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Both you and OP have made excellent points. I guess the challenge in software is understanding when bread is not bread. For example, I manage a team of devs. O

Both you and OP have made excellent points. I guess the challenge in software is understanding when bread is not bread. For example, I manage a team of devs. Our stack is React, and one of the devs asks for a course on Vue. Is that relevant? What about Bash, AWS, security, networking, user experience? All these things are relevant and could feasibly help the company. I think the OP was suggesting we allow people to set goals like this, as opposed to setting goals like “finish project x by April”.

CarelessExpert 7y ago
Yup, totally agreed! And that's where a) as a professional, you need the ability to advocate for the development of skills if you think the business will see benefit, even if the benefit isn't immediately obvious, and b) as a manager, you should be actively encouraging staff to think this way, and you should have an open mind when a they bring these kinds of ideas to the table. Personally, I desperately wish my staff were more aggressive about thinking proactively about professional development. Most of the time I have to nag them just to take an hour out of their work week to read a book or something...
- hashkb 7y ago
  > Most of the time I have to nag them You've recognized that you're nagging them. If you're not joking, then it sounds like you need to do the much more difficult and risky job of cultivating and protecting a culture where they feel safely encouraged to do it themselves. Make sure you're taking on the risk that they probably perceive they are taking when they sacrifice that hour of their work week.
  - CarelessExpert 7y ago
    You know, you make a really interesting point, here. I've tried to consistently deliver the message that they have the freedom and protection to take time out for PD, but I've not actually dug into their perceptions to see if I've been successful or if the on-the-ground reality doesn't match what I think is going on... I think I have a topic for my next 1:1's! Thanks for the suggestion!
- buckminster 7y ago
  This might sound silly, but I found that actually buying the book and handing it to the developer was quite effective. They then understood I was serious about them reading it.
  - CarelessExpert 7y ago
    Yeah, so first off, not silly at all! Second, if I have a staff member where we agree that reading a book (or listening to an audio book, or taking a course, etc) is a good idea, we make sure the resource is available for them (there's no way in heck I'd expect a staff member to go out of pocket on a PD resource of any kind). At that point, they can either expense the thing themselves, or I'll just get it done (especially if they're dragging their feet a bit). One way or another, that book lands on their desk. :)
SeanAppleby 7y ago
This is how I see it too. Technology is inherently about dynamic navigation of unknowns. Having your employees laser focused on things the company knows it needs leaves your company with a dearth of information about the landscape around it and how best to navigate those unknowns, while also stifling employee growth at the same time. I would change the bread analogy from woodworking to flour-making, sandwich-making, chemistry of baking, and engineering of ovens, encouraging creative exploration of things on the edge of the business that could help to grow the business and employees at the same time by providing a better map for steering the business.

CarelessExpert 7y ago

Yup, totally agreed! And that's where a) as a professional, you need the ability to advocate for the development of skills if you think the business will see benefit, even if the benefit isn't immediately obvious, and b) as a manager, you should be actively encouraging staff to think this way, and you should have an open mind when a they bring these kinds of ideas to the table. Personally, I desperately wish my staff were more aggressive about thinking proactively about professional development. Most of the time I have to nag them just to take an hour out of their work week to read a book or something...

hashkb 7y ago
> Most of the time I have to nag them You've recognized that you're nagging them. If you're not joking, then it sounds like you need to do the much more difficult and risky job of cultivating and protecting a culture where they feel safely encouraged to do it themselves. Make sure you're taking on the risk that they probably perceive they are taking when they sacrifice that hour of their work week.
- CarelessExpert 7y ago
  You know, you make a really interesting point, here. I've tried to consistently deliver the message that they have the freedom and protection to take time out for PD, but I've not actually dug into their perceptions to see if I've been successful or if the on-the-ground reality doesn't match what I think is going on... I think I have a topic for my next 1:1's! Thanks for the suggestion!
buckminster 7y ago
This might sound silly, but I found that actually buying the book and handing it to the developer was quite effective. They then understood I was serious about them reading it.
- CarelessExpert 7y ago
  Yeah, so first off, not silly at all! Second, if I have a staff member where we agree that reading a book (or listening to an audio book, or taking a course, etc) is a good idea, we make sure the resource is available for them (there's no way in heck I'd expect a staff member to go out of pocket on a PD resource of any kind). At that point, they can either expense the thing themselves, or I'll just get it done (especially if they're dragging their feet a bit). One way or another, that book lands on their desk. :)

SeanAppleby 7y ago

This is how I see it too. Technology is inherently about dynamic navigation of unknowns. Having your employees laser focused on things the company knows it needs leaves your company with a dearth of information about the landscape around it and how best to navigate those unknowns, while also stifling employee growth at the same time. I would change the bread analogy from woodworking to flour-making, sandwich-making, chemistry of baking, and engineering of ovens, encouraging creative exploration of things on the edge of the business that could help to grow the business and employees at the same time by providing a better map for steering the business.