@brwngrldev - November, 2018
Hey! Welcome to my final newsletter of the year. I just came back from recording my third course with LinkedIn Learning. But this time it’s not about Android, it’s all about boosting your communication skills as a technical professional. Being an effective communicator is something that I’m proud of and I feel it gives me an edge over my peers. Once the course is launched, I can’t wait to share it and get your feedback. Check out the fancy studio that was my home for the week...
Books I’m Reading
Last Leaf of The Fall - https://amzn.to/2RWKTXF
My very first poetry book is live! I’m really excited with how it came out. I like to think of it as my lyrical autobiography. The book is divided into four chapters which correspond to different phases of my life. Some of the chapters are a bit “dark”, but ultimately it ends with positivity and hope. Please leave a review if you read it. I’d appreciate it ;-)
The Culture Map - https://amzn.to/2Fq1UrF
This is my favorite book on cross-cultural communication. The way Erin Meyer uses stories to convey the importance of understanding cultural differences is very engaging. It’s an easy read but has so many little nuggets of wisdom tucked in. She offers eight different areas for exploring the differences between the way people think, lead and get things done in various cultures.
As a recent expat living in the Netherlands, I mapped the way Americans communicate versus the Dutch. It was interesting to see the gaps considering both cultures are known as being direct communicators. If you work on a distributed team I highly recommend this book!
Let’s Talk Podcasts
Coaching for Leaders - Five Steps to Hold People Accountable
I’ve got a new podcast on my list, Coaching for Leaders. It’s for managers/leaders who want to improve their effectiveness in their day-to-day tasks. I only just heard of it about a month ago. Since then, I’ve been binge-listening to past episodes and have learned so many useful techniques. This one, in particular, I really enjoyed because I tend to avoid confrontation and easily shy away from giving critical feedback to others. The five-step process that is laid out in this episode makes giving critical feedback more approachable and less haphazard. I’ve been working on incorporating it into my personal management toolbox.
I.T. Career Energizer - Focus In On the Needs of the Business
Spencer Schneidenbach, a Software Engineer, is the guest on this episode. His unique tip for IT Professionals is to focus on the needs of the business over technical solutions only. After many years of working in the industry, I’m starting to see the truth in this more and more. Developing interesting technical solutions is rarely celebrated if they don't push the company’s goals forward. I think this is another reason why we are once again seeing a resurgence in cross-platform frameworks. Businesses want to get the most out of their developers while optimizing costs.
Ask a Manager - People Say My Tone Sounds Mean
Here’s another new podcast for you, Ask a Manager. In it, Alison Green covers all of those touchy subjects that you may encounter at work. This one is very common, especially for women, being accused of sounding “mean”. Ironically, people have never accused me of sounding mean, but I have been told that I look mean ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
At any rate, I appreciate the advice that Alison offers in this episode. She talks about task-oriented versus relationship-oriented people and how they operate differently at work. I’m definitely task-oriented and it was helpful for me to be reminded of the fact that not everyone thinks the same way. To have the most effective interactions at work you need to be aware of the various communication styles at play. If you listen to this one, I’d love to know your thoughts as well.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
- Maya Angelou
Blog: http://www.adavis.info
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