Here is Why Software Developers Fail
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
Grizzled software developer The Secret Developer has seen some junior software developers who did not succeed, and they think they don’t know why.
“Most software developers have some dedication to completing their tickets and getting enough development completed so their features get pushed. However, they don’t necessarily have the determination to make it and didn’t as they often leave the industry altogether.
Let me explain what happened, and how you can make sure that you don’t fall into the same trap.”
Grit
Grit is a trait that represents perseverance combined with a passion for a long-term goal.
“Grit is the type of thing that mythical 10x developers have in droves. It’s the motivation to get up in the morning and solve problems you need each day of your software development career.
I’m sure I’ve got grit because, during periods of unemployment, I kept going. I got better at coding, writing blog posts and more. I felt like giving up but didn’t.”
Grit facts:
Grit isn’t bound to intelligence
Grit is an attribute that helps software engineers complete tasks even when faced with issues
Employers appreciate employees who get things done, and who overcome obstacles
Grit is associated with conscientiousness but isn’t exactly the same — you don’t need to be a ‘nice’ person to have grit
Those who are high in grit generally make great team members
Those lacking in grit annoy The Secret Developer
“So many times, I feel that my colleagues make excuses for not completing their work.
This is different from the planning session I’m in where ac’s in my tickets are TBC and I’m being asked to commit to getting the ticket finished this week.
What I’m talking about is that people are ‘too busy’ or ‘resources are not available’ for things that don't require approval.
It wears me down when I am dependent on those people and need to get things done myself. It’s day after day of test data not available. Resource not available. Designs not available. Then nothing gets done until the next standup meeting.
Failure does not come instantly but over time as a team, we fail.
I actually think we fail as individuals when.”
Getting the best out of your job
“For me working is about getting the best out of the situation I am in. Working hard is one thing but working well to deliver value for the company?
That sounds so boring that the only way I can do it is by being gritty. That is, I get my work done even if there are obstacles in my way.
I think you should be more like this than someone who doesn’t like programming and doesn’t want to do it and looks for excuses when obstacles come up.”
Conclusion
It seems like The Secret Developer once again feels that they are somehow better than their colleagues and have an intangible talent that means they are superior. It’s not great.
“What if in some sense I am better than my colleagues? In this case, I think I’ve identified what it is. I want to get things done and make things better in our codebase.
That’s not a bad thing to say, is it?”