Comments on: Leaders and Developers http://www.craigekerstiens.com/leaders-and-developers/ My thoughts and predictions on technology and business, and sometimes strong ones at that Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:01:25 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: How to succeed in the workplace? Go to lunch! | My thoughts and predictions on technology and business, and sometimes strong ones at that | My predictions http://www.craigekerstiens.com/leaders-and-developers/comment-page-1/#comment-65 How to succeed in the workplace? Go to lunch! | My thoughts and predictions on technology and business, and sometimes strong ones at that | My predictions Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:10:08 +0000 http://www.craigekerstiens.com/?p=98#comment-65 [...] area’s of the business they had little exposure to. This come’s back to my post about leaders and developers, if the people in your business only understand what they do and nothing outside you’re as a [...] [...] area’s of the business they had little exposure to. This come’s back to my post about leaders and developers, if the people in your business only understand what they do and nothing outside you’re as a [...]

]]> By: Anil http://www.craigekerstiens.com/leaders-and-developers/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Anil Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:18:54 +0000 http://www.craigekerstiens.com/?p=98#comment-42 Another phenomenon that intrigues me about great startups is how they allow relatively "inexperienced" developers to sell, market or otherwise strategize its business. Case in point are the 20-something product managers at Google or Facebook. Another phenomenon that intrigues me about great startups is how they allow relatively “inexperienced” developers to sell, market or otherwise strategize its business. Case in point are the 20-something product managers at Google or Facebook.

]]> By: Craig http://www.craigekerstiens.com/leaders-and-developers/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Craig Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:51:59 +0000 http://www.craigekerstiens.com/?p=98#comment-41 Dan, Thanks for the thoughts, seldom if ever would I want people in management positions to actually do the development. It's more a gauge I would use, if they're capable of doing the same thing as developers or engineers, even if it were twice, three times, or even 5 to 10 times as long, I would feel comfortable with their technical knowledge. I've worked in the large organizations as well, many fortune 100 companies and large consulting shops, and in my experience the best members of management were the ones that you could tell once held their own quite well doing a technical implementation. One of the best partners at a very large consulting company I had the pleasure of working with had likely not touched a piece of code in 10 years, but when talking in depth about technical topics never batted an eye and often engaged in the details of the discussion. While this may seem irrelevant, it proved extremely useful for him to be able to take a particular project or technology and apply it extremely well to an entirely new vertical because he knew how what's under the hood could translate to other areas. I would feel the same holds true for startups as it does for larger companies, though individuals are expected to fill a few more roles, but nothing outside their area of larger expertise. I would just personally using something similar to IF a member of management was capable of implementing or once implemented something similar I would feel more comfortable with them. ~ Craig Dan,

Thanks for the thoughts, seldom if ever would I want people in management positions to actually do the development. It’s more a gauge I would use, if they’re capable of doing the same thing as developers or engineers, even if it were twice, three times, or even 5 to 10 times as long, I would feel comfortable with their technical knowledge. I’ve worked in the large organizations as well, many fortune 100 companies and large consulting shops, and in my experience the best members of management were the ones that you could tell once held their own quite well doing a technical implementation.

One of the best partners at a very large consulting company I had the pleasure of working with had likely not touched a piece of code in 10 years, but when talking in depth about technical topics never batted an eye and often engaged in the details of the discussion. While this may seem irrelevant, it proved extremely useful for him to be able to take a particular project or technology and apply it extremely well to an entirely new vertical because he knew how what’s under the hood could translate to other areas.

I would feel the same holds true for startups as it does for larger companies, though individuals are expected to fill a few more roles, but nothing outside their area of larger expertise. I would just personally using something similar to IF a member of management was capable of implementing or once implemented something similar I would feel more comfortable with them.

~ Craig

]]> By: Dan Douglas http://www.craigekerstiens.com/leaders-and-developers/comment-page-1/#comment-40 Dan Douglas Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:38:21 +0000 http://www.craigekerstiens.com/?p=98#comment-40 Great article! The only thing that struck a curve with me is about the execute, vp, or manager, expected to have the ability to code or develop (not that they are required to). I found the point about the executives to do the coding to be interesting, as I come from a non-startup background (worked for government, manufacturing, and small non IT focused companies). Based on my background (larger corporations), I would strongly feel that people in those positions need to understand the business and relay that understanding to their people, but I wouldn't want them to ever write any code - even if they used to be developers. A big difference I suppose between a small startup and a larger organization. Certainly if they are not coding, an understanding of software development, architecture, and process is still required (especially for an IT startup). I've never been involved with a startup, but I'm sure it fosters a creative working environment. Dan Great article! The only thing that struck a curve with me is about the execute, vp, or manager, expected to have the ability to code or develop (not that they are required to). I found the point about the executives to do the coding to be interesting, as I come from a non-startup background (worked for government, manufacturing, and small non IT focused companies).

Based on my background (larger corporations), I would strongly feel that people in those positions need to understand the business and relay that understanding to their people, but I wouldn’t want them to ever write any code – even if they used to be developers. A big difference I suppose between a small startup and a larger organization.

Certainly if they are not coding, an understanding of software development, architecture, and process is still required (especially for an IT startup).

I’ve never been involved with a startup, but I’m sure it fosters a creative working environment.

Dan

]]> By: Ain http://www.craigekerstiens.com/leaders-and-developers/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Ain Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:31:58 +0000 http://www.craigekerstiens.com/?p=98#comment-39 Most right. A company is a team game and it's not won by very good individual players but with a teamwork. Synergy matters. Most right. A company is a team game and it’s not won by very good individual players but with a teamwork. Synergy matters.

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