Early Career
10 Reader Questions About Career Politics, Investing, Job Hopping, and AI (among others)
Answering some reader questions on various topics. I love questions!
Latest
Personal Dave Posts
Dave's Path to Amazon — And He Makes Fun of the Midwest
My path to Amazon wasn't obvious, or all that intentional. But it changed my life forever.
Organizations
9 Simple Actions You Can Take to Build a Culture of Empathy
You can build an accidental culture, or a purposeful culture. Take action to build a culture of empathy, and reap the rewards.
Career Growth
No More Excuses: Trading Blame for Action. Practical Steps Towards Ownership Instead of Whining.
I'll admit a lack of patience for people who prefer to make excuses when they're given advice. It's easier to make excuses rather than do the hard work.
Managing Up
Work Enemies: Actions You Can Take to Protect Yourself From Bad Relationships
You won't always get along with your co-workers. What can you do to protect yourself?
Mid Career
Six Reader Questions About Meetings, Feedback, Communication, and Ideas
I regularly receive questions over email and in comments on my newsletter. I decided to answer a few of them in detail.
Late Career
Senior Engineer or Senior Citizen? How Can Vintage Tech Workers Age Like Fine Wine?
Experience in some careers is viewed as universally positive, but that's not necessarily the case in tech. Why is that, and what can you do about it?
Interviewing
The Ideal Manager Exercise — How to Choose and Communicate With Your Current or Future Manager
The reflection exercise that helped me find and cultivate a successful relationship with my manager.
Managing Up
How Senior Leaders Evaluate Ideas — And a Story of Amazon's 3-Year Planning Process
Ideas are valuable if they're not simply a desired outcome. A path to an outcome is the core element of a good idea.
Organizations
How Frugality Creates Innovation in Products and Apparently Movies
Frugality isn't simply about saving money. It's about focusing your attention on what matters.
Late Career
You Should Be a Product Owner — Plus a Story of Dave Being a Jerk
Stepping outside your job role is a critical behavior for senior leaders. But everyone should consider their job as their area of specialty, not their only focus.
Early Career
6 Mechanisms Which Drive Personal Career Success
These mechanisms relate to your ability to focus on your priorities, drive your career forward, and network over the years. Small but critical tools you can use to make career progress.