Leading in Tech
By Michael Banner
In this podcast I aim to cover all aspects of leadership within a technical role, mainly from my own experiences but also by exploring different theories, models and case studies along the way.
Leading in TechNov 14, 2022
The Peter Principle: How to avoid rising to levels of incompetence
In this episode I'm answering a question put to me by a follower on LinkedIn:
"Why do some tech businesses assume their best developers will make the best managers? I know some talented people who’ve been pushed into a position they’re not cut out for (or particularly want) as it’s still implied that management is the only way to increase earnings and status"
I start by exploring a fairly well-known idea in management and career progression called The Peter Principle and how this can lead to people being promoted into positions beyond their abilities. I dive into how and why this happens within businesses, as well as touching on how we as managers (or individual contributors) can avoid falling into the trap that leads to problematic promotions.
As always, I'm keen to hear your opinions on the matter so feel free to reach out to me on my LinkedIn profile and let me know your thoughts.
Interviewing the interviewer
According to a study conducted by the Job Description Library (2021) indicated that around only 2% of people who apply to jobs get through to the interview stage. You may take this figure with a pinch of salt, however, even still it is crucial that if you manage to secure your place in front of a panel that you are armed with all the chances of success.
In this podcast I talk about why I think going into a job interview with the strong intention to interview the interviewer (i.e. put lots of questions to them and spark discussion) can provide huge value, as well as increase your chances of standing out from the other candidates.
I hope you enjoy listening to this episode, and as always I would love to hear your own thoughts, hints and tips to increase the chances of a successful interview.
You can connect with me on LinkedIn where I am more than happy to talk, collaborate and discuss all things tech, leadership and mental health.
Thanks!
Setting Achievable Goals
Regardless of your profession, industry or level of experience we can all relate to having goals. Even on a personal level, we all have goals of some description - whether that is learning to play the piano or wanting to run our first marathon, so how should we go about defining them?
Have you ever set out to do something, with it to simply slip down the list of priorities and never to be seen again? I can confidently say that this has happened to me a lot during my life, so this begs the question:
What things can we do to give our goals the best possible chance of succeeding?
In this podcast I cover 5 things I think we can all do to bolster your chances of reaching your goals.
Entering the software development industry with no experience
Whether you're just leaving high school or want to make a career jump, entering the software/web development industry might feel daunting. There will be lots of questions running around in your head such as "what languages should I learn?", "how will I know I'm ready to apply for jobs?" or "what does the job application process look like?".
In this podcast I aim to put to rest some of the most common questions I get asked and have seen asked online numerous times before. I will give some clear pointers help provide you with a good overview starting from knowing where to start learning, right the way through to applying for your first role.
Being a vulnerable leader: How to use being vulnerable as a way to improve credibility, knowledge and trust
When I first started taking the journey into people management within tech, I was overcome with a fear of needing to know everything. Obviously this mindset is simply absurd - nobody (at any level) can possibly know everything. Sure you will get some people who are able to remember more and can push the boundaries of knowledge retention, but we all have our knowledge black-spots that can only be filled by others of greater experience until we learn the ropes ourselves.
By learning to step out of my comfort zone and expose some of my vulnerabilities, I have been able to massively improve my career, happiness and respect within my working environment. It has also led to opening up a much greater growth mindset than before, providing me with many more opportunities to explore.
In this podcast, the first I've ever done, I touch on my own experiences and share my views on why I think being vulnerable (and sometimes not) is important for a healthy way of working as a leader (or any level for that matter).