillsScrounging skills
It!
Always be the dumbest Always be the dumbest person in the roomperson in the room
Say ‘I don’t know’Say ‘I don’t know’
Body LanguageMatters
Be an Active ListenerBe an Active Listener
• Don’t have distractionsDon’t have distractions• Ask smart questionsAsk smart questions• Don’t multi-task in your head Don’t multi-task in your head – thinking about what you are going to say nextthinking about what you are going to say next
Listen with two ears, Listen with two ears, talk with one mouth.talk with one mouth.
Take NotesTake Notes
Use metaphorsUse metaphors
… … but never use bad language.but never use bad language.
Learn how to read a room
Follow through!Follow through!
Over communicate until they bleed!
Integrity & HonestyIntegrity & Honesty
Always tell the truth, so you don't have Always tell the truth, so you don't have to remember what you said to to remember what you said to
whom.whom.
Integrity & HonestyIntegrity & Honesty
Doing so ONCE will destroy the trust Doing so ONCE will destroy the trust and credibility instantly.and credibility instantly.
Build trust, and focus on the Build trust, and focus on the relationship.relationship.
CreativityCreativity
You need to practice to You need to practice to strengthen it.strengthen it.
CreativityCreativity
Keep a record of your Keep a record of your ideas.ideas.
CreativityCreativity
Design a system you thought of, even though it Design a system you thought of, even though it won’t get built. Throw that out. And do it two won’t get built. Throw that out. And do it two
more time.more time.
CreativityCreativity
Mix It up, read a book you Mix It up, read a book you normally wouldn’t.normally wouldn’t.
Brain StormingBrain Storming
• Different Models Exist– Individual– Team• Traditional• Brain-on-the-wall• Idea voting
• Practice…
Always hold Always hold the doorthe door
Learn the art of small talk
Learn the art of public speakingLearn the art of public speaking
Every technology you know today will be worthless within five years.
Eat like a bird, and poop like an elephant.Eat like a bird, and poop like an elephant.
Learn quickly, unlearn quickerLearn quickly, unlearn quicker
• Sex• Politics• Religion
SexSex
ReligionReligion
PoliticsPoliticsPoliticsPolitics
Thoughts? Questions?
BreakBreak
Please complete and EvalPlease complete and Eval
Session 2:Session 2:
Organizational DynamicsOrganizational Dynamics
Part 1:A Little Systems Theory
Responsibility
Authority
Power
Influence
The Purpose Driven Social System
Chaos Theory
Point Attractors
Cyclic Attractors Strange Attractors
What can we conclude from this?
Life is like high school
Part 2:Who’s Got An Agenda?
Who’s Got An Agenda?
Who’s Got An Agenda?
Everybody’s got an
agenda!
Everybody’s got an
agenda!
Your CEO’s Agenda
Economics In One Slide
Profit = Revenue - Costs
We live in a growth economy.
“I need to grow the company”“I need to grow the company”
Your CIO’s Agenda
Is the CIO a technologist who understands the business?
Is the CIO a technologist who understands the business?
or
a business person who understands technology?
or
a business person who understands technology?
“I need to add value to the business”
Your Director’s Agenda
“I need to get the right people
working on the right projects”
Your Manager’s Agenda
“I need to make sure everyone is
happy”
Your Coworkers’ Agenda
“We want to work with great people who carry their own weight”
Your Agenda
“I need to choose technologies with a future”
“I need to focus on adding business value and project success –
not necessarily efficiency”
Part 3: Strategies for Success
Dress +1
Plug into your company’s information pipeline
Plug into your company’s information pipeline
Seek out a mentorSeek out a mentor
Have a best friend at workHave a best friend at work
EvangelizeEvangelize
Build an network of like-minded peopleBuild an network of like-minded people
Build coalitionsBuild coalitions
Learn to the right way to gripeLearn to the right way to gripe
Keep an eye on the sharksKeep an eye on the sharks
Be prepared to have the “hard” conversations
Be prepared to have the “hard” conversations
Always maintain your composure
Master the formal political tools Compromise (win-win)
Arbitration
Escalation
Master the formal political tools Compromise (win-win)
Arbitration
Escalation
Know your boundaries
and limitations
Never burn a bridgeNever burn a bridge
Be a positive forceBe a positive force
Don't Don't ever let ever let
the the bozo's bozo's
grind you grind you down.down.
ReferencesSystems Thinking – Gharajedaghi
What the CEO Want’s You To Know – Charan
CIO Wisdom – Lane, et. al.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Covey
How to Win Friends & Influence People – Carnegie
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion – Cialdini
Introducing Neuro-Linguistic Programming – O’Conner & Seymour
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