Professional Patterns on the Job ArcReady

Agenda Session 1: Mastering the Soft Skills Break Session 2: Organizational Dynamics Drawing for prizes

Session 1: Mastering the Soft Skills

Part 1: Managing Your Career

At times, my career has been like this…

George Jetson

His ‘button pushing finger’

Rails are cool, unless that’s what your career rides on "You are in charge of your career, your company is in charge of your job" @dmarsh

"You are in charge of your career, your company is in charge of your job"

@dmarsh

Learning… Problem Solving… Passion…

Manage your own career, iteratively Set Goals Be Introspective Set a Plan Execute Execute Iterate

change where you work or change where you work

change where you work

or

change where you work

Avoid Companies that focus on SAT interviews. Find a Company that tries to get to know YOU !

Manage 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

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!

0 : Starting lists with zero is geek-cool. It confuses humans though.

Humans don’t care about technology.

Communicate Like A Human This Takes Practice!

Perception is reality.

What’s in it for me?

Part 3: Skills for Success

No agenda, no attenda

If you’re not early… … you’re late!

Be prepared

Scrounging skills It!

Always be the dumbest person in the room

Say ‘I don’t know’

Body Language Matters

Be an Active Listener Don’t have distractions Ask smart questions Don’t multi-task in your head thinking about what you are going to say next

Don’t have distractions

Ask smart questions

Don’t multi-task in your head

thinking about what you are going to say next

Listen with two ears, talk with one mouth.

Take Notes

Use metaphors

… but never use bad language.

Learn how to read a room

Follow through!

Over communicate until they bleed!

Integrity & Honesty Always tell the truth, so you don't have to remember what you said to whom.

Always tell the truth, so you don't have to remember what you said to whom.

Integrity & Honesty Doing so ONCE will destroy the trust and credibility instantly.

Doing so ONCE will destroy the trust and credibility instantly.

Build trust, and focus on the relationship.

Creativity You need to practice to strengthen it.

Creativity Keep a record of your ideas.

Creativity Design a system you thought of, even though it won’t get built. Throw that out. And do it two more time.

Creativity Mix It up, read a book you normally wouldn’t.

Brain Storming Different Models Exist Individual Team Traditional Brain-on-the-wall Idea voting Practice…

Different Models Exist

Individual

Team

Traditional

Brain-on-the-wall

Idea voting

Practice…

Always hold the door

Learn the art of small talk

Learn 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.

Learn quickly, unlearn quicker

Sex Politics Religion

Sex

Politics

Religion

Sex

Religion

Politics

Thoughts? Questions?

Break Please complete and Eval

Session 2: Organizational 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? 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”

Your CIO’s Agenda

Is the CIO a technologist who understands the business? 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

Seek out a mentor

Have a best friend at work

Evangelize

Build an network of like-minded people

Build coalitions

Learn to the right way to gripe

Keep an eye on the sharks

Be prepared to have the “hard” conversations

Always maintain your composure

Master the formal political tools Compromise (win-win) Arbitration Escalation

Know your boundaries and limitations

Never burn a bridge

Be a positive force

Don't ever let the bozo's grind you down.

References Systems 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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