Beyond Tech Skills

Does your job sometimes feel like you’re herding cats? You should try it when those same cats are wet and angry. Rie Merritt discusses her experiences as a Sr Program Manager for Microsoft’s MVP technology advocacy program with Jim and Liron, and how Microsoft’s culture of diversity and inclusion penetrates everything they strive to do. We also chat about myriad topics like why saying “Howdy, guys!” to your multi-gender team may not be the best way to greet them, as well as some amazingly embarrassing examples of gender bias in application design.

Johanna Rothman consults with IT organizations big and small about the art of managing people to gain maximum effectiveness. Jim and Liron talk with Johanna on her experiences and strategies to keep your entire IT organization – from seasoned manager to newest developer – effective, resourceful, and maybe even happy.

As the scientific inevitability of climate change has finally becoming apparent, it’s more important than ever to consider even the smallest of our own day-to-day actions in terms of how they’re contributing to sustainability. Jim and Liron talk at length with Steven Feuerstein, the renowned author of several books on PL/SQL, and who also recently transformed himself into an actionist: as Steven defines it, someone who takes direct and personal action.

If you’ve worked for the quintessential angry boss – someone who attacked people for making even the smallest mistake – you know just how that impacts a workplace: It’s transformed into a culture of fear in which mistakes still happen but just get hidden, nothing new is tried, and people simply stop taking risks because everyone fears retribution. Jim and Liron discuss with Tom Geraghty on how professional cultures should encourage a culture of psychological safety in their workplaces, and the explicit and implicit benefits of that approach.

Sure, information technology has provided excellent career opportunities for huge numbers of people … but what about people who’ve been traditionally excluded from those chances to participate in that bounty? How do we make sure that we’re cultivating the rich possibilities of those with completely different experiences and backgrounds than the typical “bro culture” that predominates our industry?

Jerika Jones, the Executive Director of INTech Camp For Girls, explains to Jim and Liron how she and her team works to inspire the next generation to join the ranks of IT professionals by becoming what Jerika calls a good accomplice.

There’s an old office cartoon that’s entitled You Don’t Have To Be Crazy To Work Here, But It Helps. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, organizations have finally realized that it takes a lot more than onsite fitness centers, ping-pong tables, and weekly social events to relieve workplace stress and promote better mental health. Jim and Liron talk at length with Dr. Ryan Todd, host of the renowned Beyond the Checkbox podcast, about how the last two years have revealed long-hidden stressors deep within organizations and how best to support employees’ superior mental health.

In the wake of the Great Resignation, you’ve decided to take the plunge and become self-employed. Great decision! Now all you need to do is let the cash roll in, right? Not so fast! Jim and Liron wrap up their discussion on going independent with some of the gritty details you’ll definitely need to consider: managing your cash flow, handling contracts, and funding your eventual retirement.

Whether they call it the Great Resignation, the Great Reshuffle, or the Great Retirement, one thing’s for sure: 2022 is the year many IT professionals will seriously consider whether it’s finally time to become self-employed. But before you decide whether to remain a FTE, become an independent consultant, or even assemble your own team of IT avengers, you may want to get some advice from those who’ve gone before you. Jim and Liron share their combined 50 years of experience as self-employed and discuss the triumphs and travails of going independent.

Companies often say their employees are their most important asset, but the shakeout from the 2020-2021 pandemic will severely test that policy. Join Jim and Liron as they chat with Jared Lindzon, a renowned independent journalist from Toronto, Ontario, who’s explored deeply what’s really going on across North America as part of the Great Reshuffle. As Jared explains, companies are likely to lose key talent because antiquated management policies dating back to factory work remain in place, and organizations that fail to realize it’s an employee’s market for now will suffer severe consequences.

Sure, most folks in IT are bright, hungry to learn, and love technology. But relying on your technical smarts won’t necessarily lead to personal fulfillment, nor help you become a better team member or eventually lead a team. Jim and Liron chat with Kelly Beattie, leadership consultant and executive coach at 1stStar Consulting Group as she explains why it’s much more important to measure and develop your emotional quotient (EQ) as your career progresses in the coming years.