Latest Posts - Page 50 of 198

August 30, 2022August 20, 2022 Grow From Failures

You Have To Risk To Succeed – The Shot Not Taken

There is a great truth among those that have been successful. One must take a risk to succeed. The safe road is too popular. Thus, most people take it, and you will travel a path of high traffic. The nature of success in a noticeable way is that you are among a minority of the population. For example, we can all tie our shoes, and most take a common path. That is why no one talks about their success in tying shoes. I guess it is important to note I am talking about Success as a significant achievement, not simply completion or avoiding failure. We Must Accept Risk To Succeed There is an investment required for almost any success. Likewise,... Read more

August 25, 2022August 11, 2022 Grow From Failures

Multiple Contact Options – Make The Most Of Them

We often feel like we can not get away from work and those that want our time. However, multiple contact options can easily be overlooked. That can cause delays and information loss. The ease of communication in the modern world should not convince us to overlook the need for contingencies and other channels. Any time we rely on one path, it can be blocked and stop progress. That goes for our available communication channels as well as any physical path. We All Have Multiple Contact Options To Share While we all have preferred ways to communicate, we also have other options. None of us are so special that we can ignore multiple contact options for those that are most important... Read more

August 23, 2022August 11, 2022 Grow From Failures

Stay Healthy Or Pay The Price

We provide many ways to become a better developer. One of the best ways to do hits over the long run is to stay healthy. Big things like cancer and chronic disease can disrupt your career. However, smaller things like the flu or seasonal cold can also knock you out for days or weeks. That unplanned “time off” can cause a sizeable setback. Likewise, it can derail time-critical plans and cause missed opportunities. Stay Healthy As A Good Investment There is a cost to doing healthy things. It takes time to exercise and eat well. Regular rest is often seen as directly opposed to the high octane lives of the driven. While less sleep and focusing on your projects can... Read more

August 18, 2022August 9, 2022 Grow From Failures

Take The High Road – Avoid Shady Partners

In this episode, we share a story that shows us to take the high road. It is a road less traveled but one worth the effort. While shortcuts and quick fixes are often mistakes, shadowy paths can also be far more costly than expected. There is far more at stake than a single goal. Our reputation and its impact on our future must also be considered. Take The High Road – A Worthy Plan The error of this episode comes from a partner who (unwittingly) shifted his hard work to me. While it is not a mistake I made, it is one that I witnessed and shows us consequences. I gained a client for years that only came through his... Read more

August 16, 2022August 7, 2022 Grow From Failures

Project Completion – Cross The Finish Line

Project completion is the focus of this episode. We discuss how to start and implement a solution but ignore finishing. That changes in this story. We look at how “moving the goal line” can be expensive and self-defeating. On the contrary, we are often far better off declaring victory and putting a stake in the ground. That gives us a solid foundation to build on. When we do not, we often find ourselves on shifting sand. That causes delays, overruns, and unneeded frustration. Project Completion – Declare Victory One of the essential facets of the Agile Manifesto is delivering working software. That seems like something that should go unsaid. However, we see that being an issue in far too many projects.... Read more

August 11, 2022July 31, 2022 Grow From Failures

Timely Billing – Avoid Headaches and Loss

We dive into the exciting world of accounting in this episode. Timely billing is the focus, and a worst-case scenario teaches the lesson. While the mistake is not directly mine in this story, I was a first-hand witness and deeply involved. That experience cemented my habit of providing regular status and gave me limits for billing flexibility. These steps have helped me avoid much loss and frustration over the years. Timely Billing – And Payment Terms Billing is not the only thing we need to do. There also needs to be follow-up and expectations set for when they should be paid. When those limits are exceeded, then we must have a plan for proceeding in a risk-appropriate manner. It is... Read more