Johanna Rothman, Management Consultant
Expert in Managing Product Development
I’ve lost count of the number of companies that don’t pay for training—or even provide tuition reimbursement. I also see too many organizations decide whom to hire based on technical skills. They don’t see the irony here. That means you’re responsible for your ongoing career development. And here’s the kicker: The more you learn and …
How often do you reflect on your career or life? If you are like me, it’s easy to let the daily pushes and pulls distract you from reflection. I realized about a year ago I had not reflected purposefully about my work and my life in a couple of years. I reflect on consulting, individual …
Have you ever been told you have “a lot of potential”? My teachers told me that. Some of my early managers told me that, too. I thought I was working up to my potential, so I was frustrated when I heard that. Then, I changed a few things about how I worked. I used inch-pebbles, …
Continue reading “Self-Improvement, or How to Work Up to Your Potential”
I spoke with a new manager, Drew, the other day. His days are full. He’s got tons of meetings. He tries to provide feedback and coaching to his team members, but he has crises up the wazoo. Drew asked for coaching: “I have way too much to do. I need to learn how to manage …
Continue reading “How Much Time Do You Spend Doing Your Job versus Learning Your Job?”
I’m working on my leadership keynotes and workshops. My primary thesis is that leaders work to change things, first with themselves and then at work. That requires knowing what drives your behavior at work. I don’t mean your personality. Of course your personality affects your work behavior. I need to talk in order to know …
I’ve been talking with clients recently about their managers’ and HR’s transition to agile. I hear this common question: “How do we manage performance of the people on our agile teams?” Reframe “manage performance” to “career development.” People on agile teams don’t need a manager to manage their performance. If they are retrospecting at reasonable …
Continue reading “Four Tips for Managing Performance in Agile Teams”
Is there room for functional managers, such as development and test managers, in agile organizations? Maybe. It depends on whether they take the role of an agile manager. If you have organized as a feature teams-based organization, the functional managers (development, test, analysis, whatever) can take these responsibilities: Develop trusting relationships with the people on …
Continue reading “What Development & Test Managers do in Agile Organizations”
Years ago, I was the expert for two specific products in a small development organization. When it came time for my manager to divide up the work, I always got those products to add features to, or maintain. That was fine for a while, until I got bored. I went to my boss with a request for different work. …
Continue reading “Change the Indispensable Employee Mindset”
Is it time for you to look for a new job? Or, thinking about looking for a new job? If so, you want to know about two tools: understanding your career anchors and mining your career timeline. I just read about Edgar Schein’s Career Anchors. The 8 anchors are: Technical/Functional General Managerial Autonomy/Independence Security/Stability Entrepreneurial …
I’ve said I don’t like the “Tell me About Yourself” question long ago and more recently. It’s not a useful question. But that’s not going to stop interviewers from asking it. Here are my three tips for answer this question. Remember that you are not your degrees or certifications. Remember that you are not your …
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