Personal Dave Posts
A Simple Guide to Financial Independence
Tech industry workers are amazingly lucky. Great income with a (generally) healthy job market? It's time to take advantage of that luck.
Newsletter
Late Career
Burnout and Layoffs — Approaches to Managing Overwork and Limited Resources
Layoffs have left many teams underresourced. The inevitable result is employees feeling stressed, and working long hours. Here are some approaches to improving your situation.
Mid Career
Reckless Bias for Action — A Tale of Immaturity and Impatience
Bias for Action has long been one of my favorite leadership principles. Not just because it's a critical leadership skill, but because I'm quite impatient.
People Managers
A Non-Coding Engineering Manager is One Thing, But What About Non-Technical?
A hotly debated topic is how technical an engineering manager needs to be. I dive into the topic, including ways a non-technical leader can learn.
Early Career
Answer the Unasked Questions — A Guide to Proactive Communication
When you're asked questions — do you literally answer just those questions, or do you try to answer the root question behind them?
Managing Up
Create Career Success: 11 Key Phrases for Your Workplace
How others perceive your performance and your work is heavily influenced by your communication skills. Influencing others is key to long-term success.
Mid Career
How to Estimate Projects Without Being Absolutely Hosed
Employees are often distrustful of their business partners when they're asked to give estimates. Instead, build your communication skills to take advantage of the estimation process benefits.
Early Career
Why "They" Are Always Screwing Up: A Guide to Removing Enemies
Everyone should intend to be a leader in their career. You can only lead "us", you can't lead "them".
Mid Career
Discover Exactly Why Insisting on High Standards is a Thorny Issue
Amazon's brutal culture of high-standards and transparency creates great results, and sometimes hurt feelings. And I'm not sure the latter is avoidable.
People Managers
A Day in the Life of a Software Development Manager with 14 Direct Reports
A story of too much work, too many reports, and perhaps too much ambition.
Early Career
AI Won't Take Software Engineering Jobs
A detailed look at the AI of today, why it's a continuation of yesterday, and what tomorrow will look like.
Career Growth
Stories of Three Employees Requesting Raises. Lessons on Increasing Your Income.
Asking for a raise is not as simple as phrasing it politely. There are costs involved.