Being a successful developer is much more than just the skill of coding. Coding is the new literacy, without coding there is no life and it goes on. And we encounter every day new articles and blogs on why everyone should code. But this is totally an absurd glorification of programming. We should also consider its deeper aspects which are required to be a good programmer and a developer.
And this has been rooted in us in such a way that we are not anymore surprised when a software developer in New York makes a highly publicized attempt to teach coding to a homeless man. And the mayor of the state Michael Bloomberg famously told the press that even he planned to take a course on code academy.
Being a Successful Developer is a Lot More than just Simply Coding
You must learn the skills of coding and practice them if you just want to enjoy programming. But if you want to be a professional developer than being just a programmer then you might need to consider the other aspects as well such as their motives, needs and requirement and the ability to understand and relate to the people. And this requires more determination than learning the next big programming framework.
In other words, you need to be versatile and must know the wide range of softer skills too. You must know how to understand what people want from you because at the end of the day you are dealing with humans. These skills will help you to understand your teammates in a better way and how would your clients prefer to work, the director of research at Google said once that “programming is easy. Idiots can easily learn it well in just 21 days, Even if they are dummies to start off with”. Creating a sound out of a guitar doesn’t mean that you know how to play the guitar, or you can play it in a concert. The case is the same when it comes to developing you don’t become a developer by knowing a few java scripts, there are other various aspects also.
And developing software is all about teamwork, How well does your team work as one unit. The lone wolf, a rock star developer is a myth. It is the different perspectives that a team brings to the table is one thing which contributes to the project success. You should never assume anyone in the team with what knowledge they have. Every individual has different experiences and information about the subject, therefore we should never judge.
Be Modest
“Pride is the downfall of many a tragic hero”. Mr Darcy from Jane Austen’s famous book “Pride and Prejudice “had to let go of his pride before he could earn Elizabeth’s love.
Proverbs caution us, it “goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall”.
Understanding and realizing that you are good at what you do can bring a sense of modesty in you. Modesty can also be defined as “I can do it” not “only I can do it” and in return, you do not expect extra attention and excessive praise about you.
We should always be open to constructive criticism and we must leave our ego at the door. Allow yourself to be you, try to listen to others very attentively, try to feel and understand what they are trying to tell you. We should not always start showering our so-called wisdom and knowledge, we might encounter some more knowledge from others other than what we know.
Even people who are less experienced than us, we must not pre assume their knowledge .they too might come with creative ideas within themselves which can turn out to be the major point in any project. Always remember that every idea, every thought, and every opinion should matter to you.
Successful developers welcome and are open to hearing the thoughts, ideas, and opinions of others. Rather than seeking others to approve of them, they are more interested in seeing how others can help them achieve the overall success of the project.
Be Positive
Your attitude is a form of an expression of your ‘self’. You can choose to be happy, positive and optimistic, or you can choose to be negative at the same time. Always remember that being optimistic is a choice.
Your situation is never positive or negative it is just what you interpret out of it. Yes, it may not possible to be positive 100% of the time. But we can do is to adjust our usual disposition and be slightly more upbeat than usual.
We must develop a positive outlook on situations at work, we should learn to work as a team player and lesser as an individual. It is not possible to be positive 100% of the time. But we can do is to adjust our usual disposition and be slightly more upbeat than usual.
Be Empathetic
Listening and understanding the other with all your compassion is what we call empathy. A quality which every human should hold in his heart, the dictionary defines it as” the ability to understand and share the feelings of the other”.
And if we try to put this in a more simplified manner we would say that it is an ability to step into someone else’s shoes. In order to be aware of their feelings and understanding their needs as a complete concept, it’s a crucial skill to possess.
Whereas in any workplace, empathy is showing deep respect for co-workers you care, and you mean it as opposed to just going by rules and regulations.
The difference in opinion may create some conflicts in the workplace. There are times when it is your fault and times when it’s not. Be aware and mindful while arguing your case and remember to keep your ego outside the door. Too much aggression can quickly become a slippery slope and can erode the trust between you and your colleagues.
Listening to other’s opinion does not mean you have to always agree to the, you just need to listen and analyze the case in the most neural way you can. It is also possible that you hate or even feel this immense urge to mock the idea. But hey! This is not high school. You are an adult! You have earned the right to behave like one.
Listen, communicate and put your ideas. Believe in yourself and in your team to be able to see the light at the end of the conference room table.
Listening
One of the most evident traits of a successful developer is the ability to listen to others with your heart. But do we know how to practice active listening?
If we fail to understand what has been communicated to you then it might cost you with your clients, customers, and superiors.
A study at Washington University showed that just by listening to it could influence up to 40% of a developer’s job performance. There are so many discussions at work that opportunities to listen well abound. We communicate to bring out output and provide feedback, explaining instructions and deadlines.
Apart from your words, the tone of your voice, body language and those unsaid a lot can be observed and a piece of invaluable information is to be deciphered.
“If you fail to keep your ears open and aware it might leave you out of the game”
For this, you need to be more passive towards your actions, take your time to listen to others, invest all your attention in that particular moment and listen to their ideas and suggestions. Always make the others around you feel valued about their opinion which in turn can help you to improve your idea or perception.
It just needs a little awareness to be an active listener, aware of the sound, the words, and their intentions. only then you would be able to break all those old patterns of your attitude.
Always remember, the most successful, important, and admired teams — like Google, Apple, and many others — all have the kind of clarity that allows no ambiguity to develop at any point of time. Clarity helps improve a team’s ability to execute a particular idea, its ability to change directions of course confidently, and it’s overall satisfaction towards a particular project.
As Paul J., Meyer has rightly said, “Communication is the human connection is the key to personal and career success in one’s life”
