ArcReady - Professional Patterns On The Job

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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